As one of the most influential and honest voices in Latin music, Residente has consistently pushed the boundaries of Spanish-language rap. Whether he's exploring the depths of human emotions and social issues through his art, or infuriating mainstream reggaetoneros through hard-hitting tiraderas, there's no denying that one can't turn a deaf ear to the artist born René Pérez Joglar.
With his second full-length solo album, Las Letras Ya No Importan (the Words don't matter anymore) — released via 5020 Records, following his 2017 self-titled debut — Residente's evolution from genre-bending rapper to multifaceted artist and cultural commentator is undeniable. This latest work, released on Friday (February 23), embarks on an exploratory journey through sound, emotion and critical opinion, with a variety of collaborations spanning genres and geographies, from SFDK in Spain to Christian Nodal in Mexico and Amal Murkus in Gaza.
Among the individual tracks, “313” emerges as a deeply personal ode to the passage of time and the preciousness of life, inspired by the death of a friend and Residente's own reflections on growing up. “Time is becoming more and more relevant in my life,” he says Billboard Español.
“Bajo Los Escombros” offers a poignant look at the Palestinian struggle, set against the backdrop of the conflict with contributions from musicians in Gaza and the voice of Murkus. “Jerga Platanera” delves into the linguistic intricacies of Puerto Rican slang and Dominican slang, while “El malestar en la cultura” and “Artificial Inteligente” reflect on the evolution of rap and the intersection of humanity and technology, respectively . This album not only underscores Residente's commitment to musical and thematic experimentation, but also highlights his role as a visionary in the ever-evolving landscape of the urbana music genre and beyond.
During our interview at his home in Lower Manhattan, Residente's living space reflects the diversity and depth of his music. Surrounded by an eclectic collection of books — ranging from disclosure now at José Parla's Segmented realitys, and The Wes Anderson Collection — and the art that adorns the walls, its surroundings are a testament to its wide-ranging influences. The skylight and balcony overlooking the Hudson River offer a glimpse into the serene setting of his creative process, while the dozens of Grammys and Latin Grammys on display serve as a testament to his enduring influence on the music industry.
Dressed casually in baby blue corduroy, a matching T-shirt and baseball cap, accented with a chain and silver whistle, Residente's demeanor is as relaxed and approachable as it is thoughtful, as he thinks to Advertising sign the depth and diversity of his last album. By the way, today (February 23rd) is his birthday.
You have a lot to celebrate: your new album, your new music video, your debut as a movie star, your birthday. How will you spend it?
I think I'll go to a bar with my family and friends, quietly. I am happy with the result of the video and the theme of “313.” It's an example of what I want to do more. I will celebrate this, the video, the album and whatever comes in the future as well.
Your video for “313” is visually stunning. It also features Penelope Cruz.
I always think about the visuals when I write songs, whether I make videos for them or not. Some people are making videos for the song. I think I'm making music for the video. All the time I think visually and that's where I compose the music. In this case I started making the music and writing the ideas, adapting to the weather. It was quite difficult to shoot in November in Madrid, there is not much light. It snowed, it rained, it all happened during the shoot. This slows you down and delay costs money. When you direct you have to think as a producer, writer, editor and actor. I think about everything at once.
I also have Penelope Cruz in the video and Silvia Cruz singing. We connected really well when I met [Penelope]. I also met her husband Javier [Bardem], and I'm a fan of both. I love what they are doing, they are great actors and they have a very nice family. At first I said, “I'd like Penelope to be in this.” I talked to her and she said yes. Little by little he connected with the song.
The inclusion of violins in this track and the guitar chords you use in others are beautiful and show a musical diversity along with some boom-bap beats. How do you decide which instruments or sounds to use in your compositions?
The album has songs that are older, and I had other songs that didn't [end up on] the album because I didn't feel connected to this moment now. When “René” came out four years ago, I was going to release an album at the time, so now I'm releasing it. Now I have songs that I feel are more relevant today, like “313”, “Artificial inteligente”, “Quiero Ser Baladista” or “Bajo Los Escombros”. All of these have cellos, double basses, all these musical things. It seems to me to be an album that marks a transition, as was the case with Calle 13's second album, Resident or Visitoreh, that marked a moment. After that, everything was different.
With your second studio album following your acclaimed debut in 2017, how do you feel your music and message has evolved in this latest body of work?
On this album I feel like the message comes more from my own experience. It's a very personal album, like “313” which is about enjoying the moment. I had a lot of losses last year and the year before. People I love have died and everything I say about enjoying it all comes from that experience in the past. And the last record was world music meets rap. This record is the most vulnerable track, like “Rene”, “313” or “Ron on the Floor”. It is much more open in soul and spirit than before. I've always been open, but this time I'm more open.
Walking into your home, it's impressive to see the amount of Grammys and Latin Grammys you've won. How do you maintain your passion for music after so much success?
I maintain my passion with therapy by trying to do different, creative things that fulfill me. I'm feeling a little tired as an artist, I've been doing this for a while. I want to devote myself more to filmmaking, scriptwriting, experimentation, acting. Now we have a film at Sundance, which won the Grand Jury Prize. It is said The Summers. I am the protagonist, surrounded by spectacular actors and actresses who taught me a lot. I loved it. And the directing part which I always love. I think that's what motivates and inspires me to keep working. It's emotional, it does other things in music as well.
How do you see the current state of Hispanic rap and its culture, and how does your album contribute to that conversation?
One is a tool and the other is a species that has rules and a culture that is respected. The discussion that was triggered based on the list [of essential rappers in Spanish published by Billboard] seemed immature on the part of some of my colleagues. I think rap deserves to evolve as much as possible. I separate rap from hip-hop a lot. For me, [hip-hop] I see it as a genre where the tool of rap is used. This is what I do.
I've never pretended to belong to any particular musical genre, nor do I care. Never, since Calle 13, and right now, have I ever wanted to be pigeonholed. I'm not a singer because I don't sing, I rap, so I use the tool of rap. My album is for all the young kids who want to be rappers, who can't sing but want to say things and through rhyming is an alternative. And I'm doing well. I'm proof that you can do well doing different things, rapping, making music, making it evolve.
The future of rap, if it continues to be overprotected – it's like protecting a child so much that he won't know what to do when he grows up. So the same thing happens with the genre of music. You have to feed it new things, get it out there, let it evolve and move. It will continue to evolve, if not, it will stay there and other species will come and pass over it. It's important, so that it doesn't go overboard, and so that kids who want to rap can experience their creativity to the fullest, and push it to the maximum, as high as they can.
I hear Las Letras Ya No Importan here:
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/residente-las-letras-ya-no-importan-new-album-1235614113/
