Comprendes El Berry?: Part II

Some of you might remember that way back in October I blogged about "Watagatapitusberry" by Sensato del Patio ft. Blackpoint.  Well, this is the long overdue video for the remix featuring Pitbull, Lil Jon, and El Cata.

Despite  slick appearances the remix video remains pretty true to YouTube videos it spawned last year.  Lots of homosocial jumping around and wildin' out.  Fun times.

Golpe de Estado

Reggaetoneros respond to the mounting climate of violence in Puerto Rico and the ineptitude of the commonwealth government in dealing with this crisis. 

Check out  Franco el Gorilla's Lyrics...

 

Esto va a hacer fuerte y se que estremece
Hombre mata a esposa y se suicida frente a un hijo de diez meses
Gobierno mas estadísticas? que les parece, cuantos es que valen los jueces
Lo que suena dramática es la problemática
De personas fanáticas a las automáticas
No dejen las noticias y ya no son simpáticas
Por estadísticas, esta sociedad esta errática

Padre violando menores y en la iglesia pidiendo to’ colores
Asinamientos en las prisiones, no me hablen de valores si no son mejores si en el capitolio pa' mentir ganan millones

Uno de enero del 2010 se muere Kevin un niño inocente
Estudiante, pelotero.. un hijo excelente
Trancando el año nos visten de luto impresionante
Lo único seguro es la muerte.

Check out the rest of the lyrics here.

con mi M-16

I've been really busy recently trying to keep up with all the news coming out of Puerto Rico about the recent activation of the National Guard to fight "crime" on the island.  Anyway, this song has been playing on a constant loop in my head as I ponder all ways in which the Puerto Rican National Guard is deployed as an answer to high levels of crime among the island's idled youth population.  Rather than real reform aimed at providing social and economic opportunities for Puerto Rico's youth sector, the commonwealth government tries to push kids into military service as a way to make money or stay out of jail.  Those "civilian soldiers" are then deployed on the streets of Puerto Rico's urban centers to intimidate and police their peers, or perhaps worse are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

It's incredible to me the way that the National Guard is repeatedly offered as a solution to the problem of youth involvement within the informal economy and the crime associated with it.  The current administration is following in the failed footsteps of its predecessors by not addressing the lack of employment and educational opportunities for many Puerto Rican youths.  Instead, the Fortuño administration is trying to ram more neoliberal reforms down the throats of the people, only exacerbating the problem. 

This is of course not to say that the National Guard was deployed to only manage youth populations.  As union leaders have pointed out, the Governor signed the executive order to mobilize the National Guard, shortly after the unions announced their intention to strike (although they weren't activated until recently).  Clearly, the Guard is an attempt to manage these ruptures caused by Fortuño's neoliberal agenda, but nonetheless it is important to remain vigilant of the ways the National Guard is in this moment targeting youth, either on the streets or as a get out of jail free card.

SUPERSTAR! A Tribute to Mario Montez

DON'T MISS THIS DATE!

March 31, 2010 - 10 AM - 5 PM, with a reception to follow

Davis Auditorium, Schapiro Hall

538 West 120th Street

New York, New York 10027

Columbia University's Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race presents its inaugural Artists at the Center event: SUPERSTAR! A Tribute to Mario Montez

Superstar! is a one-day conference celebrating and discussing the career of one of New York's most gifted performers.

Born in Puerto Rico in 1935, Montez moved to New York while still a child. He first appeared on screen in Jack Smith's queer classic Flaming Creatures (1962-63). Later he became Andy Warhol's first drag superstar, starring in more than ten of his films.

For the first time in 30 years, Mr. Montez will return to New York to talk about his work and life.  Joining him will be Callie Angell, Douglas Crimp, Arnaldo Cruz-Malavé, Ronald Gregg, Maja Horn, Branden Joseph, Agosto Machado, Ricardo Montez, Frances Negrón-Muntaner, Marc Siegel, and Carmelita Tropicana.

Event Sponsors:

Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, *Columbia University*

CC/SEAS Office of Multicultural Affairs, *Columbia University*

Hemispheric Institute for Performance and Politics, *New York University*

Institute for Research on Women and Gender, *Columbia University*

Barnard Center for Research on Women, *Barnard College*

Department of Spanish and Portuguese, *Columbia University*

Center for the Critical Analysis of Social Difference, *Columbia University*

Department of Spanish and Latin American Cultures, *Barnard College*

Department of Theatre, *Barnard College*

Department of English and Comparative Literature, *Columbia University*

"Ricardo Alegría tiene un bigote mágico que le otorga poderes sobrenaturales."

Arlene Davila recently shared this lovely tongue-in-cheek ode to Ricardo Alegría by Los Niños Estelares. " "Alegría Doctor Alegría" is the first video off of their album Námaste.  This video does an awesome job of showing the crucial role Alegría had in shaping ideas about Puerto Rican cultural patrimony, in addition to lampooning Alegría's  near mythic status.

Estás cabrón!

Every Book

"You could stop with every girl in the world, I just want to read every book in the world"

This is a really smart and funny parody of Young Money's "Every Girl."  I won't hold it against 2-Cents that Michael Eric Dyson pops up at the end. 

High Femme

'09 Rap Up

Skillz is back at it welcoming us to 2010.

Reggaeton and "Hurban Renewal"

What up mi gente! I'm back from Mexico and trying to get back into the swing of regular blogging again, but in the meantime please check out "Huban Renewal" -- a fantastic post by Wayne Marshall on the hurban music boom and bust, reggaeton, and Dominican dembow.

Chévere!

A Nuyorican in Mexico

What up mi gente! I'll be in Mexico until the end of January.  I'll be revamping the site when I get back and hosting a guest blogger or two, so be sure to check back with us at the end of the month. 

'Til we meet again!