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By Michael Lopez

Despite winning multiple Latin Grammys and having millions of adoring fans, René “Residente” Perez is still plagued with nightmares. And apparently one recurring dream that the Calle 13 frontman is dealing with involves his own death!

Residente recently told Primera Hora that he doesn't expect to live past 40. The reason, he claims, is because of the visions he constantly has that show him perishing at a young age.

"It's not that I'm a negative person," he explained in the interview. "But I don’t think I’m going to get to 40. I dream a lot about that, and they say dreams come true."

Now 33, that means we'd only have Residente around for another seven years! Clearly we hope that isn't the case and neither does Perez. He went on to say how much he values his life and how he wants to be around to someday meet his own grandkids.

What's the worst nightmare you've ever had? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Calle 13, Chisme, Nightmares, popnews, Residente, RIP

By Michael Lopez

Was it a friendly gesture or a vicious attack? That was the question on many Calle 13 fans' minds over the holiday after news broke that Residente was hit in the face by a flying cell phone.

It all went down at a Calle show in Bolivia last week. Apparently during the middle of their set, Residente had a Smartphone chucked right at his face! The fast-paced gadget left the Resi a little bruised and got the amateur pitcher ejected from the concert.

When the dust settled, it appeared the incident was just an unplanned accident. Residente spoke up about it on his Twitter account, explaining that the fan had wanted him to autograph the phone and meant no harm when he tossed it on stage.

"A person threw me his cell phone to autograph it. The damn cell phone hit me in the face because I didn't manage to catch it. The poor guy was dragged out of the stadium. For the future, if you want me to sign something, wait until I'm looking and expecting it before throwing it.”

Seems like good advice to us. Perhaps it’d be safer to have your musical heroes autograph flying pillows instead.

How far would you go for a Calle 13 autograph? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bolivia, Calle 13, Chisme, Música, popnews, Residente

By Eddie Gutierrez

It wasn't your typical morning at the United Nations in New York City this past Monday. Calle 13 along side UNICEF, MTV Latin America and Tr3s hosted a conference announcing the official launch of the MTV Exit campaign. "The campaign is about freedom and human rights," stated Bernt Aasen from UNICEF. The goal of this movement is to shed light on the issue of human trafficking and exploitation in Latin America, as well as provide outreach to the victims of this modern day slavery.

Every year at least 550,000 children and adolescents become victims of trafficking and exploitation in Latin America and the Caribbean; stealing away their youth, hopes, dreams and lives. They are forced into exploitative labor, engage in drug use and unsafe sexual practices; amplifying the spread of HIV within the Latin America population.

The nineteen-time Latin Grammy winning duo hosts the documentary, "Esclavos Invisibles/Invisible Slaves," detailing the realities of this issue. Calle 13 has also donated their song "Prepárame la Cena/Prepare my Dinner," off of their 2011 Latin Grammy winning album of the year, 'Entren los Que Quieran'.

"This song is about hope, prepare my dinner, I will be home soon," stated Residente.

The documentary will be extended to 58 million households throughout Latin America and the U.S. as well as an infinite amount through online websites and social media. No corner will be left unturned as the documentary will also be distributed amongst churches, shelters and community centers throughout Latin America and the U.S. to help relay this message to those who do not have access to television or internet.

In the United States alone 17,000 people are trafficked and exploited every year. If this is happening in our own backyard imagine when magnified on a global level.

"To be an activist you don't need money, all you need is will. You too can get involved and spread the message," said Residente.

Join in the efforts and help spread awareness on this issue in hopes of one day finally ending, once and for all, this modern day slavery. Visit www.mtvexit.org/la for more information.

Watch the exclusive trailer for "Esclavos Invisibles":

MTV Exit, Calle 13 and Unicef "Invisible Slaves" Documentary Get new music videos and MTV show videos on Tr3s.com. www.tr3s.com More from Watch MTV Shows Watch New Music Videos | Music News
Embed

Also be sure to tune in to Tr3s on November 29th for the premiere of the powerful music video, "Prepárame la Cena."

How will you help Calle 13 with their efforts? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3

Tags Calle 13, Preparame la cena, Residente, slavery, United Nations

By Michael Lopez

Usually bands like earning tons of cash for their concerts, but not Calle 13. In what was actually a pretty noble move, the group's frontman Residente abruptly cancelled an Argentine show because he believed the ticket prices were too high.

Set to take place in the southern city of Comodoro Rivadavia, the Calle concert was charging as much as $500 pesos a seat. That seemed to be too steep for Rez, who informed fans via Twitter that he was postponing the show indefinitely.

"Due to the high Price of tickets for the Comodoro show without our consent, we decided to postpone the date until the prices are lowered," he said. "We travelled to Argentina by land so that the ash from the Chilean volcano didn't have the chance of causing the show to be cancelled. We were 16 hours into the journey when we found out how expensive the tickets were."

Interestingly, Residente's statement may provide some insight into how little bands profit at their own shows. More than likely it was the promoters, ticket brokers, and venue owners that caused the costs to get beefed up. Hopefully, they'll get the message and help Calle put on a concert that everyone can afford.

Do you think concert prices are getting too high? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Argentina, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Calle 13, Chisme, Concerts, Música, popnews, Residente, Ticket Prices

By Michael Lopez

Is it us, or is Residente making a ton of headlines this month? Whether it's his outspoken political views or his murderous dolphin videos, the Calle 13 frontman definitely knows how to get a point across. And now he's set his sights on criticizing leaders in the Dominican Republic.

Firing off angry tweets, Residente railed against the Dominican government. The reason? Apparently officials have said Calle 13's music promotes violence and drug use, and have banned it throughout the island.

Carlos Cepeda Suriel, a member of the D.R.’s Public Spectacle Commission, went on to explain the nation's "official" stance.

"We are jealously vigilant in the defense of our country against contamination from the ills in certain songs," he said. "What sounds bad, what does not please the Dominican ear, we will not allow that to be played by Dominican broadcasters."

As you may have expected, that did not sit well with Residente. In response, the Puerto Rican star tweeted,

"Qué se puede esperar de un Gobierno que no puede otorgar ni siquiera un 4% pa’ la educación cuando el pueblo lo pide."

Interestingly, Calle 13 has a show planned in the D.R. on August 6. Judging by Residente's reaction, we seriously doubt they'll swap out their set list for family-friendly Sesame Street songs.

Do you think certain songs are too violent for radio? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Calle 13, Chisme, Dominican Republic, Música, Politics, Residente

By Michael Lopez

Last week we mentioned how Calle 13's Residente firmly believed in adding political messages to his music. And judging by the group's latest video, he's definitely sticking to his word. "Muerte en Hawaii" is packing in tropical grooves, beachside settings, and a hail of gunfire!

Interestingly, the musical portion of "Muerte" is actually rather soothing. There are acoustic guitar strums, gentle vocals, and even some slow-paced whistling. But the accompanying clip takes that laid-back vibe and gives it a hardcore kick in the ass!

As Residente and his girlfriend walk lovingly along a Hawaiian shore, bullets and bombs begin to explode. There are gory scenes of shotguns, bodies on the beach, and a violent encounter with an unusual assassin.

Who exactly is the figure causing all of the death and destruction? That's actually the most interesting part of the video. We won't spoil it here, but let's just say you may want to buy “dolphin-safe” tuna after watching it!

What do you think about Calle 13’s "Muerte en Hawaii" video? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Calle 13, Hawaii, Música, Muerte en Hawaii, Politics, Residente, Videos

By Michael Lopez

We all love a good beat when we step on a dance floor. But what can make a track truly stand the test of time is the lyrical message behind it. No one knows that better than Calle 13 frontman Residente, who recently spoke out about mixing politics and music.

"[Many rappers] have a good rhyme," Residente told Fox News Latino. "But they don't talk about anything. And that is a problem."

And looking at Calle 13's catalog of hits, it's clear the Puerto Rican rhyme slinger practices what he preaches. Throughout the past few years, the hip hop duo has released songs like "Querido F.B.I." and “Pal' Norte" which tackle some pretty heavy subject matter.

Several other Puerto Rican hip hop artists have followed Residente's lead, advocating for more Latino rappers to speak up about social change.

"There are artists…who don't like to write about social issues," 1990’s rapper OMG stated. "Yet they do have the responsibility and the power of drawing attention."

And with Calle's upcoming English crossover album on the horizon, ithe guys will be drawing A LOT of attention. Let's just hope Residente and company keep using their lyrics to spread social awareness and not to sell cruise tickets and fragrance bottles.

Which music artists do you think are the biggest “sell outs?” Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Calle 13, Música, OMG, Politics, Residente

By Michael Lopez

Puerto Rican duo Calle 13 has grown quite a bit since their first album release. In the past six years, their thumping reggaeton beats have gone on to include elements of electro and Latin pop. Now Residente and Visitante are ready to push things even further, by recording in English for the very first time.

In an interview with The Washington Post, front man Residente explained their plans for the newest record.

"It was a nice practice, a nice experience, translating my Spanish ideas to English," he explained. "It's very difficult because your rhyming [is different]. I don't want to compete with the rappers here in the States."

Following up their hugely successful 2010 album, Entren Los Que Quieran, will be no easy task. It’s obvious that the Spanish audience loves Calle and so do the critics. They’ve won countless awards and sold millions of albums. So could recording strictly in Inglés alienate their huge fan base?

Not according to Residente. He believes going bilingual will open the group up to an entirely new audience.

"I studied art for eight years, and I know how important it is to communicate, and I want to communicate with more people. It's not gonna be in English only. My girlfriend, she's from Brazil, and I know that sooner or later I'm gonna do something in Portuguese. But right now I'm going to do something in English. When I'm in English, I think I write very well. I just have problems when I have to speak, but in the studio I'm working that out."

Perhaps Residente is on to something about expanding the Trece Army. Right now, it looks like quite a few existing fans are pretty peeved with the group. This week, Residente and Visitante cancelled shows in Miami, Texas, and northern California.

Do you think Calle’s English tracks will alienate their audience? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Calle 13, Chisme, Hot Stuff, Música, Residente, visitante

By Michael Lopez

It’s hard to believe a rock superstar can do anything in “secret” anymore. With countless paparazzi cameras and gossip bloggers in every Starbucks, you have to be very careful if you want to keep your private life private. Amazingly Calle 13’s Eduardo Cabra (aka Visitante) not only kept a high-profile romance secret, but even got married without the press finding out!

Photo via Café Fuerte

This past Saturday, 32-year-old Eduardo wed 25-year-old Cuban singer Diana Fuentes in Havana. A trained ballerina and pianist, the bride looked gorgeous in her shimmering white dress. Cabra sported his trademark hat and a stylish black-and-white color combination.

The event took place in front of roughly 150 close family and friends, though People en Español is reporting that Eduardo’s Calle brother, Rene Perez Joglar (aka Residente), did not attend. No word on the music at the festivities, but we imagine Visitante must have broken out at least one romantic reggaeton song.

Rumor has it that a bigger celebration will take place on Eduardo’s home turf in Puerto Rico sometime in the next few months, perhaps even at the real Calle 13 that the bandmates know and love. We imagine that Residente will surely be there, along with tons of flashing paparazzi cameras.

Are you sad that Visitante is off the market? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Calle 13, Celebrity Couples, Diana Fuentes, Hot Stuff, Música, Residente, visitante, Weddings

By Simone Hilliard

November is officially new music month! Kanye West, Nikki Minaj, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Pink, Kid Cudi, Kid Rock, N.E.R.D, and more are all scheduled to drop some of the most anticipated albums of the year later this month. And while Tr3s is eagerly anticipating the upcoming hip hop, rock, pop, and R&B that will inevitably be added to our iPods, the one album at the top of our playlist request list is Puerto Rican duo Calle 13’s fourth studio album Los Que Quieran, which hits stores November23^rd.

Image : Wikimedia

The LP promises to be a mix of genres and sounds that tackles a range of topics including personal freedom, cultural unity and conformity. What else would we expect from the socially conscious alternative rappers!

Our pals over at Latina.com spoke to the usually quiet Eduardo José Martínez (aka Visitante) about the music and his controversial partner in crime. Here’s what he had to say:

What does “Entren Los Que Quieren” mean to you?

"It means that everyone’s invited to enter. If you don’t want to, well don’t."

What are some of the musical influences in this record?

"'Calma Pueblo' has a Beastie Boys vibe. Mars Volta’s Omar Rodriguez participated in that track, which has a rock edge to it. “El Baile de los Pobres” has a Bollywood vibe with electronica and strings. We mixed South American rhythms together for a song called “Latino America.” The album is both strong and soft."

Was there any sound that you refused to use?

"We said no to reggaeton. I wouldn’t do anything with bachata. But you can never say never. I never thought I’d make a merengue song [like “Vamo’ A Portarnos Mal”]. Anything can happen."

You have some great collaborators on this record—Susana Baca, Totó La Momposina. Who else would you like to work with?

"It would be awesome to work with Bjork and Paul McCartney."

What’s your favorite track on the album?

"'Preparame la Cena.' It’s a song about being imprisoned. Sometimes you can be imprisoned and still be outside. The song is going to be used for [the HBO Latino series] Capadocia."

You guys have made a lot controversial songs. Do you ever disagree with Rene about an issue?

"In this album there’s a song about love—I mean love, love, love. I didn’t agree with that song. I have my issues with love. Love is a complicated topic."

What’s next for Calle 13?

"We’re putting together a documentary about our trip to Havana. We have to go back and finish it. It’ll be out next year. We also want to do another trip like the one we did in Sin Mapa. But that’s just a conversation at this point."

Are you counting down Calle 13's new release? Sound off in the comments, or @MTV3.

Tags Calle 13, Entren Los Que Quieran, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Kid Rock, N.E.R.D., Nikki Minaj, Pink, Residente, Rihanna, visitante