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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 3 april 2017
Residente makes solo debut with a strong message of equality

SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS his ancestors’ countries of condition and its diversity.
Associated Press origin. He started in the Rus- “This is not a world music
NEW YORK (AP) — With sian province of Siberia, album,” Residente said. “I
its message of unity and and also visited China, The traveled the world, but I
equality, Residente’s first Caucasus and West Africa. wanted to do something
solo album post-Calle 13 The self-titled documenta- new.”
— and an accompanying ry, directed by Residente, In China he got to work with
documentary — seems fit- starts with his childhood in the Peking Opera, one of
ting with the political cli- Puerto Rico, his struggles as Beijing’s finest monuments,
mate in America. But the a young student and his rise where he challenged a
Puerto Rican rapper says with his Grammy-winning group of performers to get
his project started way be- band Calle 13. The film de- out of their comfort zone
fore the era of President buted last month at South and put melody to his lyrics.
Donald Trump. by Southwest. “When I went to China, first
“I think that ... the topic now In it, he explains that he of all, it was very difficult
is even more relevant be- decided to leave Calle 13 to communicate because
cause of what is happen- — the most decorated act they couldn’t speak English
ing with Trump and not only in the history of the Latin and at that time my English
Trump, because there’s a Grammys — at the height sucked, and my transla-
lot of racism around the of its career because he tor, his English was OK, but
world,” Residente, born needed to do something he wasn’t like (an) English
Rene Perez, said in New new to get inspired. professor,” Residente said. In this Dec. 5, 2013 file photo, Rene Perez Joglar, also known as
Residente, of the musical group Calle 13, poses for a portrait in
York during a recent pre- He decided to spend time “So it took us a while to get the West Bank town of Beit Shaour, near Bethlehem.
sentation of his new film, with local artists — mostly there and to translate first Associated Press
which is about him making amateur or unknown — the lyrics ... from Spanish to
his album while tracing his many who live in great pov- English, and then from Eng- come into my world.” about the topic of race.
origins based on his DNA. erty or have been affected lish to Chinese.” He said that when he “We all came from the
The album “Residente,” out and torn by war. The film “I wanted them to change started his journey, he did same place,” Residente
Friday, includes 13 songs shows a series of moving it a little bit because I’m it thinking mainly about said.
that Perez wrote and re- encounters that translate coming into their world,” he music, but that listening to “Even though we are dif-
corded over two years to his music and incisive lyr- said of the Peking Opera, the stories of the people he ferent, we are equally
traveling around some of ics, highlighting the human “but I wanted them to also met made him think more different.”q