Calle 13’s Cuban concert controversy

Whenever a foreign musician plays in Cuba controversy is sure to follow. (Other times it’s the other way around, but I digress). Such may be the case with Puerto Rican reggaetoneros Calle 13 who are scheduled for a free concert Tuesday in Havana.

“I think we will establish bridges with Cuba,” said the group’s lead singer René "Residente" Pérez at a Monday press conference. Perez added that he anticipates that Cuban exiles “will fall on top of me” when he and Calle 13 play at a concert later this week in Miami.

Calle 13’s politically charged music has met with its share of detractors including Colombian politicos and Puerto Rican policemen. Nonetheless, they don’t plan on shying away from future work on social awareness:

(…) the members of Calle 13 also discussed future projects including a documentary on border areas including those between Central America and Mexico as well as that country and the U.S.

Perez did not discard the possibility of traveling the same trek as undocumented immigrants – [ed. Translated text]

Aside from performing Calle 13 will also receive an award from the Cuban Institute of Music that has been previously granted to artists like Sting and Chico Buarque.

Image- El Universal
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, Reuters Latin America, ABC News, EPA, El Universal