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Category: Music
Mexican-American MC delves into politics, culture and romance on his new album La Leyenda Continua.
By Jesús Triviño Alarcón
By various accounts, Malverde shouldn't be here. Not here on Sí TV Online because it makes sense for the diverse Mexican-American artist to be associated with a network about second and third generation Latinos. But Malverde shouldn't be here because, he like many of us, is the son of immigrants who dedicated most of their time to working with little to spare on quality time. Dr. Phil will tell you it's all about spending time with your children but our parents, with their callused hands, will tell you they did it for us. In turn, Mal isn't your usual MC; he's more a learned guy who just happens to rap for a living. With his sophomore opus, La Leyenda Continua, Malverde, whose stage name is in honor of the Mexican Robin Hood, hopes his rhymes will live forever. Malverde is one of the brightest mouthpieces Latinos have in 2008 so listen closely and begin to proselytize your minds.
[Si] Ent.: Tell me about your new album.
Malverde: La Leyenda Continua is a title I've had for over two years. I remember when it first came to me it was about paying homage to the legend of Jesus Malverde. This record, this movement is the continuance of that legend. Malverde is about being a man of the people, a Robin Hood of sorts. To me Malverde also represents our grandfathers; that revolutionary Mexican generation and us continuing that legacy. On the production side Brett Bolden produced the whole album so in a sense the legend continues with him as well because he's been part of some legendary Latin projects also. From Cypress Hill to developing B-Real as writer the same way he did with me. He wrote "Hand on the Pump," the song that really defined Cypress in terms of those anthems. What we consciously set out to do on the production side was to tap in the Latin musical roots, the same way Dr. Dre did with George Clinton and Funkadelic. We sampled Ismael Rivera, Fania, Buena Vista Social Club, Los Solitarios, Leo Dan, Grupo Niche...so you're talking legendary music. Even on the creative side we had the privilege of building with our boy Daniel Hastings, who in his own right is legendary-from the first Wu Tang cover to Big Pun to UGK this past year.
[Si] Ent.: So who came up with the concept for the album cover?
Malverde: We had been talking and conceptualizing that for almost a year and a half. As far as doing the album cover, going out to the desert being that I'm originally from the Coachella Valley which is in Southern California. Having the desert symbolizing the land of the sun and also that Southern Cali has said to have been where the seven tribes of Islam, the tribes that went down to what is now Mexico, Central and South America, actually crossed. They set up shop there before they migrated down and set up what became Technochitlan. It's called La Leyenda Continua and there I am over sacred land and just the way he has the doves around me it's almost like that moment we realize we are that generation. I am that one that is carrying the legacy. Daniel really added that creative layer.
[Si] Ent.: It seems with reggaeton dying down Latin rap is on the come-up. Malverde: The core audience and artists of reggaeton aren't going anywhere. It was there 15 years prior to the mainstream catching a glimpse of it and blowing it up. As in everything you need that catalyst. We always correlate it with hip-hop in the '80s when it had an underground movement and it was bubbling with no commercial appeal until the crossover happened. To me when reggaeton hit it's more of a danceable rhythm. S**t, I'm signed to a label (Machete) that exists because of it. But even they understood, two years ago when I signed, that it was step number one but that the future was in the overall urban Latin market. It's taken me two years to put this album out because the first year we were building and touring. Last year our team thought we were ready to go but we kept on getting pushed back. In retrospect, we looked at the situation and thought, maybe this isn't such a bad thing. Radio wasn't and still isn't being responsive just because they said I was too hip-hop. Going into '08 we really feel it's a clean slate. Reggaeton has simmered down and people are waiting for something new so we feel confident that it's us. Especially when you got so many promising cats out there like Omar Cruz, Joell Ortiz, Sinful, and Tres Coronas, who just got a Latin Grammy nomination.
[Si] Ent.: Some people are quick to label you a socio-political rapper do you agree with that label?
Malverde: You're absolutely right people say, "You're so socio-political." But I share my experiences and I happen to be a cat who is somewhat enlightened when it comes to politics and social issues. I spit my life experiences, the s**t I've seen, the s**t I've lived through. Being the son of a migrant field worker mom and grandfather I was raised and exposed to certain things that I can speak on now as an educated man. But also I've been in love and fallen out of love. I just try to remain true to the emotion I'm trying to relay in the song and not fabricate s**t. I call my music, musica del alma (soul music). I can speak all day, all night to folks but unless they take the time to inform themselves it's [useless].
[Si] Ent.: What's your take on the present political situations in the States, Latin America and beyond?
Malverde: Latin American politics are pretty f**ked up. People are quick to look at the surface of issues in terms of immigration and the corruption in Latin America but we're a society that is fed sound bytes of information. As far as immigration, people are quick to say, "Well these [people] are coming out here." All these neo-Conservatives pointing the finger so when the masses feed off that s**t it's fear mongering.
[Si] Ent.: How has your experience with Sí TV been so far?
Malverde: It's been a wonderful experience. I'm really hyped about the community you guys are building online. One thing I've done is really venture out not only as a lyricist but also guest hosting with Sí TV. It really does give me a nice platform to give people a different look at what we're doing and building. As we're moving forward it's only gonna get more exciting.
Malverde's La Leyenda Continua debuts on Feb. 5.
8:41 PM
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