The bullshit has come to an end
Days passed and the most recent chapter of the "dumps" came to an end. The "tiraderas", also known as "beefs" , or "tiraeras" for their pronunciation in Central America, are direct musical wars between two or more rappers. In Puerto Rico, since hip hop was merged with that molasses of sounds born in Panama and gave rise to reggaetón, this type of content became very popular. Remembered clashes like Daddy Yankee Vs. Nicky Jam, Don Omar Vs. Hector "El father", Arcángel Vs. Polish, or Tego Calderón and Voltio Vs. Lito and Polaco, were only some of the enmities that in the first years of the 21st century creaked between the "perreo" and the "malianteo", giving another face to that rhythm then in emergence. For almost 10 years, when Calle 13 released their album "Los de viene viene conmigo", which included the song "Que lloren" (in which it launched grievances to the half genre), reggaetón did not have the shock that had when the own Resident, leader of the controversial group, sent another musical missile to a historical movement: Tempo, and big names like DJ Nelson, Baby Rasta, Archangel, Nicky Jam and even J Balvin were in the middle of the "fire."
For those who do not put it, Tempo is a rapper and reggaetonero that belonged to that group of young people who gave the germinal brushstrokes of the genre. Youngsters included Daddy Yankee, Baby Rasta and Gringo, OG Black and Master Joe, and DJs like Playero, Nelson and Negro. A musical laboratory that, emphatically emphatic, pushed that mixture between rap and Panamanian dembow, of which Tempo was great protagonist until in 2002 was imprisoned for crimes related to the street world: possession of arms, drug trafficking and even involvement in murders And robberies. He came out of jail in 2013 and had not been in the music industry again despite several attempts, including climbing into the much discussed neo-trap.
Courage or storm into a glass of water?
It all started in early May, when Residente spoke at the Billboard Latin Music Conference. As usual, his words raised dust, but this time he did not talk about reggaeton. Residente compared current music with junk food, in which the industry is like a restaurant of the most desirable hamburgers that prepares a pair of artists to sound a whole year. Enemy declared of the tops of the most sounded, René Perez assured that everything that dots in those escalations sounds practically equal and confessed that the formula to make those hits is very simple.
"It's very, very, very easy. If you give me 30 minutes I will prepare a hit right now of what is playing on the radio. It's a lack of respect for artists who are making real music, "Residente said during the conference. That was what perhaps exasperated half of reggaetoneros, although he never mentioned a specific genre.
He already had it in the eyes of the genre for the number of times he has said that he fails, but in turn has songs that have maddened everyone attending a bar. This time they did not forgive him. The first to say something was DJ Nelson, with a series of stories in Instagram in which he reproached the words of Resident, although he acknowledged that he did not speak of reggaetón or trap. That was the voice that rumbled and made the others leave the cave, because he asked to retract what he had said.
Nicky Jam supported the claim and even called Pérez "hypocrite".
Baby Rasta began to make a series of challenging publications.
Arcángel made live videos asking for respect for the opinion on the Billboard.
New figures of the genre like Ozuna or J Balvin, and pioneers like Raphy Pina and Plan B, supported to Nélson and asked, instead, respect for its music.
All that happened in less than a day and Resident exploded. He denied that he had spoken badly of the genre and for that he hung up his complete intervention asking that they listen to him to see at what moment offended the work of his colleagues. He finished his message with a lapidary phrase. "I am not going to argue, to those who were alluded to leave the novel by Instagram and start writing", and practically challenged the offended to throw rhymes and arrange the discussion with music.
A perpetual silence dominated the genre the following days until Tempo wanted to demonstrate its courage defending the sort that helped to create. By the same token, Instagram sent a flurry of messages offending Residente, talking about his past as a street musician and his 11 years in prison, and even insinuated that he was going to do his best not to let him enter Puerto Rico again. Which gave him 72 hours to apologize for his words.
His sense of belonging began to go a long way, and big names encouraged Tempo to accept Rene's challenge. So it was. Tempo did so in spite of the advice of Archangel, his most advanced student, who kept insisting that he not do it, did not throw, and did not listen to those who were pushing him to a precipice.
On May 13, again on his Instagram, Tempo posted a preview of Residente's song. With a lugubrious track, evoking classic tracks and a full sampling intro to Calle 13 phrases, he presented "Calle sin salida".
Five days later (after presuming the luxuries that music has given him and, once again, his years in prison supposedly to defend the ideals of reggaetoneros), he made public the song: almost 5 minutes in which he speaks directly To Residente, denying him of its beginnings with rhythms similar to reggaetón, its life in the United States and Argentina, its revolutionary ideals and its closeness with very distant genres ... That is to say, the same that he listens Resident every day on the part of his haters . Tempo, practically, collected the offenses that have done to Calle 13 since he started and he put them into a gangster style song in which he is recurring reference to the pistols, the neighborhood and the street, although he surprised with immediate accusations and reminiscences .
Nobody thought that that quarrel would end in a beef , but when "Dead end" saw the light many rejoiced that, at last, someone tried to stop to the today in stand by Street 13. Others, in turn, they took like A strategy of tempo to re-sound. And the protagonist, Resident, on the same night of the launch affirmed the same thing as all the rappers when they dedicate a song to them: "I did not listen". The only certainty is that the answer came, against all odds, only 24 hours later.
Tempo said he only listened to the first four minutes of the song and fell asleep. However, he reproached that he referred to people with down syndrome and salute the same reggaetoneros he criticized, phrases that appear at the end of the song. With eight minutes of venomous verse-indeed, in less than a day-Residente told his story about the music, spoke to Tempo, about his situation in prison and why he really fell in prison, and Summed up what had been his truncated musical career. But, in general, Residente gave a class of rhymes, times, disco music and how to despise career years and "wrestling rap" without saying a single offense or naming a gun.
If it is true that Tempo only listened to four minutes, it would have been enough to witness Residente's ability to move from rap to reggaeton, to build with words a coherent speech framed in the fusion, base of his entire career, and to make more similar That witty with up to nine rhymes in three seconds. It will also be clear, as he said in his reggaeton, that "there will be no rematch." To complete, he presumed his closeness with important names in music like Rubén Blades, José Feliciano, Tego Calderón, Vico C or Elías de León.
How do you know Resident did the song in less than a day? Resident not only responded to Tempo. He also slapped Nicky Jam, calling him "hypocritical", and DJ Nélson, whom he introduced to the daring beatmaker who created the base on which Residente slipped onto dubstep. Also included references to the events that were mentioned during that "Instagram novel" that they put together for a conference, such as his life outside of Puerto Rico, his supposed youth of "rich boy" away from the music industry, his prizes or his tour with 13TH Street.
Thus, Resident not only mutes his detractors again. He also warned those who are, or were, thinking of riding on a beat and throw him out for his indecision towards the gender. After the song, those who had embarked on this kind of crusade "Todos contra Calle 13" preferred to focus on their career, their concerts, their luxuries and their collaborations.
