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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 Sugey Palomares

Calle 13's Visitante has found himself a new and special musical partner. Eduardo Cabra plans on releasing a new album in collaboration with his wife, Cuban singer Diana Fuentes.

The newlyweds married in a small private ceremony in Havana back in January and plan on returning shortly to work on finalizing their musical production. "Right now I am working with my wife and a few other Cuban artists. So we are in the process of that right now. I'm trying to release an album with Diana in the next two months, in the two months that I will be in Cuba," says Visitante.

According to a report in the Cuban media, the couple also plan on hosting a national tour across the island. In the meantime, Calle13 is traveling to Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia to promote its fourth album, "Entren los que quieran."

We can see why Diana's distinct soulful voice serves as a muse for Visitante. Check out her single "Musica de Fondo" on the internet.

What do you think about Visitante's new collaboration?

Source: [Cafe Fuerte]

Tags Calle 13, Diana Fuentes, Eduardo Cabra, Latin Music, Musica Latina, New Music, Nueva Musica, 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

The always politically charged rap duo Calle 13 took to their Facebook page Sunday (September 19) night to release the first official single "Vamo' A Portarnos Mal" off their forthcoming album Entren Los Que Quieran (peep the title change!).

While the controversial "Calma Pueblo" challenged authorities, corporations, and religion, "Vamo' A Portarnos Mal" preaches one must live life to the fullest, even if that entails breaking society's rules every so often.

"Calma Pueblo," featuring Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of The Mars Volta, shocked viewers with the scenes of people stripping their clothing as a symbol of rebellion, only to be shot by hidden rifles. However, what critics neglected to see/hear behind the nakedness and shock value of the lyrics, was the aggressive and powerful message.

Because of the forced censorship behind "Calma Pueblo," the duo decided to take to the internet to release their latest single.

Perez said in a statement:

"La web es una herramienta muy importante. Quería hacer algo exclusivamente para el internet. La idea era trabajar libremente sin censuras. Si no hubiera censura en la prensa, este es el tipo de video que yo hiciera. Y como tengo mi propia pagina, puse el video para que cualquiera que quisiera ver el video lo viera."

Residente and Visitante are not bitter, instead el grupo is readying for the October 26 release of their next album Entren Los Que Quieran.  Are you ready for their political and introspective sound?

Let us know in the comments, or @MTV3!

Tags Calle 13, Calma Pueblo, Entren Los Que Quieran, Latin Music, Música, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Residente, The Mars Volta, Vamo' A Portarnos Mal, visitante

By MTV Tr3s Staff

Grammy and Latin Grammy Award winning duo Calle 13 have confirmed their FREE March 23rd concert in Cuba's capital city of Havana. 

This is the first Cuban appearance for the urban rap group; though they've tried unsuccessfully to perform for the island nation for the past two years due to visa denials by the U.S. government.

Rene released the following statement:

"I am very happy because this concert [was] achieved with much sacrifice. We are not collecting and we are taking the entire band along. [We've] wanted to go from some time and we could not connect, but now everything was smooth because we are not doing anything wrong, just music. We are going for the people, because I want them to listen to me and I will listen to them."

While there, Calle 13 will also receive the 2010 International Cubadisco Award 2 months early, the highest honor a recording artist or group can receive at the music festival which takes place on May 15th.

Congrats, Residente and Visitante!

(via Latin Gossip)

Photo via Getty Images

Tags Calle 13, Cuba, Grammy, Havana, Latin Grammy, Residente, visitante

The 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards were red hot in Las Vegas last night! Calle 13 dominated the winner's circle, taking home FIVE Latin Grammys for Album of the Year and Best Urban Music Album for 'Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo,' Best Short Form Video for "La Perla," and Record of the Year and Best Alternative Song for "No Hay Nadie Como Tú."

Is it any surprise though? MTV Tr3s definitely predicted este duo was destined for greatness! Felicidades a Calle 13! We're sure Puerto Rico is proud of their hometown heroes!

Among the other winners were Luis Fonsi, who won Canción del Año for "Aquí Estoy Yo," and Reik who won Mejor Álbum Vocal Pop Dúo o Grupo for their album, 'Un Dia Más.'

Check out a full list of winners after the jump!

Read more...

Tags "No Hay Nadie Como Tu", 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Aqui Estoy Yo, Calle 13, Latin Grammys, Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo, Luis Fonsi, Performances, Reik, Residente, visitante, winners

The Latin Grammy-winning urban music phenoms, Residente y Visitante de Calle 13, were just in London shooting a commercial for the athletic brand Adidas. Rene was Tweeting last week about London's gray weather, telling us about Eduardo's love of donuts, and complaining about how he paid 16£ for a mojito, y ahora sabemos por qué!

Congrats muchachos! [Hissip]

Photo via Getty Images

Tags Adidas, Calle 13, London, Residente, visitante

Looks like Kanye West better not even think of messing with Calle 13.

In response to Kanye's infamous interruption of Taylor Swift's speech at this year's VMA's, Calle 13 posted this on Twitter:

"Kanye West nunca me quitaría el microfono por que le rompa la cara de mamao que tiene. jejeje.. enserio. no es chiste."

Ouch! Them sounds like fighting words!!  We'll take Calle 13 on our side any day of the week!

Photos Via Getty Images

Tags 2009 VMAs, beef, Calle 13, Kanye West, MTV Video Music Awards, Residente, Taylor Swift, twitter, visitante, VMAs

Wondering where Calle 13's creativity comes from?  Looks like it was there from the very beginning along with una tremenda travesura!

Los hermanos will be spilling their guts on a variety of topics, including their new film Sin Mapa, on Entertainment As A Second Language tonight, but we thought we'd share this exclusive clip that we found particularly entertaining.  Looks like Residente's travesuras started early, as he shares with us un cuento from his childhood en la escuela in which he (literally) copied la tarea de su hermano, el Visitante, cut and paste his name on it, and handed it in as his own.  We're not entirely sure that this shows his "creative" side, pero por lo menos los hermanos have been working together desde el principio.  Go teamwork!

Make sure to catch el resto de la entrevista con música urbana superstars Calle 13, esta noche on Entertainment As A Second Language at 9pm EST, solo por MTV Tr3s!

Photo by Brian Appio

Tags Calle 13, Carlos Santos, entertainment as a second language, ESL, Residente, sin mapa, Tr3s shows, Video, visitante