Monday, June 11, 2007

Bling Blineo Recap






"Bling Blineo" Review From the NY Times:




Take Me Out to the Bling Blineo (I Don’t Care if I Ever Get Back)
By KELEFA SANNEH
Published: June 11, 2007

It seemed like a great idea: a reggaetón grudge match in Shea Stadium on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day parade. Daddy Yankee and Don Omar — two of the genre’s biggest stars, and longtime rivals — were scheduled to be the headliners at El Bling Blineo, a Saturday night concert organized (and tirelessly promoted) by the reggaetón radio station La Kalle, 105.9 FM.

But then came a last-minute announcement: Daddy Yankee was in the hospital, suffering from “acute viral syndrome and dehydration,” according to a radio-station press release. So there was no grudge match, just a celebration, co-starring Wisin & Yandel, Hector El Father and his former partner, Tito El Bambino, and others. The party lasted more than five hours, with short sets interrupted by long breaks. (Somehow the crowd stayed cheerful, even though the beer sales stopped long before the intermissions did.)

From a stage near second base, the performers led singalongs and the M.C.’s led cheering contests. (Puerto Rico always won, but the Dominican Republic usually finished a strong second.) Part of the fun was watching performers emerge from the wall in right field like so many relief pitchers, ready to face the crowd.

The concert was also a birthday party of sorts: it was just over two years ago that 105.9 FM became La Kalle, jettisoning its old format (“Latino mix”) in hopes of cashing in on the reggaetón boom. Univision Communications, the Spanish-language media conglomerate, has turned La Kalle into its reggaetón brand. There are now La Kalle stations serving San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas and Fresno, Calif. Though the genre doesn’t have the same momentum it had in 2005, reggaetón — a Spanish-language cousin of dancehall reggae and hip-hop — doesn’t seem to be going away either. Don Omar certainly didn’t seem to mind having the headlining spot all to himself: He emerged from behind a scrim that proclaimed him “King of Kings” (that’s also the name of his ambitious 2006 album), descending to the stage on a motorized podium. He made a few veiled references to Daddy Yankee, but no one would confuse the two men’s styles. While Daddy Yankee is known for reeling off rat-a-tat lyrics, Don Omar has found a sweet spot between rapping and singing, and he finds ways to retrofit his songs with rhythms from older Latin genres.

By contrast Wisin & Yandel, a rapping-and-singing duo, succeed by sticking to reggaetón basics: synthesizer lines so bright they glow in the dark, staccato electronic beats, amor-centric lyrics. Their stadium-shaking rendition of “Rakata” was one of Saturday night’s high points (no doubt the two performers won’t soon forget it either), and they earned a second round of ovations when Don Omar brought them out for a couple of songs, including “My Space,” which changes the setting (from club to computer) but keeps the duo’s standard love-sick plot basically the same.

It’s not easy to be an old-fashioned singer at a hyped-up reggaetón show, as Victor Manuelle discovered. His salsa set came near the end so it felt anticlimactic, and a number of people in the crowd responded by doing something extraordinary: They sat down.

By contrast, the merengue star Héctor Acosta (known as El Torito and formerly the lead singer of Los Toros Band) absolutely killed, earning the night’s first encore. He has a marvelously reedy voice and a showman’s ostentatious humility, so he returned, kissed the stage, and picked up where he had left off.

At this concert, as at most concerts, you couldn’t go wrong by appealing to the women in the crowd. The duo of Jowell y Randy earned screams with fizzy hits like “Soy una Gargola” and “No Te Veo,” while Tito El Bambino achieved a similar effect with “Caile,” a Latin ratio hit. Even Hector El Father, who cultivates a tougher image, found himself surrounded by male back-up dancers. And all night long performers and hosts alike chanted, “Do my ladies run this mother for ya?” A simple yes would have sufficed. Needless to say, it never did.

Daddy Yankee Out of Hospital




DY was discharged from the Baptist Hospital in Miami, Florida, at noon today. Dr. Javier Perez-Fernandez diagnosed him with a viral infection and dehydration and prescribed a week's rest. Upon leaving the hospital, Daddy Yankee took the opportunity to thank his fans for their tireless support, issuing a statement that God had sent him a warning indicating that he needed to take some time to reassess his priorities and that he's looking forward to spending some time at home and getting some rest.

Friday, June 8, 2007

DY Hospitalized

A press release went out today stating that Daddy Yankee was hospitalized due to acute viral syndrome
and dehydration. All of Daddy Yankee's public appearances have been cancelled for at east one week, including his performance at the "Bling Blineo Concert" at Shea Stadium, and his appearance at the MTV Tr3Puerto
Rican Day Parade float this weekend.

Let's all send him our best wishes for a fast recovery....

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Interesting DY article





Here's a piece from the Houston Chronicle.....

June 4, 2007
Daddy Yankee gives reggaetón legitimate appeal

Daddy Yankee
El Cartel: The Big Boss
Three Out of Four Stars

By JOEY GUERRA
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle


Daddy Yankee didn't create reggaetón, but he is largely responsible for the thundering genre's crossover appeal.
The singer's 2004 hit, Gasolina, ignited a hurban (Hispanic urban) craze on the radio, and his Barrio Fino disc sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S.

So a bit of rebelliousness is to be expected on El Cartel: The Big Boss, due in stores today.

"I won't be the artist you want me to be. I will be the artist I want to be," Yankee declares on Todos Quieren a Raymond, an amusing riff on fame backed by a children's chorus similar to that on Jay'-Z's Hard Knock Life.

El Cartel takes Yankee's reach and expands it beyond his still-simmering reggaetón flavor. He wrote most of the disc's 21 songs, which incorporate hip-hop, salsa and A-list collaborations. It's a cocky, charismatic affair that retains Yankee's musical integrity and rarely makes a misstep.

First single Impacto typifies El Cartel's across-the-board appeal. It's a sexy swirl of electro-tinged reggaetón beats courtesy of producer Scott Storch (Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Chris Brown). The bilingual remix, included here, one-ups the original, thanks in part to a terrific pairing with pop-flirt Fergie.

Storch brings a more standard hip-hop flair to Que Pasó!, which finds Yankee presiding over an '80s-inspired freestyle groove. It plays like a mash-up of Usher and 50 Cent, and the hip-swiveling bassline is impossible to resist. It could — and likely will — fill a dance floor in seconds.

Who's Your Daddy? would be an easy throwaway in the hands of a less charismatic artist. It's rapid-fire beats and female vocals are standard head-bobbing stuff. But Yankee's trademark smirk and swagger make it work.

There are a few tunes that can't coast on personality alone. Plane to PR was produced by Black Eyed Peas ringleader Will.i.am, who also trades rap verses with Yankee. The track is repetitive and uninspired, though that means it will likely be a huge hit, helped by its shout-out to "hot little mamacitas."

Will.i.am isn't responsible for the solid El Celular, but its mild groove plays like a Peas tune. R&B rudeboy Akon adds a bit of island flavor to Bring it On, another bilingual pairing that's as solid as anything on urban contemporary radio, though it lacks the punch of El Cartel's best tracks.

Better in terms of superstar pairings is Papi Lover, which features the slinky stylings of head Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger. Her silky purrs are a nice contrast to Yankee's tough-lug delivery.

Purists need not worry about all of the reinvention. El Cartel still features a bevy of straightforward reggaetón thumpers that sound fresh. El Jefe is a standout, with its masculine choruses and driving drumline, it sounds like an ominous pep-rally anthem. And the thinly veiled Mensaje de Estado continues Yankee's lyrical rivalry with fellow reggaetónero Don Omar.

"Daddy Yankee is not a singer. Daddy Yankee is a movement," he announces.

The diversity and depth of El Cartel make that moment of braggadocio, for the most part, ring terrifically true.

joey.guerra@chron.com

The PR Parade and new releases

So the wonderful mayhem that is the Puerto Rican Day Parade is coming up this Sunday, June 10th. It's the parade's 50th anniversary (crazy, huh?) and this year's king is Ricky Martin (who definitly deserves the honor). And, as always, everyone is breaking out their flag-covered clothing, bead necklaces, bandannas, and even those umbrella shaped hats (ridiculous as they may be)... I'm not hating because my red-white-and-blue dress is ready to go, and I still have my nice G-Unit kicks with the coquí on the side! LOL.. Yes, y'all, it's all in good fun and I'm as 'bout it as the next proud Rican...

The word is that Daddy Yankee will be coasting along on the MTV Tr3 float (excerpts highlighting VJ Carlos Santana's introduction to the parade will air on "Mi TRL" on June 14th at 4:30 PM EST and "Sucker Free Latino" will broadcast a special Puerto Rican Day Parade Edition featuring Yankee and other artists on June 18th at 4:30 PM). Word is that Zion will be the main act on the Coors Light float... Wisin Y Yandel, meanhwile, are the featured act on the New York Post's float. As the Ambassadors of Urban Music this year, Calle 13 will also be representing at the parade. Glory and Jowell Y Randy were named Goodwill Ambassadors.

Meanwhile, the parties and concerts are in full effect -- La Kalle 105.9 FM's Bling Blineo concert, featuring Don Omar, Tito El Bambino, Hector el Father, Victor Manuelle, Wisin y Yandel, and Yankee (among others) will go down Saturday night at Shea Stadium in Queens at 8 p.m. La Kalle 105.9's popular radio personalities will also be on hand, including: Lisa Rodriguez, Laura Stylez, DJ Kazzanova, and DJ Ñeko. Tickets can be purchased at the Shea Stadium ticket office, by calling (718) 507 – TIXX or by visiting www.507TIXX.com


In other news, Calle 13 is on tour. Here are some of the upcoming dates:


June 20 – Dallas, TX – Escapade 2009 July 11 - Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club

June 21 – McAllen, TX – Dodge Theatre July 12 - Atlantic City, NJ - House of Blues

June 22 – Houston, TX – Planeta Bar Rio July 13 - New York, NY - Nokia Theatre

June 29 - Miami, FL - La Covacha July 14 - Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre

June 30 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Café July 21 - Costa Mesa, CA - Orange County Fair


As far as album releases, both Daddy Yankee and Zion dropped their latest albums yesterday June 5th (I'll have reviews of them shortly for y'all).

Monday, May 28, 2007

Miguelito with new CD and tour



Miguelito, the 8-year-old Boricua reggaetón star,performed before a sold-out crowd at PR's Roberto Clemente Colliseum on May 19th. The set included a city built of Legos (very apropos given his age... Wonder if the Legos actually came from his toy chest...lol), and Miguelito performed hits like "Móntala," "Esto Es Business," and "Bendición Mami" off his debut album Más Grande Que Tú. Zion, Lennox, Trebol Clan, Angel y Khriz, and Alexis y Fido were among the featured artists in the concert.

He also performed to great acclaim on May 26 at the Palace of Recreation and Sports in Mayaguez.

Next up, he's heading for Colombia, where he'll tour from May 28th to June 1st, before heading out to Panama, where he'll tour from the 3rd to the 5th of June. He'll then return to PR to close the Malta India Summer show on June 9th. And, the following day, he heads to NYC for the PR Parade. When the boy squeezes in naptime, homework, etc. is beyond me, but hey...

The young'un is readying a new release, Mucho Más Grande: Limited Edition, which will include four new cuts (including a collabo wih his mentor Daddy Yankee), as well as a DVD packed with footage from concerts and music videos. The new songs include "Tranquilo Huey," "Lo Bailas Tú o Lo Bailo Yo," and "Inconciencia," and the featured artists include Zion, Arcangel, DJ Rafi Mercenario, Aldo y Dandy, Memo, Vitico, Naldo, and Walde y Almonte. The album will be released on May 18th.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

MTV predicts DY will churn out one of summer's big hits

Always trying to be ahead of the curve, MTV has created list of artists whose songs will serve as this summer's biggest anthems. Among the artists chosen are Green Day, Maroon 5, Common, T.I., Ne-Yo, and Daddy Yankee.

All the artists will perform live on TRL as part of a new week-longspecial series called "Spankin’ New Music Week: Summer Soundtrack,”which will air from Tuesday, May 29 through Friday, June 1.

The series will be aired on “Total Request Live” at 3:30pm-4:30pm ET, hosted by MTV VJs Damien Fahey and Susie Castillo. Performances will subsequently air on MTV.com. Meanwhile, MTV2 will unveil a host of new videos by these artists throughout the week, starting with Common's "The Game" on May 29th.

Let's see whether their prediction regarding "Impacto" turns out to be accurate!