Music with Substance , by the numbers – Residente’s “313”

By Luis Miguel Messianu- President-CCO- MEL

The always controversial Puerto Rican rapper from Calle 13, “Residente” has released a new album under the moniker “Las Letras Ya No Importan” (Letters No Longer Matter), but even the title ironically conveys his unique style and original approach to music.

The craftmanship and wording of every fast-rapping song is oustanding and the album includes great collaborations with rappers of the caliber of Busta Rhymes, Big Daddy Kane and Vico C (Puerto Rican reggaeton pioneer) and singers Rauw Alejandro and Christian Nodal, amongst many others. You can say it’s a mélange of several music genres like rock, electronic, hip-hop, flamenco, Son Cubano, Arab music, and for a moment even pop. (“Quiero Ser Baladista” — “I Want to Be a Ballad Singer” — suddenly switches from a quick-tempered rap to a loveable chorus from the one and only Ricky Martin).

Before launching the full record “René” released a video for the single “313” in which he clearly gives us a sneak peek into his more introspective side. The song boasts orchestral strings and a mesmerizing choir… a poetic spoken-word intro from Penélope Cruz and a flamenco-accented guest vocal from Spanish singer Silvia Pérez Cruz — all while Residente sings, in lieu of rapping, about love, time and eternity. You can say that the “troublemaker” reveals us his heart!

Residente is an award-winning exponent of urban music, composer, producer, filmmaker, visionary, activist and actor, known for directing his own music videos. And this one is certainly no exception! Directed by the very own René Pérez Joglar “Residente”, the music video showcases his deep cinematic and artistic approach and features both actress Penélope Cruz and singer Silvia Pérez Cruz.

Residente’s dedication to creating music with substance and depth is commendable, especially in a music industry where superficial themes often dominate. This masterpiece is full of symbolism, with a poetic and visually rich narrative, expressing every moment that life offers us since there is no life without time. It opens up with a narration by Penélope Cruz sharing what life and time represent. The setting is a beautiful garden in the middle of autumn, under the light of a day that pierces the clouds. The image of several dancers floating in the air is established, symbolizing that they are frozen in time. A window in the distance seems to be observing us from the inside. Within her we encounter life personified by an actress, motionless, detained in space. Until suddenly a dozen dancers begin to emerge from her body, and little by little, Penélope begins to move, thanks to the gift of time.

The way I interpret it, the dancing body represents time itself. A choreographic discharge occurs between all the dancers who are the culprits for representing the living shape being performed by Residente. One of the dancers takes away Residente’s voice, and the dancers pass the voice on until they hand it to Penélope. In the video, the actress begins to narrate with the voice of the urban exponent while moving her arms, controlling every movement of Residente’s body. It’s as if life controls the living being. This is how they join in this choreography, a dance between life, living beings and time.

The video was filmed in Segovia, Spain, and choreographed by Juliano Nunes.
The audiovisual work inspired by the song “313” and directed by Residente was produced by 1868 Studios in collaboration with World Junkies, and the video was released by 5020 Records, a new record label under SONY Music U.S.A.

Latin music continues to influence the mainstream, and many artists are emerging as part of this global phenomenon! From my perspective it has to do with truly unique personalities and contagious rhythms, but when it comes to lyrics most of the songs are shallow renditions of lifestyle themes such as love and sex.

The music video’s production quality, along with its rich symbolism and narrative complexity, makes it a captivating piece of art. It’s inspiring to see artists like Residente pushing boundaries and striving to create work that resonates on a deeper level with their audience.

Residente stands out within the Spanish speaking music world and he clearly aims to do something different… more meaningful… more artistic… more profound, and I feel his intended messages are filled with substance. In fact, he probably deserves even more recognition than he gets!

His song title might contain only 3 numbers, but the words are a masterclass on the art of poetic writing, and the idea he transmits an invitation to live life to the fullest and make the most out of our time. In his words: “I hope the endings forget to finish”.

For some meaningful “Eye Candy” please do yourself a favor and watch

Acá los dejo con el detrás de cámara del video 313. Fue muy retador filmar esto por las condiciones meteorológicas , el frío y por la poca luz del sol que hay durante finales de otoño. Solo teníamos 7 horas por día pero gracias al gran equipo que armamos lo logramos. Gracias a @manupasik por este BTS. Sigan la cuenta de @1868studios que vienen

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