Calle 13 on NPR's Latino USA

http://latinousa.org/2014/05/30/calle-13/

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Rene Perez Joglár, lyricist and frontman for Calle 13, didn’t mean to become a revolutionary icon for Latin America’s youth.

“They try to put stamps on you,” Perez tells Latino USA in a one-on-one interview. “It’s more simple than that. It’s just a normal guy, writing about the things he sees around him.”

Calle 13 began life as a potty-mouthed rap group from Puerto Rico. They gained attention for their alternative take on reggaeton, with a style characterized by over-the-top sexual humor and smart punch lines. Over years and albums, their music became more serious and socially engaged, addressing topics like poverty, migration and social justice in Latin America. Musically, they absorbed influences from traditional and folk sounds from the region.

Now, nine years after their debut, Calle 13 has released their most introspective album yet, titled Multi_Viral. Featuring guest spots from leftist icons Eduardo Galeano, Julian Assange and Silvio Rodriguez, the album touches on a lot of “big ideas”: on the resilience of the human spirit in “El Aguante”, on the ephemeral nature of life and death in “La Vida (Respira el Momento)” and on the power of ideas itself in “Así de Grandes Son las Ideas.”

René Perez sits down with Maria Hinojosa for a an intimate interview about his new album.

Below, listen to the songs we played in this segment:

“Adentro”

“El Aguante”

Latino USA live show in Austin

http://latinousa.org/2014/03/14/1411-live-sxsw/

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This week on Latino USA we are back where it all began – Austin, Texas. We bring you a show recorded live at KUT’s Studio 1A where two Tejana sisters tell one crazy true story in two languages. We find out why being Latino can actually be an asset when it comes toa career in technology. We meet a DJ whose multicultural background makes him fearless about crossing genres. An old friend joins us to talk about the history of Latino USA and the role of Austin in it. And one of Austin’s most creative characters drops in to teach us about sound.

Great Rita Moreno interview on NPR

http://latinousa.org/2014/03/07/rita-moreno/

Rita Moreno is perhaps the most acclaimed Latina actress alive today. She’s had love affairs with Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley. She’s starred in American classics like West Side Story, Oz and numerous theater productions, films, and TV shows. But in her interview with Maria Hinojosa, she reveals the nagging self-doubt she’s struggled to overcome and the overwhelming feeling of receiving lifetime achievement awards.

Ms. Moreno was born Rosa Dolores Alverio in Humacao in a small town near the Puerto Rican rain forest. At age 5, she moved with her mother to New York and began dance lessons making her Broadway debut at just 13. She signed her first movie contract with MGM shortly after. Moreno has won the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards. In June 2004, Ms. Moreno was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. Her book, Rita Moreno: A Memoir, is a New York Times Bestseller.

Photos courtesy of the Rita Moreno Archives and Latino USA staff