Calle 13 (album)

Last updated
Calle 13
Calle132005.PNG
Studio album by
Calle 13
ReleasedNovember 29, 2005
StudioSouthern Recording Tracks (Atlanta, Georgia)
Genre
Length48:46
Label White Lion
Producer Eduardo Cabra
Calle 13 chronology
Calle 13
(2005)		 Residente o Visitante
(2007)
Singles from Calle 13
  1. "Se Vale to-to"
    Released: 2005
  2. "Atrévete-te-te"
    Released: January 2006
  3. "Suave"
    Released: September 2006
  4. "La Jirafa"
    Released: 2006

Calle 13 is the debut studio album by Puerto Rican urban/hip hop band Calle 13, released on November 29, 2005 by White Lion Records. The album was recorded in the wake of the group's online success with the controversial song "Querido FBI". The album received positive reviews, with critics praising Residente's unique lyrical style and the musical diversity displayed on the record.

Contents

The lead single "Atrévete-te-te" peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and is now considered to be one of the group's signature songs. At the 2006 Latin Grammy Awards, Calle 13 won three Latin Grammy Awards including Best Urban Music Album, Best New Artist, and Best Short Form Music Video for their first single "Atrévete-te-te".

Background and recording

Calle 13 was formed when step-brothers Residente (real name René Pérez Joglar) and Visitante (real name Eduardo José Cabra Martínez) began creating music together in 2004. [1] Before forming the group, Residente obtained a master's degree in art from the Savannah College of Art and Design while Visitante had studied music at the University of Puerto Rico. [2] Residente returned to Puerto Rico in 2003. [3] The step-brothers hosted their music on a website, and began searching for a record label in order to release their music commercially. [1]

After sending demo tapes to White Lion Records, the duo was offered a record deal. [1] Residente chose White Lion due to his admiration for Tego Calderón, another artist on the label. [3] White Lion president Elías de León explained that his cousin and A&R director Carlos "Karly" Rosario alerted him to the demo and stated, "These weird guys brought this demo. You've got to listen to it." [3] Residente was working at his day job as a draftsman for an architectural firm when he received the call that Calle 13 had been signed. [3] The group then recorded "Se Vale Tó-Tó" and released it as a single to the Puerto Rican radio station WVOZ (Mix 107), where it became a radio hit on the island. [3] To promote the group locally, Residente directed and edited the video for "Se Vale Tó-Tó" with the help of his cousin, which was filmed on a relatively small budget of US$14,000. [4]

The duo gained recognition for their controversial song "Querido FBI", which responded to the killing of Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, a key figure for the Puerto Rican independence movement. [5] Shortly after, the duo collaborated with Julio Voltio on the single "Chulin Culin Chunfly", which reached number eight on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, creating more buzz for the group. [3] After the success of "Querido F.B.I." and "Chulin Culin Chunfly", the duo headed to the studio to record its debut album. When creating music for the record, Residente explained, "I didn't care about anything. I had no commitments, I was relaxed." [6] According to Residente, the lack of critical recognition and fame gave the rapper to express himself freely on the record. [6] When composing songs for the album, Residente began by writing lyrics and Visitante then constructed his beats to complement the lyrical content. [7]

Composition

Music and lyrics

Residente (pictured) aimed to discuss a variety of subjects on the album and was praised for his unique lyricism. Residente Festival MUPA 5.jpg
Residente (pictured) aimed to discuss a variety of subjects on the album and was praised for his unique lyricism.

The album was mostly known for its new sound in reggaeton, where most of the tracks were composed of different rhythms and lyrics, without use of the dem bow beat. The album is a blend of reggaeton and hip hop, all with a humorous and sarcastic feel to it in subject matter. [8] Anthony Colombo of Billboard noted that the album contains influences "that range from formal conservatory training to street music, animation, and Dadaism". [9] The album additionally contains elements of salsa, funk, and electronica. [9] The record features live percussion throughout, and some songs contain cumbia-influenced instrumentation. [10] With Calle 13, the group started to be labeled as reggaeton, a genre that the duo wished to distance itself from. [5] Visitante commented on the situation: "The truth is that the first record had only four reggaetons. Those were the cuts used for promotional purposes, and so that’s the brand that was put on us. But from the beginning, to me, reggaeton never offered anything musically. My brother liked it, yes, but we always tried to execute it in an organic way, with real instruments and mixing it with other genres." [5]

On the album, Residente wished to address a diverse array of subjects as opposed to simply discussing politics, which he felt would be "a bore". [11] Residente's self-deprecating, crass, and sarcastic lyrical style garnered comparisons to American rapper Eminem. [6] Nuria Net, managing editor at Fusion, described Residente's lyrical style by explaining, "Calle 13 rapped about the female body, the nalgas, the curves, the bodily fluids ... It was so much more graphic, and poetic, but even raunchier than reggaeton and urban music 10 years ago." [6]

Songs

"La Aguacatona" contains musical allusions to George Gershwin's "Summertime". [10] The songs "Atrévete-te-te", "Suave", and "Se Vale Tó-Tó" are considered to have a party atmosphere. [9] "Se Vale Tó-Tó" contains sexual euphemisms, including the recurring phrase "anything goes in this sausage sandwich". [11] The song's title is a play on words, substituting "to-to", a variation on the Puerto Rican slang term for a vagina ("toto"), for "todo" (all). An approximate translation of "se vale todo" is "all is allowed here" or, more accurately, "anything goes"; the song's chorus is a reference to grinding while dancing. [4] The first interlude, "Intel-lú-Ayala", humorously discusses "residents" and "visitors" to Puerto Rico, using the stage names of the two band members to deride colonialism from Spain and the United States on the island. [12]

"La Jirafa" contains Brazilian-influenced percussion and combined with the theme music from the 2001 French romantic comedy Amélie . [13] Residente described "La Jirafa" as "a pretty song, a love song for a woman, but it’s about Puerto Rico too." [13] Writing in his book Reggaeton, Raquel Z. Rivera describes "Atrévete-te-te" as "a call for liberation directed to anyone who listens, but above all to the Puerto Rican middle class, the so-called miss intellectual whose heady 'show' of racial and class superiority does not allow her to enjoy her body and dance down the hill with the rest of the reggaeton nation." [14] The song "Pi-Di-Di-Di" mocks rapper P. Diddy, who had come to Puerto Rico earlier to scout out new musicians, and Residente felt that he was exploiting the island. [11] [15] "Sin Coro" pokes fun at "conscious" rappers who claim to be anti-commercial and then "going to the mall to buy a pair of Nikes". [16]

Reception

Commercial performance

Although the album was not a huge success on the Billboard 200, only peaking at number 189, [17] it was a major success on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, peaking in the top 10 at number six. [18] It was also a huge success on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, peaking at number three. [19] The single "Atrévete-te-te" peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart [20] and at number six on the US Latin Tropical Airplay chart. [21] By the end of 2006, the album had sold more than 150,000 copies in the United States alone. [3] Worldwide, the album sold 350,000 copies. [22]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [23]

The album received positive reviews from critics, who praised Residente's unique lyricism and the group's musical diversity. Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic praised the album for its unique spin on reggaeton, noting that Residente's lyrics display a "healthy sense of humor and an almost clownish approach to sarcasm...a world apart from the kingly bravado of most reggaeton vocalists, and the obligatory glimmers of misogyny and violence that accompany such streetwise swaggering." [23] He described Visitante's beats as "inventive", enjoying the record's deviation from reggaeton's "industry-standard trademark of Luny Tunes and that production team's assembly line of bandwagon-jumping imitators." [23] Nate Chinen of The New York Times called Residente a "lean and literate rapper" and the album "an intelligent effort, and not just by reggaetón standards." [24] Jasmine Garsd of National Public Radio praised Residente's lyrics, describing him as "foul-mouthed and self-deprecating, but undeniably talented" and "as funny as [he is] gross". [6]

Awards

At the 2006 Latin Grammy Awards, Calle 13 won three Latin Grammy Awards including Best Urban Music Album, Best New Artist, and Best Short Form Music Video for their first single "Atrévete-te-te". [25]

Track listing

All music by "Perez, Rene; Cabra, Eduardo", except where otherwise noted

  1. "Cabe-c-o" – 3:34
  2. "Suave" (Smooth) – 3:34
  3. "La Aguacatona" (featuring Voltio and PG-13) – 4:01
  4. "Se Vale To-To" (Everything Allowed) – 3:51
  5. "Intel-lú-Ayala" — 0:29
  6. "Tengo Hambre" (I'm Hungry) – 4:05
  7. "La Hormiga Brava" (The Brave Ant) (featuring PG-13) – 3:46
  8. "La Jirafa" (The Giraffe) – 3:16
  9. "Intel-lú la comermierda" – 0:24
  10. "Atrévete-te-te" (Dare you-you-you) – 4:01
  11. "Pi-Di-Di-Di" – 3:31
  12. "Vamo Animal" (Let's Go Animal) (featuring Severo Canta Claro) (Severo Canta Claro Independiente/Perez, Rene/Cabra, Eduardo) – 3:27
  13. "Eléctrico" (Electric) – 3:21
  14. "Sin Coro" (Without a Chorus) (featuring Tuna Bardos) – 3:49
  15. "La Tripleta" (The hat-trick) (featuring PG-13) – 3:21
  16. "La Madre de los Enanos" (The Mother of the Dwarfs) – 4:02
  17. "Suave (Blass Mix)" (Smooth (Blas Mix) – 3:40

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Calle 13
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [30] Platinum (Latin)100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

Reggaeton Music genre

Reggaeton, also known as reggaetón and reguetón, is a music style that originated as Reggae en Español in Panama during the late 1980s. and was later popularized on Puerto Rico. It has evolved from dancehall and has been influenced by American hip hop, Latin American, and Caribbean music. Vocals include rapping and singing, typically in Spanish.

Ivy Queen Puerto Rican reggaeton singer

Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez, known professionally as Ivy Queen, is a Puerto Rican singer, rapper, songwriter, and actress. She is considered one of the pioneers of the reggaeton genre, commonly referred to as the Queen of Reggaeton.

Calle 13 (band) Puerto Rican band

Calle 13 is a Puerto Rican alternative hip-hop band formed by stepbrothers Residente and Visitante, along with their half-sister iLe, also known as PG-13.

Atrévete-te-te 2006 single by Calle 13

"Atrévete-te-te" is a Grammy-nominated reggaeton song by Puerto Rican urban duo Calle 13 from their eponymous debut album Calle 13, released in February 2006, by White Lion Records. It is one of the duo's best known songs. It was a hit single in many Latin American countries. The video for this single won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video at the Latin Grammy Awards of 2006. This song is featured in the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto IV. The song was later named the second best single of the decade by Latin music website Club Fonograma.

<i>Residente o Visitante</i> 2007 studio album by Calle 13

Residente o Visitante is the second studio album by Puerto Rican urban/hip hop band Calle 13, released on April 24, 2007, by Sony BMG. Recorded in various countries while on tour in promotion of the duo's debut album Calle 13, Residente o Visitante marked an evolution in the band's musical and lyrical style. While writing the album, the duo took a trip to South America to explore areas populated by Latin America's indigenous and African-descended minorities, a journey that greatly influenced the music on Residente o Visitante. The album features six guest artists and delves into genres such as tango, bossa nova, cumbia, and electronica.

Tango del Pecado 2007 single by Calle 13 featuring Bajofondo & Panasuyo

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<i>Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo</i> 2008 studio album by Calle 13

Los de atrás vienen conmigo is the third studio album by Puerto Rican alternative hip hop band Calle 13 and was released on October 21, 2008 by Sony Music Latin. This album is a bit more colorful than the previous, although dark humor continues to be the tone. The album has a fusion of rhythms the band discovered during their visits to several countries. They fuse rhythms of 'cumbia villera' native to Argentina, and rhythms of Balkan music. The album features collaborations with Rubén Blades, Café Tacuba, and Afrobeta. It won Best Latin Rock, Alternative or Urban Album at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards and five Latin Grammys inclunding Album of the Year at the 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.

Calle 13 discography

This is a comprehensive listing of official releases by Calle 13, a Puerto Rican urban music duo.

Residente Puerto Rican Regaeaton singer

René Pérez Joglar, known professionally as Residente, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter and philanthropist. He is best known as one of the founders of the alternative rap band Calle 13. Residente released five albums with Calle 13 before announcing his solo career in 2015. Residente released his debut solo album in 2017. He has won four Grammy Awards and 27 Latin Grammy Awards—more than any other Latin artist. Residente has also delved into producing documentaries including Sin Mapa (2009) and Residente (2017) and has directed some of his own music videos.

Eduardo Cabra Puerto Rican musician

Eduardo José Cabra Martínez, better known by his stage name "Visitante Calle 13", "Visitante", or more recently, "Cabra" is a Puerto Rican producer, musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. He rose to fame due to the Puerto Rican band Calle 13, which he co-founded with his step brother René Pérez Joglar ("Residente").

Alternative reggaeton is a subgenre of reggaeton that emerged from the hip hop movement as a reaction to its repetitive and monotone dembow rhythm, and the predominant stereotypical gangsta content that became predictable. The result was a complex sound derived from world sounds, mainly rooted in Latin American folk music such as Puerto Rican bomba y plena, salsa and tango and also other foreign influenced music such as rock en español. Mixed with thoughtful lyricism guided by an anti-colonialism discourse, Latin American sociopolitical content and racial pride, it gave listeners a smooth blend of danceable rhythms and intellectual dialogue.

<i>Entren Los Que Quieran</i> 2010 studio album by Calle 13

Entren Los Que Quieran is the fourth studio album by Puerto Rican hip hop band Calle 13, released on November 22, 2010. Recorded in the wake of controversial events surrounding the group, the album contains more political lyrical themes not discussed on previous Calle 13 releases. It also expands upon the musical experimentation demonstrated in the group's albums Residente o Visitante (2007) and Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo (2008). The record's compositions feature various musical styles, including rock, ska, merengue, reggaeton, and Bollywood music.

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<i>Multi_Viral</i> 2014 studio album by Calle 13

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iLe Puerto Rican singer; formerly with Calle 13

Ileana Mercedes Cabra Joglar, better known by the nickname "iLe", is a Puerto Rican singer, composer and vocalist. She began her musical career as a teenager as the sole female singer of Calle 13, a group she took part in for 10 years alongside her brothers René Pérez Joglar (Residente) and Eduardo Cabra Martínez (Visitante).

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Bellacoso 2019 song by Residente and Bad Bunny

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Birchmeier, Jason. "Calle 13 Biography". Allmusic . Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  2. ↑ Rivera, Enrique. "Calle 13 Invites Fans To Embrace The Ugly". National Public Radio . Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Cobo, Leila (October 14, 2006). "Out of Nowhere: How Puerto Rico's Calle 13 Became the Year's Most Surprising Latin Music Success Story". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Birchmeier, Jason. "Calle 13 Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
  5. 1 2 3 Rohter, Larry (April 18, 2010). "Continuing Days of Independence for Calle 13". The New York Times. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 13, On Being Loved And Hated In Latin America|work=National Public Radio|last=Garsd|first=Jasmine|date=April 5, 2014|accessdate=May 2, 2018
  7. ↑ Cobo, Leila (April 28, 2007). "Upwardly Mobile". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  8. ↑ Billboard.com Biography - Calle 13
  9. 1 2 3 Colombo, Anthony (October 21, 2006). "Latin Leaders". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  10. 1 2 Cobo, Leila (February 4, 2006). "Album Review: Calle 13 by Calle 13". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 Morales, Ed (March 26, 2006). "SONIDOS LATINOS, Calle 13s stylistic blend has mass appeal". Newsday. Cablevision.
  12. ↑ Temas, 2007. p. 38
  13. 1 2 Horan, Tom (August 6, 2009). "Calle 13 Interview". The Telegraph . Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  14. ↑ Rivera, 2009. p. 337
  15. ↑ Rivera, 2009. p. 334
  16. ↑ Fusté, 2006. p. 146
  17. 1 2 "Calle 13 Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  18. 1 2 "Calle 13 Chart History (Top Latin Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  19. 1 2 "Calle 13 Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  20. ↑ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Calle 13
  21. ↑ Top Music Charts - Hot 100 - Billboard 200 - Music Genre Sales - Calle 13 - Atrevete te te
  22. ↑ Diaz, Camila (2018-11-22). "Calle 13". Historia y biografía de (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  23. 1 2 3 Birchmeier, Jason. "Review: Calle 13 - Calle 13". AllMusic . Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Passion for Hybrids: Gustavo Cerati and Other Latin Performers at Central Park SummerStage". The New York Times. August 7, 2006. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  25. ↑ Search for "Calle 13" at the winners of the 2006 Latin Grammy. Retrieved on 12 January 2013.
  26. ↑ "|| RecordLand ||". 2006-07-09. Archived from the original on 2006-07-09. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  27. ↑ "Musicalisimo". 2014-12-13. Archived from the original on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  28. ↑ "Top Latin Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  29. ↑ "Top Latin Albums – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  30. ↑ "American album certifications – Calle 13 – Calle 13". Recording Industry Association of America.
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