1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: What a journey with Willie Colonne. Right after a childhood 2 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,720 Speaker 1: marked by poverty and discrimination, he paired up with Hector 3 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: LeVaux for a string of genre defining albums that knocked 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: the Latin jazz establishments house down. 5 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 2: He and Hector aka The Bad Boys became FINA Records 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 2: top earners until lavaux struggle with addiction pushed Cologne to 7 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 2: step away. 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: But the following out didn't stop Cologne's rise. El Malo 9 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: helped revitalize Celia Cruz's career before finding a new musical 10 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: soulmate in Reuben Blas. 11 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 2: All this time, Golonne made music from a distinct New 12 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 2: yor Riecan perspective, mashing up melodies and rhythms from Las 13 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 2: Islas with lyrics that came from the streets of the Bronx. 14 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 1: And after Salza hipchecked mambo to the side, Gologne and 15 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: the other artists under FANYA made huge inroads into Latin America. 16 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 2: This was a sound that resonated with puebro Latino wherever 17 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 2: it was at home the Trasla Frontera or an. 18 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: Exile, and as El Pueblo embraced salsa more and more. 19 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: Willi Colonne became willing to speak for El pueblo. 20 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 2: And to it, starting with his music and ending with 21 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 2: his tweets. 22 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: No story ever ended well, that ended with a tweet 23 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: and yes I am talking to you, DT and Elon. Anyway, 24 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: we started the series talking about all of the different 25 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: pueblos Willy Colone belongs to, an American, a Latino, a 26 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: Puerto Rican, a New Yorker, worth noting not a single 27 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: one of these is a monolith. Hell, Willi Cologne himself 28 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: is not a monolith. 29 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 2: We contain multitudes, and those multitudes can and do, but. 30 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 1: Heads, especially when there are politics in the mix, as 31 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: is the case for good old Willy Cologne. 32 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 2: Heads up, y'all. This episode's going to be a little different, 33 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 2: less Margarita. 34 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: More i pa. It's going to leave a very bitter 35 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: taste in your mouth. But before that, we still have 36 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: a few of Willi Colone's later career highlights that we're 37 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: excited to explore. I'm your host Lilianavosquez. 38 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 2: And I'm Joseph Carrio and this is Becoming an Icon. 39 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: A weekly podcast where we give you the rundown on 40 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: how today's most famous LATINV stars have shaped pop culture. 41 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 2: And given the world some extra level. 42 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: Sit back and get comfortable. 43 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 2: Because we are going in the only way we know 44 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 2: how with buenas Vias. 45 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: Buenasriesas and a lot of opinions as we relive their 46 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: greatest achievements on our journey to find out what makes 47 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: them so iconic. Wheelie's work with Rubin Vladies saw him 48 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: at the top of his game, but at the same time, 49 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: he was beginning to step out from the band and 50 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 1: establish himself as a solo artist. 51 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: You're not a chorus girl anymore, Sugar. Get out there 52 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: and show them what you got. 53 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: Well, what he had as a vocalist wasn't really the 54 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: most impressive by conventional standards. Critics called his vocals weak 55 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: and nasal. I'm feeling a little Shakita here. Remember she 56 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: sounded like a ghost. Mmm? Don't you remember that from like. 57 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 2: Season one, season one, episode two point just kind of. 58 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: If you remember the actual episode. I was going to 59 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: be very impressed with your memory, Like an elephant anyway. 60 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: That is why on his very first album, nineteen seventy 61 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: nine Solo, his vocals are heavily accompanied by an all 62 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: female choir. 63 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 2: Oh ah, well, once a chorus girl always chorus girl. Still, 64 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 2: the album went gold in just three weeks after its release. 65 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: His tour for the album a broke a record attendance 66 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: in Venezuela's Poliedro de Caracas Arena. 67 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 2: The record was a top seller. 68 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: But back at home, the salsa sound that really had 69 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,239 Speaker 1: helped popularize was changing. 70 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 2: Sansa dura was getting long in the tooth. The next 71 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 2: big thing was salsa romantica. 72 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: Whereas salsa dura was sweaty, grungy, remember the smell of 73 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,599 Speaker 1: wheed and garbage, the sounds of sex worker clapping back 74 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: at that camp. Salsa Romantica was just what the name implies, 75 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: romantic love songs like slow jams m hmm, more. 76 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 2: Major key than minor, basically a more radio friendly satasa. 77 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: Some might even say sanitized. And in nineteen eighty one, 78 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: Willie jumped aboard the salsa romantica bandwagon with the album Fantastmas, 79 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 1: but he didn't completely abandon his tendency to make statement. 80 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 2: He had four radio hits with Okecera, suenote A, more 81 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 2: verda Vero, and volar A Puerto Rico, but the first 82 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 2: single stands out for its hidden political message. 83 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: O Casira was originally composed in nineteen seventy six by 84 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: Chico Buarke, a poet and playwright persecuted by Brazil's a 85 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: military dictatorship. 86 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 2: The original song is part of a trilogy of songs 87 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 2: based on a novel by a colleague of Borguess, and 88 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 2: while it's a love song on the surface, many have 89 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 2: interpreted as a song of resistance Jews. The question went 90 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 2: through the song O cascera, Oh, what will be? Reflects 91 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 2: a desperate uncertainty at the height of the dictatorship's repression. 92 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: What will be? No one had the answer, so the 93 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 2: song was kind of a trojan horse within Sasar Romantica. 94 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 2: It's a love song at first blush, but for the 95 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:56,280 Speaker 2: listeners throughout Latin America it was about solidarity. 96 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: But Cologne wasn't above a love Songeen eighty two s 97 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: Corrasson Guerrero and nineteen eighty fours. Timpta had plenty, such 98 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: as a stone cold classic chitana. 99 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 2: On this track? Will he mix different styles just like 100 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 2: he always had? This time flamenco guitar and salsa, And 101 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,919 Speaker 2: I'll say to that is Rosalia. If you're listening to 102 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 2: becoming an icon, when are we getting that cover girl. 103 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: If she's busy right now with Jeremy Allen White, I 104 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: don't think that she's in any hurry to release new 105 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: music and get out. 106 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 2: Of bed Asie. 107 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be either, yestua. 108 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, well are you talking about? 109 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 1: I don't know? Oh wait, Salsa Romantica Okay, Oh yes, sorry, 110 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 1: I was thinking of the Calvin climat and I forgot 111 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: about Willie Colon because as much as I love his music, 112 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: don't want to see Willy in his calvins. Anyway, We've 113 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: got a big one next to focus on. Are you ready? 114 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 2: Okay, Okay, I'm ready. 115 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 1: Cologne's biggest album of the Sasa Romantica period was nineteen 116 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: eighty nine's Top Secrets, a record that sent shock waves 117 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: through the Spanish speaking world. 118 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,239 Speaker 2: This was thanks to a standout track on the album, 119 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 2: El grand Varon. The track tells the story of Simon. 120 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: Born in the summer of fifty six, Simon was the 121 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 2: pride and joy of a man named Andres. Finally, Andres 122 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 2: had a. 123 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: Son, and with that pride, Andres raises Simon with a 124 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: heavy hand. He forces his son to study as he 125 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: did and aspired to the life he had telling him 126 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,239 Speaker 1: you must be ungrand Varon, a great man. 127 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: That macho parenting eventually drives Simon to run away and 128 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 2: find freedom somewhere far from home, somewhere where Simon can 129 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 2: be Simon. 130 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: Eventually Andress discovers where Simon is living. He knocks on 131 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: the door and finds a woman greeting him. She tells him. 132 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 2: It's me Simon to gra Varon, Oh my God. 133 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: Simon and Andress never reconciled. Simon doesn't write home, and Andres 134 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: can't put aside his judgments. 135 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 2: The Cornus urges listeners to avoid Ondress's mistakes and put 136 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 2: their judgments aside. And then the story of Simon ends 137 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 2: on a tragic note. 138 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: In a hospital room, just like the one he was 139 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: born in, Simon succumbs to a strange illness and dies 140 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: without anyone by his side. 141 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 2: The AIDS pandemic in the US had been ignored for 142 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:34,680 Speaker 2: years by the Reagan administration. When the government finally did 143 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 2: act in the late eighties, it was noncommittal, and by 144 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,319 Speaker 2: then the death toll was steep and the stigma was deep. 145 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: It's to say, at a time when the gay community 146 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 1: was struggling to be heard Elgrand Varon was played on 147 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 1: radio stations around the world. 148 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 2: Even though Colonne and Omar Alfano, the Panamanian composer who 149 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 2: wrote the song, thought the subject was too taboo for 150 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 2: the song to be a single, but radio DJ's around 151 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 2: the world saw power in the song and an urgency 152 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 2: to raise awareness with its message. 153 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: With attention came controversy and criticism. But two years after 154 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: the release of the song, Willie Colonne was given a 155 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: Humanitarian Award for Elgrand Baron. 156 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 2: But the song was personal for both Cologne and Omar Alfano. 157 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 2: Alfano had penned the song for a dear friend who 158 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 2: had passed from the disease. 159 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: Colon's connection to the song, meanwhile, was a lost one. 160 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 1: Four years prior to its release, Hector LeVaux, Willi's bad 161 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 1: boy brother in arms, was diagnosed with HIV, and in 162 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:40,079 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety three he succumbed to complications from AIDS. Later 163 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: in the nineties, Colon would take a break from music. 164 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: Speaking to an interviewer, he declared, sometimes writing a song 165 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: is not enough. 166 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 2: Willie Cologne was going through a bit of transformation. 167 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: And let's just jump in here and say that this 168 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: next period is full of surprise. Let's take a bousa 169 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: before we get into this next part. To our lovely listeners, 170 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: Joseph and I Hey are recording this show in mid August. 171 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: It is one hundred degrees in LA and eighty nine 172 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 1: percent humidity in NYC. But by the time this episode 173 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: hits your ears, the American presidential election will be just 174 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: twenty days away. 175 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:36,079 Speaker 2: You right back. I'm going to go scan my aura 176 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 2: and see if my future self is telling my present 177 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 2: self anything about how things are going. 178 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 1: Joseph, I actually don't think that future life regressions are 179 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,559 Speaker 1: a thing. That's called a progression, and that means that 180 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: you can time travel, which if you can, why the 181 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: eff are we doing a podcast and not making billions 182 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: of dollars? 183 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,839 Speaker 2: Well, no, there you go. That's it. That's good, that's all. 184 00:10:57,920 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 2: That's all. That's all I'm going to say. 185 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: Wait, no, you are never one to hold your tongue 186 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: by your tongue. You are a chatty cher. 187 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 2: Listen, listen to me. I'm going to do a wise 188 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 2: Cleft John song, and I'm going to say I'll be 189 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 2: gone till November. I'll be gone till November, like I 190 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 2: want nothing. 191 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: To after Okay, so is that because you're getting flooded 192 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: with political ads? 193 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 2: You know what is so crazy? What I used to 194 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 2: get so much mail, I used to get stuff I 195 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 2: used to get I get none, nothing of the sort 196 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,439 Speaker 2: because I don't even via text nothing. 197 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: I used to interesting. Do you pay attention to politics? 198 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: I'm not just talking about the general election, because we 199 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: know that's a very big, loud, important decision, but I'm 200 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: talking do you pay attention to local politics? 201 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 2: No? I don't even want to go there with all 202 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 2: of that. But no, that's the that's the truth. Okay, 203 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 2: we're going to change that. Love you, but we're going 204 00:11:57,800 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 2: to change that. We will, Okay, we will. 205 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: But here's the I think there's a few lessons that 206 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,719 Speaker 1: we can take away from the last several years of politics. 207 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 1: And one thing I have learned, and that I think 208 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: a lot of Americans have learned, is that every election matters. Obviously, 209 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 1: the big ones dominate the news cycle, but local races 210 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: are kind of where it's at. Like, if you really 211 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:22,679 Speaker 1: want to make change and effect change, you got to 212 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 1: start locally. 213 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 2: And in nineteen ninety four, an unusual race was brewing 214 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 2: in the Bronx. 215 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: June twenty fifth of that year, The New York Times 216 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: published an article with the headline politics with the Beat 217 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 1: of the Bronx. Willie Colonne Salza Star makes a bid 218 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 1: for a congressional seat. 219 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:44,199 Speaker 2: After bringing awareness to AIDS, poverty, and Latin American dictatorship 220 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 2: with his music, Golan decided sometimes writing the song is 221 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 2: not enough. He was running for the House of Representatives 222 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 2: in New York's seventeenth district. 223 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:59,359 Speaker 1: Willi felt moved to enter politics because of deteriorating race relations. 224 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: Two years prior, in nineteen ninety two, the LA riots 225 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 1: that followed the beating of Rodney King had marked a 226 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: deep period of unrest, not unlike twenty twenties George Floyd protest. 227 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 2: Just months after the LA rights, Washington Heights saw four 228 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 2: days of rioting after a twenty three year old Dominican 229 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 2: immigrant was shot and killed by police. Amid the riots, 230 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 2: Willie Cologne met with then Mayor David Dinkins to serve 231 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 2: as a liaison for the neighborhood's Latino community. 232 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: Cologne was also moved to run for office by reductions 233 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: in school and social program funding. He viewed the incumbent representative, 234 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: Democrat Elliott engel Is out of touch with the community's needs. 235 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 2: As for that community, it was more like several communities. 236 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 2: New York's seventeenth district had been redrawn in nineteen ninety 237 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 2: two to include more Black and Latino voters. It represented 238 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 2: the Bronx Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Pelham, and Newer Show, where 239 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 2: Willie Cologne lived with his fam. 240 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 1: When Willy was running, the district was thirty six percent Black, 241 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: twenty six percent Hispanic, and thirty four percent white. Victory 242 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,600 Speaker 1: in the primary election would mean forming a coalition amongst 243 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: these disparate groups. 244 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 2: Willie's plan form a bridge between the black and Latino communities. 245 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 2: To do that, will you hope to win endorsements from 246 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 2: black local elected officials, along with the Reverend Al Sharpton. 247 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: Because in those days you had to get the nod 248 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: from Al. 249 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 2: These days not so much. 250 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: Meanwhile, really trusted that the Latin community had his back. 251 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: With thousands of fans hugging and kissing him at that 252 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: year's Puerto Rican Day parade, It's. 253 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 2: Easy to see why wait a minute, wait, just to 254 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 2: damn minute, didn't you ride on float in a Puerto 255 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 2: Rican Day parade? 256 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: I love that you know that about me, And yes, 257 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: I had my flag. I was wet, bying all up 258 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: and down Fifth Avenue, sweating my ass on. 259 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: Oh you did? 260 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: I mean, for those of you that don't live in 261 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: New York, the Puerto Rican Day Pride Parade is a 262 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 1: site rowdy, is a site to behold, is what I 263 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 1: was going to say. If you're in the parade, if 264 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: you are not participating, if you are not celebrating, and 265 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: why aren't you. I know that it can be a lot, 266 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: but it's one of my favorite memories of living in 267 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: New York. It's like, I love the I love the 268 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: parade when we are when we're well behaved. 269 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 2: So what was on the actual float? Just very quick? Oh, 270 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 2: I was hotter, Yes, sunscreen. 271 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: They had snacks, they had sunscreen. I mean, there's a 272 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: lot of speakers. I was on the float with a 273 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: lot of other journalists from different media outlets all over 274 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: New York. So I had my friends from NBC, from 275 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 1: UNI Vicion, I had them from THENO. Yeah, it was 276 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 1: all of us. We were all kind of like joined forces, 277 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 1: obviously all Puerto Ricans. But it was super fun and 278 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: I love the Puerto Rican Day Pride Parade. I actually 279 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: can't wait to take Santi to the parade, and I 280 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: hope that he gets to write on the float with 281 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: me one day. 282 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 2: Hey, well, I already know it. 283 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 1: I know, I know. Okay. Back to Willie, so he 284 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: knew what kind of tone he wanted to strike as 285 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: a politician, but his policies, well those were a little murkier. 286 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: Gologne told an interviewer, I'm not going to tell the 287 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: district what our problems are. I want the people in 288 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: this district to come forward so we can develop a 289 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 1: progressive agenda. 290 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 2: After knocking the incumbent as out of touch, will you 291 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 2: imagine that he would be more capable of hearing the 292 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 2: community and speaking for them, just as he had done 293 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 2: with his music. 294 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: He went endorsements from the local hospital workers' union and 295 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: a municipal union, along with closed door encouragement from Latino 296 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 1: elected officials, but ultimately. 297 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 2: Willie got blown to smither. Riens child Angel earned sixty 298 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 2: two percent of the vote, leaving Elmlow with thirty eight percent. 299 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 2: Years later, he was sure that he never was comfortable fundraising, 300 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 2: putting him at a huge disadvantage. 301 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: Now, this wasn't the first time Willie Golong got involved 302 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: in New York politics. 303 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 2: Before he ran for Congress, he was part of the 304 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 2: board of directors of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. 305 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: He also served a member of the Latino Commission on 306 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 1: Aids and as president of the Arthur Schoenberg Coalition for 307 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: a Better New York. Still, after Golan lost the congressional election, 308 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 1: he returned to music and recorded two more albums, nineteen 309 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 1: ninety six is yvoel Veo Traves and nineteen ninety eight 310 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: The Mascielo Corrasson. 311 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 2: The albums continued in the same South s Romantica as 312 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 2: his previous records from the eighties and the nineties, but 313 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 2: politics would soon lure Willie back in an unexpected way. 314 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety eight, the year I graduated high school, 315 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 1: Whelly was approached to sing the theme for the Macielo Corasson, 316 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: a Mexican political tele novela. Willie accepted on one condition, which. 317 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 2: Was put me on those screen bitch. Willie played Feliciano Puintor, 318 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 2: a Dea agent, and not only did he insist on 319 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 2: getting a part, he wanted his name and title on 320 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 2: a bad hang. 321 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 1: The producer of the show talked's enthusiasm for the character 322 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,640 Speaker 1: and named him an honorary police officer in New York City. 323 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 2: Which is a little surprising after the Washington Heights rites 324 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 2: like were Dominicans here for WILLI Colone the cop? 325 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:14,679 Speaker 1: So to find that out, I think you have to 326 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: track down the Aunties who watched that novella. But remember, 327 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:24,440 Speaker 1: Latinos are not a monolith. Even within a single neighborhood 328 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: like Washington Heights, there are differences, So I. 329 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 2: Know how a lot of folks we feel in about 330 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 2: the cops in years. Since you're telling me that it 331 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 2: didn't happen in Washington Heights. 332 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: Well, I think it's really important to remember that before 333 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 1: these riots even took place, Washington Heights experienced the very 334 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 1: worst of the crack epidemic in the nineteen eighties. I mean, 335 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: the George Washington Bridge, which was the biggest landmark in 336 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: that neighborhood, was a major artery for drug traffickers traveling 337 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: between New York and New Jersey. So saving the neighborhood 338 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: from violence and turf wars took a combination. It was 339 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:03,640 Speaker 1: park community effort and park collaboration with the cops, gotcha. 340 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 2: So it makes sense that Wally specifically played a DEA 341 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 2: agent aka a cop who goes after the types of 342 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 2: guys who terrorized his neighborhoods. 343 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it does tell you a little bit about 344 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,439 Speaker 1: how Riitty Cologne came to kind of see himself the 345 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: guy who grew up getting into these fights, being all 346 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: tough and using that toughness to defend vulnerable people like 347 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 1: his sister. 348 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 2: But it's still funny that after years of dressing up 349 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 2: like un Mafio so he wanted to be the good 350 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 2: guy who went after the game. 351 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: I mean, remember his cover albums. I mean he was 352 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 1: literally Al Platino and Scarface, right. But I do think 353 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 1: it's worth making the Daddy Yankee comparison again, which we 354 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: have done in the past. You know, Yankee also played 355 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: up his gangster image the way that a lot of 356 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 1: rappers do and did, but he ultimately saw himself as 357 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: the voice of the little guy, which. 358 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 2: Is why Willy ran for office again in two thousand 359 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 2: and one, this time for public Advocate. He did a 360 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:02,120 Speaker 2: little better but still couldn't clinch denomination. 361 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: But the following year he would land a place in 362 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: the office of the newly elected mayor Michael Bloomberg as 363 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: an advisor and liaison to the Latino community, and that's 364 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:17,119 Speaker 1: where we came in the Bloomberg years. Jesus take me 365 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,679 Speaker 1: back there. But also I feel so old when I 366 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: think about how long ago that was, and it reminds 367 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,920 Speaker 1: me that I need to make a appointment for some 368 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: restallin some Philip please, or I guess I could go 369 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: oh Natural and try to get an appointment with Joseph, who, 370 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: by the way Listeners is so booked and busy that 371 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 1: he doesn't even have time for his co host and Brima. Okay, 372 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: I mean true, I get it. You're out here doing 373 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 1: faces of like, you know, the most elite of the elite. 374 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: I don't qualify, but we're not gonna be finding if 375 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,919 Speaker 1: you don't scol you. Okay, back to blooming Apart from 376 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: that infamous soda band, do you remember that when you 377 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: couldn't get big gulps in New York? 378 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 2: I don't think I lived here. And I've also never 379 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 2: had a big gulp. 380 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:08,920 Speaker 1: Okay, Well, I'm from Texas, so I basically survived on 381 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 1: big gold. 382 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 2: But I actually never had a big hop. But my 383 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 2: friend Courtney Reno shout out to Quianna. She always had 384 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 2: a big golp. 385 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: Well, Bloomberg said no, mas okay. So In addition to 386 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 1: the soda ban, he was also known for his controversial 387 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: stopped in Frisk policy. 388 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:27,919 Speaker 2: Which empowered police to just like it sounds, stop and 389 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 2: frisk whoever they deemed. 390 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: Suspicious, I mean racial profiling, munch and one of the 391 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:40,199 Speaker 1: policy's biggest critics was Bloomberg's own advisor, Willie Cologne. In 392 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,640 Speaker 1: a twenty fifteen interview about the mayoral election to succeed 393 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:47,120 Speaker 1: at Bloomberg, Colonne said that Latinos live in quote the. 394 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 2: Other New York quote. Stop and frisk has gone too 395 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 2: far in general and in the whole country in the 396 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 2: name of anti terrorism and fighting crime and infringing on 397 00:21:58,520 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 2: constitutional rights. 398 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 1: Golog actually threw his support behind Bill Thompson, the city 399 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:07,439 Speaker 1: controller under the Bloomberg administration, who would ultimately lose to 400 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: build a Blasio. 401 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 2: By this point, listeners might be wondering, am I listening 402 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:15,119 Speaker 2: to the right podcast? When did this turn into a 403 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 2: political history show. 404 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:19,399 Speaker 1: I know it hasn't, you guys, but we had to 405 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 1: give you context because we are all about educating our listeners. 406 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: We know you guys are smart, but we had to 407 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 1: learn this shit too, right and all we can say 408 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:36,920 Speaker 1: to that is Wally really took a hard turn right 409 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: into politics. Yes, he continues to release music and play 410 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: shows in New York and around the world, but this 411 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,640 Speaker 1: political arena is where he actually starts to see the 412 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: most potential for change. 413 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:51,399 Speaker 2: For better and for worse. 414 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: In May of this year, a certain New York egon 415 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,400 Speaker 1: held a press conference in front of Manhattan Criminal Courthouse 416 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 1: on one hundred Center Street. By the way, home to 417 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 1: my very first job on television. Anyway, I digressed no 418 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 1: where former President Donald Trump was standing trial for fraud. 419 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 2: Reading from a prepared script, this New Yorker said to 420 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:23,360 Speaker 2: the cameras, we New Yorkers used to tolerate Trump when 421 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 2: he was just another crappy real estate hustler masquerading as 422 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,199 Speaker 2: a big shot. He went on to label Trump as 423 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 2: a tyrant and a clown. 424 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,400 Speaker 1: The New Yorker we're talking about had a career spanning decades, 425 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: capturing the decay and desperation of New York in the 426 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: seventies and immortalizing the image of the mafioso and no. 427 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 2: Fam It was not Guty Corlone. It was Robert de 428 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 2: Niro amid the police sirens and the shouts of pro 429 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 2: and anti Trump demonstrators outside the courthouse, The actor announced 430 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 2: his support for the Biden campaign before getting into an 431 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 2: argument with a heckler. 432 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: This event was part of the launch for Biden's now 433 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: defunct reelection campaign. It was kind of like a blip. 434 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,119 Speaker 1: No one really talked about it, but we're focused on 435 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: it now because it actually involves El Malo Willie Cologne. 436 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 2: After de Niro's clit made the rounds, the King of 437 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 2: Sasa jumped on x formerly known as Twitter, to critique 438 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 2: the press conference, saying. 439 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: Quote what once would have been considered beneath de Niro's 440 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,399 Speaker 1: stature has now earned him a reputation as a foul 441 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 1: mouthed buffoon. These two New York yehitos were fighting. 442 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 2: De Niro had backed Biden in twenty sixteen and was 443 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 2: going to bat for him again in twenty twenty, while 444 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 2: Cologne had been a long time Trump supporter The hard. 445 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,639 Speaker 1: In his final tweet of the night, Gologn called Biden's 446 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: campaign launch a complete failure that revealed the side of 447 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: de Niro that many wished they had not seen. Willie, 448 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,160 Speaker 1: this tweet revealed a side of you that many longtime 449 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:57,200 Speaker 1: fans wish they had not seen y'all put your phones 450 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:01,959 Speaker 1: down at night. Nothing good happens on x or Instagram 451 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: for that matter, after like nine thirty pm. I'm convinced 452 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 1: of this. 453 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,960 Speaker 2: Well, Jit. When Colann posted in twenty sixteen that he 454 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 2: had gotten up at five in the morning without shaving, 455 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,919 Speaker 2: eating breakfast, or combing his hair to go vote for Trump, 456 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 2: fans were at once disappointed and confused. 457 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's because just a few months prior, Cologne 458 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,919 Speaker 1: had been rallying against the repression carried out by the 459 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 1: dictatorship in Venezuela. Now Here he was praising a would 460 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 1: be authoritarian. What do you mean would be well, Joseph, 461 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: this is still early on okay anyway, Many fans responded, 462 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 1: pointing out the inconsistency. Others proclaimed that they were going 463 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 1: to delete WILLI Colanne from all of their playlists. 464 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 2: I'm literally doing that right now Detana by Talento Television. 465 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: My no. 466 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:52,120 Speaker 2: Gone. 467 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, okay, fine, delete it, delete it. But look, 468 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 1: it would be one thing if we leave for whatever reason, 469 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,640 Speaker 1: just couldn't get behind democrats anymore. Like I am all 470 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,959 Speaker 1: about out, you know, finding your own voice in politics, 471 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 1: suggesting a better alternative, but El Marlow had gone mega 472 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: maga like he was a Twitter troll. Twelve flags and 473 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: yard signs flying around maga. 474 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 2: Okay, disclaimer, we don't know about his house and yard 475 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:25,160 Speaker 2: sign but as for the Twitter shoes, there's eight years 476 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 2: of receipts. 477 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: And you know we've got those receipts. Okay, the nastiest 478 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: of the receipts being a Facebook post from twenty twenty so, 479 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: shortly after the president of Goya Foods endorsed Trump's reelection bid, 480 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 1: cologne post in a photo with a can of Goya 481 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:44,440 Speaker 1: black beans and posted the photo with a caption that read, 482 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:47,640 Speaker 1: and I quoked you guys. This is not like a 483 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:51,920 Speaker 1: meme or SNL sketch. Black beans matter. 484 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,400 Speaker 2: Wait stop. The same guy who advised the mayor after 485 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 2: the Washington Heights riots was out here trolling the Black 486 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 2: Lives Matter book. 487 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 1: Trolling okay, like deep fucking troll. And also, let me 488 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:13,479 Speaker 1: remind you this was just sixty days after George Floyd 489 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:18,439 Speaker 1: was killed by the police. It's it's disgusting, what the 490 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: fuck is happening? 491 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 2: How? I mean? 492 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:24,200 Speaker 1: Great questions? And like the fans who wiped weey from 493 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:29,119 Speaker 1: their playlist, it's confusing and deeply upsetting. But if we 494 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 1: look back, maybe we can stumble on some theories that 495 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 1: will help us understand how really got here. 496 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:39,480 Speaker 2: Okay, it's I'm listening. 497 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: Okay, if you're listening, turn it up, put those headphones in, 498 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:47,360 Speaker 1: because here we go. Okay, we don't actually know what 499 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 1: specifically rubbed Willy the wrong way about democratic politicians from 500 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 1: the Bloomberg administration on. I mean, if you live in 501 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 1: New York, you get into politics, you deal with Democrats. 502 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: It's just how it is. 503 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 2: Right. Maybe he he hads s jaded with city politics 504 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 2: and lose his faith, or maybe he gets wind of 505 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 2: some shady stuff, or maybe he's just bitter that he 506 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 2: never won. 507 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:11,400 Speaker 1: I mean, all of those are likely possibilities. But in 508 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:15,520 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight he endorses Hillary for president. Then 509 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:18,359 Speaker 1: he joins Twitter in two thousand and nine, and that's 510 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: when shit gets weird. 511 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,399 Speaker 2: It's Twitter or x it's always weird. 512 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:30,200 Speaker 1: They're all weird. The year after Willie registers as a Republican, 513 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 1: he gets into a long Twitter war because of a 514 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:35,640 Speaker 1: joke he made in the wake of Hugo Chevis's death. 515 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 1: Chevistas blew up his replies blew up his DMS while 516 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 1: anti Jevistas rallied around him. Uh oh, so from there, 517 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 1: I think it's simple. He spent days arguing with weird 518 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 1: Chavistas on Twitter, and he got brainwormed tail as all 519 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 1: as time. 520 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 2: Wait, what the fuck is brain. 521 00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: Have you ever heard of like an earworm, Like when 522 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: you hear something super catchy on the radio. You don't 523 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: hear the whole song, You just hear like a little 524 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: clip of it, or you hear somebody singing something and 525 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: then it stakes in your. 526 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 2: Head all day long, like Megan the Stallion's song right now. 527 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:19,320 Speaker 1: Yes, okay, so that is an earworm. A brainworm is similar. 528 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 1: It's like something very sticky that gets presented to you, 529 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 1: especially if you're spending time on social media, Like it 530 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: hits your feed over and over and over. 531 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 2: Almost brainwashed, yes. 532 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 1: But sometimes it can be like you can almost like 533 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: curate your own brainworm because of your right because how 534 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 1: you're engaging on social Like I always say, you know 535 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 1: the problem with people speaking up today about you know, 536 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 1: politics or social issues is that we all live in 537 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: our own silos. Like we live in our own social silos, right, 538 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: Like you have blinders on, you're in an echo her. 539 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: And if you're pro whatever, pro left, pro right, and 540 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: you're constantly engaging with that content, all you're going to 541 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: be served is that content, right right, And so you're 542 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:14,440 Speaker 1: not able to see outside of that silo. And what 543 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: happens people start to reinforce thoughts that now become beliefs, 544 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: that become belief systems. It's really fun become your. 545 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,480 Speaker 2: True exactly, yeah, because it becomes your truth. So this 546 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 2: is definitely one hundred percent brain worms. 547 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:33,720 Speaker 1: But let's think about this, right, We all know somebody 548 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 1: who's been brainwarmed. But the thing is, the more that 549 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:41,520 Speaker 1: Willy speaks and says, the less clear it is. Who 550 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: really ever was Was he ever really sticking up for 551 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: the people that he's saying about, or was he just 552 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 1: singing about what was around him because he had no 553 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 1: original inspo. 554 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 2: Okay, okay, okay, hold on, let's just hold our horses. 555 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,760 Speaker 2: I mean, it would be a big accusation to say 556 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 2: that he never cares, like what about Simon, you know, 557 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 2: el Grand Baron or ok But it is hard to 558 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:09,720 Speaker 2: make the case that he cares now and what all 559 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 2: for Cannabians. 560 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: Well, that Cannabians did bankroll a few of his concerts. 561 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:20,840 Speaker 2: So are you done with Willie? Like done done? 562 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 1: Let's think about it this way. Everybody has a family 563 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 1: member or someone they know who completely goes off the 564 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 1: deep end, whether it's about Trump or a pyramid scheme 565 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 1: like herbal life, or some other wormhole at the crossroads 566 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:39,000 Speaker 1: of conspiracy and tech addiction. And the thing is, the 567 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 1: person you liked or love is still in there somewhere. 568 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 1: They look similar, talk similar, But if they don't get 569 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 1: help or help themselves, that person gets pushed farther and 570 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:53,480 Speaker 1: farther down, like a pearl at the bottom of a landfill. 571 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:56,840 Speaker 1: You still have your memories of that person, and of 572 00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 1: course everything they've done in the past for you and 573 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 1: yours still stands. But once it's become clear that this thing, 574 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 1: the obsession, the addiction, the sickness, whatever it may be, 575 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:09,719 Speaker 1: once it gets in the way of the love they 576 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 1: used to be able to give. That means you have 577 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 1: some choices to make. 578 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 2: WILLI walked away from Hector LeVaux, some of us might 579 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 2: want to walk away from. 580 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 1: Willy, and some of us might still actually enjoy listening 581 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 1: to his music. Like listen, Willy and I are not 582 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 1: voting the same. Let's be very clear. But I will 583 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:36,840 Speaker 1: tell you that one of my favorite songs in the 584 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:40,520 Speaker 1: world is Balento de la vision from trasla Tormenta. It's 585 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 1: a song that, like my dad introduced me to, that 586 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 1: I've loved since I was a little girl. And because 587 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 1: my dad loves that record and we share memories of 588 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 1: that record, I will always associate that record more with 589 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 1: my father than I do with WILLI Right, And there's 590 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:59,440 Speaker 1: a million situations like this, right, Like the song is 591 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:01,640 Speaker 1: not the song, the artist is not the artist. It's 592 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:03,680 Speaker 1: about the memories that the music triggers in you. We 593 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 1: talk about this all the time, right, Joseph. And here's 594 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:11,200 Speaker 1: the thing. Other memories about Willie might fake, They might 595 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: stay buried in a landfill of mean tweets and hateful comments. 596 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 1: And ultimately, Willie's legacy is in his own hands, like 597 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 1: the fans don't get to decide. 598 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:22,640 Speaker 2: It, as much as we wish we could. 599 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 1: I Know, I Know. On the next, Becoming an Icon, 600 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 1: the Queen of Latin pop's magical, heartbreaking Capital D dramatic upbringing, 601 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: the one the only Dahlia Becoming an Icon is presented 602 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 1: by Sonoo and Iheart's Michael dudda podcast network. Listen to 603 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 1: becoming an icon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or 604 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.