Miami, Florida
A report by Associated Press on September 16, 2000 featured some comments
from Sr. Willie Colón, a distinguished cultural icon and political dabbler,
to the effect that the Latin Grammy Show was a showcase for exiled Cuban
interests. "El Malo" serves this novella with hearty helpings
of conspiracies between the dynamic evil duo of Gloria and Emilio Estefan,
along with myriad other shadowy international corporate accomplices
and an assortment of Cubans. A plot worthy of a Spy Vs. Spy lampoon,
isn’t it?
Assertions that could give way to a Salsa X-Files comic book, or a
South Park one for that matter, include an alleged scheme to Cubanize,
and/or Miamize, the entire Hispanic and Latin American music industries.
Former employers of Willie Colón at Sony are the assumed leaders of
this South Florida Cuban Musical Gang Rape Collective. Such executives
are also said to be alienated by Willie’s somewhat politicized career
and public life.
In spite of the underlying merits of what many would rightly question
as myopic claims, the nature of these issues is too chaotic to be reduced
to such petty sloganistic expressions, and public acts, as "Mr.
Che Che Colé" is prone to. Instead of the usual Thirdworldian failed
political strategies of victimization, Balkanization and entitlement,
Hispanics are in sore need of analytical accuracy and vaccination against
such one-dimensional populisms. In his efforts to position himself as
yet another self appointed guardian of the so-called best cultural interests
of the people, Mr. Colón ends up echoing the usual undigested, ideologically-suspect,
analysis that tell apart all such pseudo-intellectual stock. As a result,
herein you will find a seasoning corrective cube to the stereotypical
bland pursuit of the perennial corporate straw man in which Willie and
others of similar thinking are neurotically engaged. Season at will
and bear in mind that rare is the person that does not become that which
he obdurately criticizes…
There are executives at all levels of the recording industry that,
for many reasons, would rather not support the politization of the music
industry. Not all of their rationales are immediately forthcoming, however.
Some of the unmentionable executives, who are not likely to be exclusively
Cuban -or Hispanic for that matter-, are quite adamant in their rejection
to such endeavors and it would be disingenuous to think that some do
not actively suppress such materials. Many an interpreter, composer
and musician -including Willie-, could cite names and concrete occasions
were musical labor of an overt political nature was summarily dismissed
or even persecuted.
Truth be told, such a situation ought to be expected, as it is not
unique to the North American or any of the international recording industries,
let alone within the bulk of the Latin and Brazilian markets, or even
among so-called independent recording labels. All of them have equal
shares in this victimization parade. In other words, policing the content
of a recorded product is not the exclusive domain of anyone, politics
notwithstanding. Nor is this situation a sort of "underground secret"
kept from the public at large. Anyone with even the most pedestrian
understanding of economic issues would know this, as well as be able
to understand its intrinsic logic within the only financial system in
the world that works market capitalism. Willie Colón is no stranger
to these economic arrangements, nor should he claim to function beyond
them. No one does, anyway…
Politically laden musical material is, generally speaking, unprofitable
with a somewhat limited shell life, all exceptions aside. Likewise,
most people, for many reasons, do not want to spend their precious few
free minutes of listening pleasure dwelling on political matters. Who
are we trying to kid here, for example, when we pretend that the agonizing
daily drive to work should be invested listening to recordings of ideological
panegyrics or its concomitant laments? On the other hand, if the unproven
demographic dictum that the core of the Salsa contemporary customers
in Puerto Rico are women, are we saying that the largest market share
for Salsa would improve if we had more politics and activism in its
lyrical content? Sure, Pepe… Puerto Rican women are much more interested
in love than in politics, so seems to be most of the rest of the world
Salsa audience. Again, the simple reality is that politicized musical
works represent a risky venture, with unbeneficial repercussions beyond
mere sales of compact discs. The immense majority of attendees to a
Salsa party do not want to hear about politics or cultural activism,
nor do they pay entrance to dances to be objects of salsified political
lessons. Rare is the man who goes to the usual social gathering, looking
for anything other than fun and a good POA (Piece Of Ass). Perhaps a
recent performance of Willie in Miami can further illustrate reality
here Sr. "Lo mato si no compra este LP," engaged in one of
his now usual political harangues, while the mostly Puerto Rican audience
was eagerly waiting for him to shut-up and Víctor Manuelle come do his
thing. Of course, there is always the issue of the veracity of any political
claims ever made on public or recorded record by Willie. Such a topic,
nonetheless, deserves extensive and separate treatment.
Given that the economic and political rules of the recording industry
seem to be clearly laid out for all to see, why such public strategical
resentment? Such corrupt and reactionary practices from the Latin Grammy
camp do not differ much from the logistical support provided throughout
"Mr. Tiburón’s" entire career. His take-off was privileged
under a pro-Puerto Rican Masucci administration, ending with "la
puta" Sony itself, passing through Fonovisa hardly an innocent
Mexican recording label- finishing, straining, with an independent Mexican
release entitled "Demasiado corazón." The extent of Willie’s
personal and business interests in Mexican affairs remains to be determined,
however. The same day his comments on the previously mentioned "awards"
were made public, the top Puerto Rican newspaper, "El Nuevo Día,"
was running headlines on the leading Puerto Rican presence among the
nominees of said show and the fact that Willie was on his way to Colombia
for some engagements. With a touch of irony, we might add…
Willie, mano, please… You are no stranger to the routinely complex
ins and outs of the entertainment and, its correlative, musical industry.
The fact of the matter is that you are crying wolf here. Why bother
with the Grammys at all? Everyone with minimal cortex development recognizes,
and uses them, for what they are a commercial and promotional tool.
Musical awards in Puerto Rico, for example, even bill the nominees themselves
for the trophy or plaque to be awarded at whatever commercial façade
is erected by a production team to produce money for a televised segment.
These types of products require high investment and capitalization potential
that cannot be achieved by some sort of musical apparatchik or cultural
commissars. Although difficult to believe, a show featuring Elvis Crespo,
Christina Aguilera, Mark Anthony, Britney Spears, Ricky Martin with
the Santana band, and Jennifer López, benefits a larger segment of the
population, enhances sales and opens other markets; whereas an awards
show honoring Roy Brown, Totó la Momposina, Andrés Jiménez, Mercedes
Sosa, and Jane Bunnett, does not. Willie, you do know that musical awards
are simply commercials, why not treat them as such if you are so adamantly
opposed to their politics? Why so much posturing as if they were for
real? Why not simply expose the entire industry for the bottom up? Become
the anti-payola champion, create the type of awards that fit your ideological
constraints and make them profitable enough to attract a national audience,
implement your public views on your personal business and your sputtering
political ambitions and show the world their true value, otherwise,
it’s all empty notes.
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