calle 13

A few years ago, Calle 13 were opening for acts at the LAMC. Well, after a slew of Latin Grammys, worldwide fame and critical acclaim they’ll be one of the main events at this year’s LAMC, which winds down this weekend. Tomorrow, Calle 13 headlines the LAMC/Central Park Summerstage Show along with Spanish singer Bebe and Cypress Hill’s percussionist extraordinaire Eric Bobo.

Towards the end of the Michael Jackson memorial today, I had the chance to speak with Residente of Calle 13. As he scrambled to click to a channel covering the event (it was pretty easy to do so), Residente told me his feelings about Jackson.

If you’re in Nueva York this week, well, you must know the Puerto Rican Day Parade is hitting the streets on Sunday (6/14). In honor of my boricua hermanos I’ll bring you some interviews with a few of music’s most talented Puerto Rocks. First up, Arcangel told me, “If I don’t go to the Puerto Rican Day Parade there ain’t no parade.” With that said, the half-bori also picked his favorite Puerto Rican artists.

Aight, mi gente I have a lot of goodies for y’all today. First up, check out Calle 13’s “La Perla” music video. The track is based on Puerto Rico’s roughest barrio. The imagery is fantastic; it shows the real beautiful side of P.R. I’ve always thought the poorest areas in Latin American countries are always where you find the nation’s warmest people. Bonus: Ruben Blades raps! Just think of as it as the long lost verse from “Plastico.”

I want you all to know that my blog, Jesús Talks, is bigger than Latino music. With that in mind, as I was perusing the NYC news websites the other day and this headline: “Former Hooters girl Melody Morales sues Hawaiian Tropic Zone for discrimination,” caught my eye. I didn’t click on it for the obvious (Hooters) but for the last name; I mean I gotta see what’s up with mi gente, right?