Calle 13
by Jason Birchmeier
The debut release of Calle 13 in late 2005 offered a refreshing alternative to the mass of reggaeton concurrently overrunning popular Latin music. Comprised of vocalist Residente (born René Pérez) and producer Visitante (Eduardo Cabra), the duo isn't a standard reggaeton act. Make no mistake, though. To a degree their music is reggaeton -- that unmistakable rhythm is front and center, and Residente does rap over the beats as you might expect -- but there's much more to it than that. For one, the beats of Visitante are inventive, incorporating aspects of hip-hop and characteristics of electronica, and are a world apart from the industry-standard trademark of Luny Tunes and that production team's assembly line of bandwagon-jumping imitators. Secondly, the raps of Residente eschew reggaeton clichés, showcasing a healthy sense of humor and an almost clownish approach to sarcasm (à la Eminem) -- again, a world apart from the ...
The debut release of Calle 13 in late 2005 offered a refreshing alternative to the mass of reggaeton concurrently overrunning popular Latin music. Comprised of vocalist Residente (born René Pérez) and producer Visitante (Eduardo Cabra), the duo isn't a standard reggaeton act. Make no mistake, though. To a degree their music is reggaeton -- that unmistakable rhythm is front and center, and Residente does rap over the beats as you might expect -- but there's much more to it than that. For one, the beats of Visitante are inventive, incorporating aspects of hip-hop and characteristics of electronica, and are a world apart from the industry-standard trademark of Luny Tunes and that production team's assembly line of bandwagon-jumping imitators. Secondly, the raps of Residente eschew reggaeton clichés, showcasing a healthy sense of humor and an almost clownish approach to sarcasm (à la Eminem) -- again, a world apart from the ...
