WEBVTT - “The Nueva York Connection”: How New York City Became the Crossroad That Made Reggaeton Possible 0:00:06.400 --> 0:00:09.640 I'm Lisa and Akazawa join me on season two of 0:00:09.720 --> 0:00:12.200 Stars and Stars with Lisa, where I sit down with 0:00:12.240 --> 0:00:14.640 some of the most exciting stars of our time to 0:00:14.680 --> 0:00:17.759 find out what their birth chart reveals about their life's purpose, 0:00:17.920 --> 0:00:21.560 their relationships, and their challenges. Winner of the Signal Award 0:00:21.640 --> 0:00:24.959 for Most Inspirational Podcast, Stars and Stars will help you 0:00:25.000 --> 0:00:28.000 make sense of today's complicated times. Even if you're an 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:30.920 astrology skeptic. You can listen to Stars and Stars with 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:34.120 Lisa wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to follow 0:00:34.159 --> 0:00:50.520 the show so you never miss an episode. 0:00:53.320 --> 0:00:57.160 Dear, let you know us say listener. Hey, So, we 0:00:57.320 --> 0:01:01.640 recently brought you episode one of our critically acclaimed series 0:01:02.040 --> 0:01:05.640 Loud The History of Reggaeton. The ten part series is 0:01:05.680 --> 0:01:10.920 a collaboration between our own Futuro Studios and Spotify. It's 0:01:10.920 --> 0:01:15.240 hosted by none other than La Rena la cata Evy Queen, 0:01:15.600 --> 0:01:20.440 one of the originators of regedton, and we're so happy 0:01:20.520 --> 0:01:22.920 to be able to share this series with you again 0:01:23.640 --> 0:01:27.679 because well, for some time there, Loud disappeared from our 0:01:27.760 --> 0:01:32.720 feed for reasons beyond our control, but you all demanded 0:01:32.760 --> 0:01:36.200 that we bring Loud back and we hurt you. The 0:01:36.240 --> 0:01:39.279 full series is now available for you to stream and enjoy. 0:01:39.680 --> 0:01:43.760 So tell everybody you know, your friends, your familia, and 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:46.800 share the great news, of course, on all of your 0:01:46.800 --> 0:01:51.480 social media that Loud is back. Before we get into 0:01:51.480 --> 0:01:54.960 today's episode, just a heads up there is some strong 0:01:55.080 --> 0:01:58.960 language and some mature content. All right, here we go 0:02:11.480 --> 0:02:15.840 from Vuduro Media. It's Latino USA. I'm Maria Josa. Today 0:02:15.840 --> 0:02:19.800 we bring you the Nueva Your Connection, episode two of 0:02:19.840 --> 0:02:29.120 our hit series Loud The History of Reggaton and now 0:02:29.520 --> 0:02:33.120 I'm passing the mic to Ladiva herself, Ibi Queen. 0:02:36.240 --> 0:02:40.239 Previously on Loud and Lenard is like the blueprint. 0:02:40.480 --> 0:02:41.800 He was crazy on the stage. 0:02:42.080 --> 0:02:44.040 He could I say something on the black heaed Vix 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:46.400 Pressley and today was just screaming. 0:02:46.840 --> 0:02:50.799 He's considered the father of Reggaeton. He said, I'm going 0:02:50.800 --> 0:02:53.440 to America. I said to him, you know what, you 0:02:53.520 --> 0:02:55.560 better perform and do it. You know he's the one 0:02:55.600 --> 0:02:56.720 that took it to the next level. 0:02:56.720 --> 0:02:57.320 He blew up. 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:07.520 It's nineteen eighty five, nineteen years old. At Galdo Franco 0:03:07.800 --> 0:03:12.280 or Frank is a TOAs Skinny Kid getting on a 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:16.880 plane from Panama City to New York to study business administration. 0:03:17.560 --> 0:03:26.680 Hello Genio via iithermin Em Carrera, the Ama. 0:03:27.800 --> 0:03:28.440 In Panama. 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:31.760 He and his friends have started seeing Jamaican dance hall 0:03:31.880 --> 0:03:38.040 and Regaan Espannon in Panama. They were had their music 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:40.720 was playing on the buses and in the club. 0:03:45.520 --> 0:03:46.040 Up in the air. 0:03:46.640 --> 0:03:50.520 Frankie, you imagine he's leaving all that behind, the parties, 0:03:50.680 --> 0:03:55.240 the attention, the chance to be an artist. It was 0:03:55.320 --> 0:04:01.440 time to get serious, get a real profession. Ladies and gentlemen, 0:04:01.560 --> 0:04:04.320 Welcome to j l game. The local time is seven 0:04:04.600 --> 0:04:07.080 y two a m. At the temperature is sixty two degrees. 0:04:07.680 --> 0:04:10.040 New York was a whole new remo. 0:04:10.760 --> 0:04:14.640 Frando, the hustle and muscle that don't give a fuck 0:04:14.720 --> 0:04:18.320 attitude to say. In New York City, you got to 0:04:18.440 --> 0:04:23.919 be on your game, Lasa tea. Frankito was holding down three. 0:04:23.839 --> 0:04:38.479 Jobs just to get by music. All in the fast 0:04:38.560 --> 0:04:40.040 pace New York life. 0:04:40.400 --> 0:04:42.919 There was some time for music. He started to forget 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:47.640 about it. But soon, you know how it is, music 0:04:47.720 --> 0:04:51.719 will pull him back in. Because what Franquito maybe didn't 0:04:51.800 --> 0:04:55.760 count on is that he had just landed in Lacuna 0:04:55.960 --> 0:05:03.280 the dance Hall, Brooklyn from Spotify and Photolo Studios. I'm 0:05:03.360 --> 0:05:08.320 in between and this is loud The History of Reggaeton 0:05:11.040 --> 0:05:19.800 Episode two, The Nueva or Connection. This episode, we're talking 0:05:19.800 --> 0:05:25.600 about New York City because New York esna meskla te Gambio. 0:05:26.279 --> 0:05:27.200 It's an exchange. 0:05:27.520 --> 0:05:31.880 And in this story is where Bodriqua's Panamanians and Jamaican 0:05:32.320 --> 0:05:35.719 we all vibe and learn from each other's music. I'm 0:05:35.760 --> 0:05:38.880 going to tell you how immigrants from Panama in Brooklyn 0:05:39.279 --> 0:05:42.520 took reggae and dance on and Espanon to the next level. 0:05:43.080 --> 0:05:47.719 If Jamaican music produced in New York performed by latinos, 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:48.960 so it's hard. 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:51.840 And how both dance well and hip hop from New 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:57.160 York City traveled to my Isla Alecando and think how 0:05:57.240 --> 0:06:06.040 New York became the crossroads that made reggedon possible. Franqito 0:06:06.360 --> 0:06:11.839 like most black Panamanians settled in Central Brooklyn, which includes 0:06:11.960 --> 0:06:16.480 neighborhoods like Crown Heights and Flat Bush. The area is 0:06:16.600 --> 0:06:20.920 like the West Indian United Nations. Black immigrants from all 0:06:21.040 --> 0:06:24.919 over the Caribbean lived there. Jamaica, Trinida, It. 0:06:27.920 --> 0:06:31.440 And the dancehold regga scene in Brooklyn West popping. 0:06:35.240 --> 0:06:37.360 Like in Panama, you get a little bit of it, 0:06:37.440 --> 0:06:39.880 but when you came over here it was more in it. 0:06:40.120 --> 0:06:44.120 You know, this is Exxenia and she's someone I am 0:06:44.440 --> 0:06:46.160 very excited to introduce you to. 0:06:46.720 --> 0:06:50.960 I'm Exena Nikes named La Trevida. 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:54.920 Latrevida means the root Girl. We never met, but she's 0:06:55.000 --> 0:06:59.280 the first female artist of Elmovimiento. Is Una Bionda de 0:06:59.360 --> 0:07:02.800 Verda and she got the name brook Girl for a reason. 0:07:03.279 --> 0:07:06.640 The dancing, the lyrics that I was using. I was like, 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:08.400 oh my god, I was wrong. 0:07:10.080 --> 0:07:12.160 That's when I come now. 0:07:12.360 --> 0:07:15.640 She's a Christian and she jokes that she should change 0:07:15.680 --> 0:07:18.000 her name from the rook Girl to the Good Girl. 0:07:18.960 --> 0:07:22.280 But back in the day she had an attitude rocking 0:07:22.440 --> 0:07:26.320 chains and baggy clothes. She was in the same Brooklyn 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:29.560 dance hall scene as Franquito, and she told us about 0:07:29.600 --> 0:07:31.560 the crazy parties they used to have. 0:07:32.160 --> 0:07:35.800 It was lit back in at these parties went the 0:07:36.000 --> 0:07:38.800 morning sound like you come out sunlight, what's unsaid. Some 0:07:39.000 --> 0:07:40.200 clubs went to midday. 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:43.360 The parties were every night of the week. 0:07:43.720 --> 0:07:48.560 They had big, huge clubs, and they had the underground. 0:07:48.080 --> 0:07:51.720 Places underground like basement and backyard parties. 0:07:52.120 --> 0:07:53.880 And you know, like in the day, I guess it's 0:07:53.920 --> 0:07:58.680 a mechanic sample whatever, truck, pucking lot, whatever. 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:02.600 But then at night, at night, it became a sweaty 0:08:02.680 --> 0:08:03.480 dance whole party. 0:08:03.760 --> 0:08:06.040 You just go and chat on the mic, you buy 0:08:06.120 --> 0:08:08.280 your drinks, you know, and just ship. 0:08:08.360 --> 0:08:09.720 It was just a cool ride, you know. 0:08:10.240 --> 0:08:13.800 And these were like freestyle sessions. If you have skills, 0:08:14.160 --> 0:08:17.240 you could get on the mic. Latreville didn't see a 0:08:17.280 --> 0:08:19.520 lot of women up there, but that didn't stop her. 0:08:19.960 --> 0:08:22.600 I guess they was shy or they were afraid. Well, 0:08:22.640 --> 0:08:23.960 I don't know. I had no fear. 0:08:24.640 --> 0:08:30.000 I had no fear. She sounds just like me. Latrevida 0:08:30.280 --> 0:08:30.920 just went for it. 0:08:31.560 --> 0:08:34.480 Call me a rueyal. I may not brag and show off. 0:08:34.600 --> 0:08:37.280 If you're coming to me face, make gonna go click off, 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:40.720 rude girl, I may not take back. No talk coming 0:08:40.800 --> 0:08:42.760 on me face and make going I go back. 0:08:44.240 --> 0:08:50.000 The crowd at these parties was mixed Jamaican, Pnomenians and Latrevida. 0:08:50.440 --> 0:08:52.160 She could work in English and Spanish. 0:08:52.440 --> 0:09:00.920 See page break. Okay, bogget simplatin. Why now the puppy? 0:09:07.360 --> 0:09:09.839 I love her? You know, the female power that we 0:09:09.960 --> 0:09:10.839 have there you go. 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:18.240 Latrevida actually had parties in her basement on Thursdays. And 0:09:18.640 --> 0:09:22.640 just because these parties were held at the basement and 0:09:23.000 --> 0:09:26.320 out of shops, that doesn't mean that they were for amateurs. 0:09:27.080 --> 0:09:29.000 The biggest names in the dance. 0:09:28.760 --> 0:09:32.120 Hool music will show up and spread when they went 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:38.440 to New York, guys like super Cad and Shaggy, I. 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:41.480 Love my Name, you suppriss you the sessions those guys 0:09:41.640 --> 0:09:44.640 used to comfort Brooklyn to go to the spots. 0:09:45.080 --> 0:09:49.559 Yes al ambiente where Panamanians and Jamaicans are hanging out 0:09:49.640 --> 0:09:53.040 together getting to know each other. Of course, you know, 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:57.640 smoking weed in the basement where the dance hold and 0:09:57.679 --> 0:10:05.000 Efaniel really takes off. And this is the word Franquto 0:10:05.080 --> 0:10:07.679 walks into right when he thought he was leaving the 0:10:07.800 --> 0:10:19.640 dance hall behind and Panama, he gets stopped by Cans. 0:10:15.280 --> 0:10:20.160 Sound system system and Ayochla so and so. 0:10:21.600 --> 0:10:24.199 He said that in New York City he bought a 0:10:24.280 --> 0:10:27.439 little sound system that he would bring around to every party, 0:10:27.840 --> 0:10:30.559 which he called the Bachelor Sound and he started to 0:10:30.640 --> 0:10:35.080 perform under the name Elnerdi and Heneran hasn't given an 0:10:35.200 --> 0:10:39.280 interview about his music. For over a decade. This audio 0:10:39.760 --> 0:10:42.880 is from an interview he recorded with a journalist in 0:10:42.960 --> 0:10:43.920 two thousand and four. 0:10:49.920 --> 0:10:50.840 Commando Max. 0:10:54.440 --> 0:10:57.640 And Henerad says that he got his name because Panama 0:10:57.840 --> 0:11:00.800 was run by Lee Ales for years, so it was 0:11:00.880 --> 0:11:03.760 a way to say that he was the commander, the boss. 0:11:04.440 --> 0:11:07.319 He took it to the next level by performing in 0:11:07.440 --> 0:11:12.800 a military uniform, but music was still a hobby for him. 0:11:13.520 --> 0:11:17.280 He was working in businesses making good money. He does, 0:11:17.480 --> 0:11:19.600 maybe I record something just to give it a shot. 0:11:20.080 --> 0:11:22.920 Yeah, I guess I believe that Yellow, but don't he 0:11:23.000 --> 0:11:25.880 never imagine that anything could actually come. 0:11:25.840 --> 0:11:31.760 Of it, coming up on that you know USA. We 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:35.760 continue with episode two of our critically acclaimed series Loud, 0:11:36.160 --> 0:11:49.680 The History of Regaton. Stay with us, Hey, we're back. 0:11:50.240 --> 0:11:53.360 Let's get back to episode two of our critically acclaimed 0:11:53.400 --> 0:11:57.160 series Loud, The History of Reggaeton. 0:12:00.120 --> 0:12:00.520 Eighties. 0:12:01.080 --> 0:12:04.240 A lot of the Jamaican dancehall industry was actually based 0:12:04.280 --> 0:12:04.880 in New York. 0:12:05.840 --> 0:12:09.320 BP Records was the world biggest distributor of. 0:12:09.440 --> 0:12:13.360 Reggae music and it was run by a Chinese Jamaican 0:12:13.440 --> 0:12:15.960 family out of Queens And trust me. 0:12:16.080 --> 0:12:18.079 They have a lot of power to move records in 0:12:18.160 --> 0:12:18.760 the industry. 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:23.520 There was Spanish people, you know, really interested in the reggae, 0:12:23.800 --> 0:12:26.280 and there wasn't any Spanish artists doing reggae, so he 0:12:26.520 --> 0:12:27.160 ventured into it. 0:12:27.760 --> 0:12:31.160 We're not Spanish, we are Latinos. But I get what 0:12:31.280 --> 0:12:35.360 he means. This is Michael McDonald. He was a studio 0:12:35.400 --> 0:12:36.040 owner back then. 0:12:36.679 --> 0:12:39.439 He said that it was a Jamaican records show worker 0:12:39.640 --> 0:12:43.440 at VP who noticed just how many Latinos were coming 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:47.480 in to buy these dancehall albums all in English, and 0:12:47.720 --> 0:12:51.320 a light bulb when I'm there was money to be made. 0:12:52.920 --> 0:12:55.720 He was one of the first obriginaries. People didn't really 0:12:55.760 --> 0:12:58.160 take him seriously. To be honest with you, I guess 0:12:58.480 --> 0:13:00.920 this is a Jamaican thing like to stick toward you know, 0:13:01.520 --> 0:13:04.280 the weight went. It took me to a televis surprise. 0:13:05.080 --> 0:13:08.480 So in nineteen ninety, this record shop guy pulls El 0:13:08.520 --> 0:13:11.959 Hennerdan into the studio. There was a popular song at 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:16.120 the moment by little Lenny Cononaniere and it was a 0:13:16.320 --> 0:13:20.000 tribute to the power of the pussy and that song 0:13:20.559 --> 0:13:25.320 trust Me for the Time was dirty. El Heneral recorded 0:13:25.360 --> 0:13:29.320 a cover of the song in Spanish and that song 0:13:29.800 --> 0:13:32.040 for Umpalo and. 0:13:32.160 --> 0:13:35.280 That English tune was a very big meaning in every 0:13:35.360 --> 0:13:39.920 area America Latin and they knew that song, so for 0:13:40.120 --> 0:13:43.920 him to bring it across in Spanish it was a bumpshell. 0:13:44.640 --> 0:13:48.559 Latrevida remembers performing at shows with El Henerald where he 0:13:48.840 --> 0:13:49.960 was singing to Bumpoon. 0:13:50.480 --> 0:13:51.559 It was an easy hit. 0:13:52.559 --> 0:13:54.880 Was the song in English hit and you got through it? 0:13:54.960 --> 0:13:56.360 In Spanish, that was an easy hit. 0:13:57.080 --> 0:14:00.199 That song blew the fuck up. I still remember with 0:14:00.280 --> 0:14:03.520 the song hit and landed in Puerto Rico. It was 0:14:03.559 --> 0:14:10.160 in every corner, every birthday, every party, everything. Sano tell 0:14:10.200 --> 0:14:12.440 a story about his first gig he played in New 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:15.839 York after that song came out. He show up and 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:24.680 the streets outside was full of people. He went up 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:26.680 to the bouncer and he was like, I'm here to 0:14:26.760 --> 0:14:34.680 sing tonight, am and he and the bouncer was like 0:14:34.960 --> 0:14:39.280 yeah right, and I'm prince, see the prince. 0:14:40.560 --> 0:14:40.880 Prince. 0:14:44.480 --> 0:14:47.800 Eventually he got into do the show and he was 0:14:47.840 --> 0:15:00.960 blown away watching how the crowd reacted. He then realized 0:15:01.000 --> 0:15:03.840 that people were hungry for this music. That night, he 0:15:03.960 --> 0:15:05.400 decided to quit his job. 0:15:08.600 --> 0:15:09.560 Camala Music. 0:15:11.400 --> 0:15:16.840 And Heneral quickly followed with more songs. There was Buena 0:15:17.040 --> 0:15:23.800 and Weuebelo, and those were huge. Two after Henerdan dance 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:28.560 on the Spanish was officially in style. I'm talking in 0:15:28.880 --> 0:15:32.880 ninety ninety one, ninety two, But most of the big 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:37.320 artists in that first wave were black Central Americans in 0:15:37.480 --> 0:15:45.160 New York. Later Rita got to deal with Columbia Records. Meanwhile, 0:15:45.280 --> 0:15:49.240 and Heneral was getting big internationally. His songs became the 0:15:49.320 --> 0:15:53.160 kind of hits that everybody knew from Mexico down to Argentina. 0:15:54.360 --> 0:15:59.960 At first, Elenderal said he couldn't actually travel to the concerts. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:07.680 he had overstayed his visa and was undocumented. He said 0:16:08.040 --> 0:16:12.040 that in his absence, a rumor went around that he died. 0:16:12.880 --> 0:16:15.720 So when he got his papers and started touring, it 0:16:15.920 --> 0:16:18.840 was like the resurrection of Heneran. 0:16:28.720 --> 0:16:29.520 And the visio. 0:16:31.960 --> 0:16:33.680 And he said he had to go on to be 0:16:34.200 --> 0:16:36.880 to show people he was still alive and invite them 0:16:36.920 --> 0:16:41.120 to the show. The music was all over America Latina, 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:52.040 but not everybody got it. This audio is from Henerani 0:16:52.360 --> 0:16:54.920 when he appeared on a TV show in Chile, one 0:16:55.000 --> 0:16:59.800 of those shows. In the video, and Heneral is super 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:03.520 all and skinny, and he's wearing his purple general's uniform 0:17:03.880 --> 0:17:08.480 and dancing so awkwardly with the TV host. This interview 0:17:08.840 --> 0:17:16.440 kind of makes you cringe. The host is saying that 0:17:16.760 --> 0:17:20.560 these are totally made up words, right. He literally doesn't 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:24.360 understand the music and acts like Kelenneda came from out 0:17:24.400 --> 0:17:27.359 of space. The whole thing seems like a big joke today, 0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:38.159 this black Latin American doing the strange thing called rapping. 0:17:40.720 --> 0:17:44.200 For Puerto Rican's it was completely different. We love and 0:17:44.359 --> 0:17:49.520 understood dancehol Maybe it's because we're also from the Caribbean, 0:17:50.320 --> 0:17:52.440 just because of the New York connection we have. 0:17:56.080 --> 0:17:57.600 In nineteen eighty. 0:17:58.000 --> 0:18:01.520 There were almost one million Bodique was living in New 0:18:01.600 --> 0:18:05.720 York City, so music was always going back and forth 0:18:06.080 --> 0:18:10.520 on the Wild Waie area. You know those three and 0:18:10.600 --> 0:18:13.280 a half hour domestic flight back and forth from someone 0:18:13.400 --> 0:18:13.960 to New York. 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:17.520 Those planes brought new sound to the island fast. 0:18:18.400 --> 0:18:18.600 See. 0:18:18.720 --> 0:18:20.960 Back in the day, it was normal if you grow 0:18:21.080 --> 0:18:23.480 up in the city that your parents will send you 0:18:23.560 --> 0:18:26.080 for the summer to stay with your grandparents and cousins 0:18:26.240 --> 0:18:27.000 in Puerto Rico. 0:18:27.600 --> 0:18:29.680 DJ Tony Touch was one of those. 0:18:30.240 --> 0:18:33.640 I remember being surround about these trees and the grain. 0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:36.480 It was just a night and day between Eastern New York, 0:18:36.520 --> 0:18:39.560 Brooklyn and grandmother chopping the head off a rooster right there, 0:18:39.640 --> 0:18:41.080 talking like this is dinner. 0:18:42.040 --> 0:18:44.880 Or maybe it was the other way around. You live 0:18:45.000 --> 0:18:47.240 on the island, you will go in the summer to 0:18:47.320 --> 0:18:49.560 New York and you will come back with the latest 0:18:49.640 --> 0:18:52.800 music to show off to your friends back home. Here's 0:18:52.920 --> 0:18:53.760 rapper Lisaan. 0:18:54.080 --> 0:18:56.000 When I was traveling to New York to be seeing 0:18:56.000 --> 0:18:59.000 my grandma everything, when I called back to Puerto Rico 0:18:59.520 --> 0:19:03.359 or on forget it, I was, oh my god. I 0:19:03.440 --> 0:19:08.560 came from New York, was up with the outfrey with 0:19:08.680 --> 0:19:11.960 the new mulesing and say hey, listen, this is the 0:19:12.080 --> 0:19:12.760 new stuff. 0:19:14.800 --> 0:19:18.200 And in nineteen ninety and new stuff was Spanish stance 0:19:19.480 --> 0:19:22.080 and the World War area. It us another sound in 0:19:22.160 --> 0:19:25.320 the eighties and nineties that was very important to Regaton, 0:19:26.880 --> 0:19:28.680 and that sound was hip hop. 0:19:31.600 --> 0:19:47.640 We'll be right back, not right yes, hey, we're back. 0:19:48.200 --> 0:19:52.720 And here once again is La Diva lata evy Queen. 0:19:53.040 --> 0:20:00.159 To wrap up the episode, we. 0:20:00.200 --> 0:20:02.520 Are going to talk about hip hop for a second 0:20:02.960 --> 0:20:07.240 because it was a huge influence and movimento, especially in 0:20:07.320 --> 0:20:11.040 Puerto Rico. Most of the Puerto Rican artists in the 0:20:11.200 --> 0:20:15.200 early way, like myself started to do straight hip hop 0:20:15.680 --> 0:20:19.520 and got into the reggae and dancehall vibe later. And 0:20:20.240 --> 0:20:24.040 the reason Bodricos have such a close connection to hip 0:20:24.080 --> 0:20:25.359 hop is because we. 0:20:25.560 --> 0:20:28.440 Helped invent it. We were there since day one. 0:20:29.680 --> 0:20:34.480 That's my friend Tony Touch again, a legendary from the 0:20:34.600 --> 0:20:35.879 New York hip hop scene. 0:20:36.359 --> 0:20:38.720 I mean, hip hop started in the Bronx, and it 0:20:38.840 --> 0:20:41.600 started in the ghetto and these projects in the hood, 0:20:41.760 --> 0:20:45.520 and who lived in the hood Blacks and Puerto Ricans. 0:20:45.240 --> 0:20:48.160 You know, and many black Puerto Ricans as well. 0:20:49.760 --> 0:20:53.800 In those early years of hip hop, Puerto Ricans were representing. 0:20:54.400 --> 0:21:00.680 We have mcs, DJs, graffiti artists, and especially dancers. A 0:21:00.760 --> 0:21:04.000 lot of the first Bee Boys were Puerto Ricans. And 0:21:04.119 --> 0:21:06.560 what it was we were on hip hop films like 0:21:06.760 --> 0:21:07.639 Wild Style and. 0:21:07.680 --> 0:21:10.800 Bait Street that made an impact on Tony Touch. 0:21:11.520 --> 0:21:14.760 I see these kids on the movie screen that looked 0:21:14.800 --> 0:21:16.800 like me, Puerto Rican you know, because. 0:21:16.640 --> 0:21:18.480 Before I didn't see it like black or white, you 0:21:18.520 --> 0:21:18.919 know what I mean. 0:21:19.040 --> 0:21:21.760 Like, so you see Puerto Ricans in the movie or 0:21:21.800 --> 0:21:23.119 on the screen, it's like wow. 0:21:23.280 --> 0:21:27.480 You know. It was inspiring for me because of the 0:21:27.600 --> 0:21:30.760 New yor Rican connection. Puerto Rico was one of the 0:21:30.840 --> 0:21:36.399 first places to get into hip hop. I remember I 0:21:36.720 --> 0:21:41.080 first find out about hip hop through my brother Jacob. 0:21:41.760 --> 0:21:45.520 He had staves of dash effects Boster rhymes. 0:21:46.119 --> 0:21:49.439 Even though he didn't understand the music, spoke to us. 0:21:50.240 --> 0:21:54.679 It was straight up, it was raw, It was poetry, 0:21:54.840 --> 0:21:58.119 but with music underneath. You know, it was music that 0:21:58.560 --> 0:22:00.679 kept fit the feelings that you have insight. 0:22:01.560 --> 0:22:04.280 So growing up in Anjaco on the west side of 0:22:04.359 --> 0:22:06.760 Puerto Rico, I was all about the honey. 0:22:07.040 --> 0:22:09.640 I walk around with my boom box and my little 0:22:09.720 --> 0:22:14.680 peasodon and if any moment a cipher will start, we 0:22:14.840 --> 0:22:18.359 bust it down back Then, if you have a party 0:22:18.640 --> 0:22:22.000 and you didn't play rap honey, nobody's going to show up. 0:22:25.040 --> 0:22:28.440 So in the eighties, hip hop is huge in Puerto Rico, 0:22:28.960 --> 0:22:32.680 but it's hip hop from the US in English. The 0:22:32.800 --> 0:22:35.359 reason Puerto Rico got its own hip hop has a 0:22:35.480 --> 0:22:37.679 lot to do with a guy named Bigo Ci. 0:22:40.359 --> 0:22:45.480 Guy saw Vehicle Wow, a rapper with a career in Spanish. 0:22:45.440 --> 0:22:49.040 And at school, I started seeing this movement at Bigo. 0:22:48.880 --> 0:22:53.520 C becouc is the god from the dawn of Spanish rap. 0:22:53.680 --> 0:22:54.399 Puerto Rico. 0:22:54.960 --> 0:22:58.000 When it comes to hip hop in Puerto Rico, Becausi 0:22:58.640 --> 0:23:02.320 was the king. He was one of the first people 0:23:02.520 --> 0:23:05.560 to do hip hop in Spanish and do it so nice. 0:23:06.600 --> 0:23:09.679 The thing that was so cool about it for us 0:23:10.119 --> 0:23:13.320 was that we love rap music, but most of us 0:23:13.760 --> 0:23:17.040 they didn't understand a word, and all of a sudden, 0:23:17.160 --> 0:23:19.080 with Bico, we got the lyrics. 0:23:19.840 --> 0:23:22.280 It was like the movie went from black and white 0:23:22.560 --> 0:23:23.119 to color. 0:23:26.320 --> 0:23:30.879 La is that he's a storyteller and he have a 0:23:31.160 --> 0:23:34.439 way to put these words together and take you along 0:23:34.600 --> 0:23:35.160 on the ride. 0:23:35.760 --> 0:23:39.560 You're just there with him. Here's hip hop DJ Baron Lopez. 0:23:40.440 --> 0:23:44.719 Because he got these words that you would not expect 0:23:44.840 --> 0:23:48.280 it on a rap he changed it to make it 0:23:48.600 --> 0:23:52.040 interesting and funny but real. 0:23:53.160 --> 0:23:56.280 His music was the That's why we know him as 0:23:56.320 --> 0:24:02.000 a philosopher. The philosopher because he on the DJ that 0:24:02.160 --> 0:24:03.600 discovered him, the Negro. 0:24:04.080 --> 0:24:07.040 They started to record a few songs on cassettes, super 0:24:07.119 --> 0:24:12.560 basic with our studio or any real equipment. This is 0:24:12.600 --> 0:24:17.880 the mid eighties and the tapes Suerto Moon phenomenon. They 0:24:17.920 --> 0:24:21.920 were copying over and over again, pass hand to hand. 0:24:22.480 --> 0:24:24.000 They basically went viral. 0:24:24.760 --> 0:24:28.880 Soon, Honey, every car was bumping the Negro because here's 0:24:28.960 --> 0:24:38.840 the negro. Because and there were nobodies, just two kids 0:24:38.840 --> 0:24:40.240 who made some tapes. 0:24:40.400 --> 0:24:49.880 In NAVII and am was implemented cassette temp. 0:24:51.160 --> 0:24:56.960 Soon because met a young concert promoter named he books 0:24:57.000 --> 0:24:58.760 them to open for Public Enemy. 0:24:59.320 --> 0:25:01.880 It's a real doing for them. They are a hit 0:25:02.600 --> 0:25:04.600 and Jorge has an idea. 0:25:04.680 --> 0:25:08.879 And with all them listen, let's record, let's record I 0:25:08.960 --> 0:25:11.760 had never we had never recorded before, but they said, 0:25:11.880 --> 0:25:15.720 let's record this because this is really good. And that 0:25:15.920 --> 0:25:19.480 ended up being La Recta Finale Dja Negro and Bigo. 0:25:19.320 --> 0:25:25.240 Si Laretta Final, released by Joje's brand new label, Prime 0:25:25.320 --> 0:25:28.359 Wreckers in eighty nine. Wasn't the first hip hop and 0:25:28.400 --> 0:25:31.480 a panel rekerd to hit Puerto Rico, but it's the 0:25:31.640 --> 0:25:33.720 record that really started the fire. 0:25:34.400 --> 0:25:35.080 It was huge. 0:25:35.920 --> 0:25:39.480 You know, they would go straight from the truck out 0:25:39.520 --> 0:25:42.720 to the stores because everybody was lining up to pick 0:25:42.800 --> 0:25:43.080 them up. 0:25:43.680 --> 0:25:48.240 When I hear Laretta Final, you literally are listening to 0:25:48.400 --> 0:25:53.000 this young kid pouring words that are not using the hood, 0:25:53.119 --> 0:25:55.560 you know, like the stuff that he was putting together 0:25:55.760 --> 0:25:59.920 was amazing because he was wrapping about real life topic 0:26:00.200 --> 0:26:05.359 that were happening in the projects, the killing addiction aids 0:26:06.359 --> 0:26:09.399 in a way that just spoke to people as honest 0:26:09.440 --> 0:26:13.399 and real, and nobody in Puerto Rico heard anything like 0:26:13.520 --> 0:26:20.120 that before because he himself grew up in the projects 0:26:20.520 --> 0:26:23.960 in Las A Cassias. People forget that way back in 0:26:24.040 --> 0:26:28.080 the day. There was serious povery in Puerto Rico now too, 0:26:28.280 --> 0:26:30.840 but in the forties the slums were hardcore. 0:26:31.359 --> 0:26:33.440 Just google fan Gito So. 0:26:33.640 --> 0:26:37.359 In the fifties, the government started building these huge housing 0:26:37.440 --> 0:26:38.960 projects for poor people. 0:26:39.320 --> 0:26:43.000 Erki and Casio Seno Gandia Power in construction. 0:26:46.400 --> 0:26:47.640 Recurso's economics. 0:26:48.920 --> 0:26:54.400 These projects are known as casaio. They're also called residentialists, 0:26:55.000 --> 0:26:57.879 and they built the casa rios next to the middle 0:26:57.960 --> 0:27:03.040 class neighborhoods. They thought it would create a less divided society. 0:27:03.920 --> 0:27:08.639 But yeah, it didn't work out like that. But a 0:27:08.720 --> 0:27:14.080 mucho the cassaillo it's all about drugs, gun violence, many 0:27:14.200 --> 0:27:17.280 black or dark skin Puerto Rican living them, and there's 0:27:17.320 --> 0:27:21.359 a lot of discrimination against a residente de casrio. I 0:27:21.480 --> 0:27:23.600 didn't grow up in a cassaio, but I always hang 0:27:23.680 --> 0:27:27.040 out there. I knew people from all the casarios and 0:27:27.520 --> 0:27:30.639