We live in a world where people incline more in dividing themselves than uniting. It is a lot more difficult to unite than to divide and that is one of the reasons why I am a @calle13oficial fan. I have seen how this group has been able to fusion various types of music from various continents including in their last production Entren Los Que Quieran (amazon affiliate link) where his song “Bailes de Los Pobres” has a fusion of some Bhangra (Indian Music) sounds.

Previous productions have included other fusion which in my sense takes @calle13oficial to new levels increasing his reach to most spanish speaking countries because most of his productions have familiar sounds to them. Out of his last production Entren Los Que Quieran (amazon affiliate link) I really enjoyed his song “Vamos a Portarnos Mal” and was even more amazed with the video.

Many locally (Puerto Rico) can get past of what should be accepted as appropriate conduct. Some people might not be able to get past the title of “Vamos a Portarnos Mal” (Let’s Misbehave). I think @calle13oficial has done an excellent job at bringing many issues of discrimination in what many think  is not acceptable conduct. If you watch the videos you see how he spotlights spiritism, santeria, police brutality, homosexuality, and many other topics everyone else does not want to talk about them. The reason those things are not accepted are because they are of no benefit to a few people who control the Island (press, economy,religion, politics, and the list can continue).

There are continuos efforts to tarnish @calle13oficial’s image given his reputation of projecting the truth and being very loyalto his values. I applaud @calle13oficial in bringing us his point of view which many of us can relate to. It is admirable in this day and age how he is willing to accept the consequences that come behind his actions.

Uniting with Music

Once we get past the message we also have to give @calle13oficial credit for using merengue once again to unite two cultures (Dominican and Puerto Rican) who in many occasions are very divided. It really brings me a lot of joy when I see them playing Vamos a Portarnos Mal  in the Dominican Republic as symbol of how similar our cultures are and how close we should be.

I was not always a Big Fan of @calle13oficial

I remember in the summer of 2005 when I heard the song of “Sandwich de Salchicha” and the first few times I heard it I really did not get the message. Maybe it was because I quickly judged @calle13oficial’s music as one more inclined to Reggaeton and other purposes that where not aligned with my values. Later that year I started listening to his songs from his first production “Calle 13” and I started getting his message.

The real fan of @calle13oficial was @lucymfel which in summer of 2006 convinced me to go watch them in Central Park in New York City which they where performing for the public (entrance fee was whatever you wanted to donate). That day @calle13oficial was going to play before Soda Stereo Vocalist Gustavo Cerati at Central Park. We arrived early at sat listening to a terrible Mexican Electronic Band. I am a big fan of a lot of Mexican Talent with diverse backgrounds ranging from Tijuana No, Cafetacuba, Victimas del Dr. Cerebro, to Luis Miguel, and Juan Gabriel (reason my dog is named Juanga) but this band was terrible.

When @calle13oficial finally arrived on stage I was amazed on the energy they brought up stage and how they energized me and the rest of the crowd. The fusion of music and the message they where sharing made perfect harmony in my ears. They played for the crowd  in New York City and also created awareness of some of the injustices the FBI had committed on the Island by singing “Querido FBI” in front of a crowd of people who might not have expected it. After that moment I have to call myself a @calle13oficial fan and they really won my respect.

Years later I have to say I have been to various of there concerts including their last one in Puerto Rico and I usually pre-order there productions to make sure I get to listen to them once they are available.

The most amazing talent I admire from @calle13oficial and @visitante13 is their ability to unite and fusion music and make it their own. The message I wanted to project in What makes U original from @calle13oficial & @visitante13 was how they use their creativity to get their message out. I honestly have to say they have done it again with Entren Los Que Quieran.