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Wisin Y Yandel

Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images

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Puerto Rican Chart-Toppers Wisin & Yandel To Receive BMI President's Award

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The GRAMMY-winning reggaetón duo have landed many hits over the past two decades and collaborated with T- Pain, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias and more
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Feb 27, 2020 - 5:05 pm

On March 31, hitmakers Wisin & Yandel will be honored with the BMI President’s Award at the 27th Annual BMI Latin Awards for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the Latin music community.

Hailing from Puerto Rico, the duo have been instrumental in bringing reggaetón from the underground to the mainstream, landing many hits since arriving on the scene in the late '90s, including “Rakata,” “Ahora Es,” “Llame Pa’ Verte” and “Algo Me Gusta de Ti,” and collaborating with mainstream crossover acts like Daddy Yankee, T- Pain, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi and Enrique Iglesias.

“Wisin y Yandel is one of the most celebrated and influential Latin urban duos of all time,” said Alex Flores, BMI senior vice president, creative. “Through the lyrical prowess of their chart-topping hits, they galvanized the ‘golden age’ of reggaetón, which continues to influence today’s pop culture.”

Wisin Y Yandel won their first career GRAMMY Award for their 2007 album, Los Extraterrestres, which took home Best Latin Urban Album at the 51st GRAMMY Awards. The follow up, 2009's La Revolución earned a nomination in the renamed Best Latin Rock, Alternative Or Urban Category.

Additionally, the BMI Latin Awards will also honor the songwriters, publishers and administrators of the most-played Latin songs in the United States over the past year. 

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Zion & Lennox Announce First U.S. Tour In 20 Years

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Myke Towers

Photo: Michael L. Rivera Avilés

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EXCLUSIVE: Listen To Myke Towers Address Racism & Police Brutality On "MICHAEL X"

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The Afro-Latino rapper expresses his thoughts and outlines his responsibility through his hip-hop track and visual inspired by Malcolm X
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jul 8, 2020 - 2:40 pm

Myke Towers recognizes that silence is a problem. 

"Soy parte del problema, si estos temas no los sacos," he raps in Spanish on "MICHAEL X." Translation: "I'm a part of the problem if I don't bring these issues up."

Towers, of course, is referring to the conversations stemmed from the police killing of George Floyd. As an Afro-Latino born in Puerto Rico who was deeply influenced by hip-hop culture and Black rappers like Jay-Z, who he named his son after, Towers, born Michael Torres, feels the need to support the struggle against police brutality and racism.

"For me, being a Latin artist who has been heavily influenced by Black culture, it is important to show my support and stand in solidarity with the African American community for what is right, what is humane," he told GRAMMY.com in a statement.

He expresses his thoughts and outlines what he feels is his responsibility as an artist with a platform on his track by channeling one of the most influential Black leaders in history. "MICHAEL X"'s powerful visual opens with Malcolm X's speech adressing police brutality in Los Angeles on May 20, 1962. 

Dressed in a black-and-white suit, Towers evokes X (at one point standing in front of a podium like X does in his famous 1962 Los Angeles speech), letting go of his usual lifestyle lyrics and trap/reggaeton beat. Instead, he adopts a more serious tone over a traditional hip-hop sound that takes him back to his roots.

"I wrote this song to really get so much I had inside me, out. I needed to say what you hear. I needed the world to hear my point of view as an Afro-Latino," he said. 

And so he does, using lyrics to reference slavery, immigration, 9/11, politics⁠—from police brutality to Puerto Rico's controversial Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced⁠—Black pop culture, including Wakanda, home of Black comic book hero Black Panther, and Kobe Bryant. In one verse, Towers also references Latin pop culture, using witty lyricism to reference fellow Puerto Rican rapper Rene Pérez Joglar, a.k.a Residente.

Beyond sharing his perspective, Towers uses "MICHAEL X" to uplift Black people and share his pride. "I like seeing how the beautiful faces of my Black people cheer up," he raps in a verse.

The powerful song began as just thoughts but quickly became something more. "At first, my intention was really penning down some thoughts and sentiments but then the lyrics just began flowing and before I knew it, it was a full song," he said. "I knew I had to record it. It was an intense and emotional moment you know?"

The rapper feels Floyd's death, who he mentions in the song, is a catalyst for change. "While unfortunate, the death George Floyd woke the world up. It is shaking its core," he said. "I feel in life everything is timed out and aligns how it is meant to be aligned, and us being in quarantine has really made us open our eyes."

Towers feels strongly about being a part of a generation that enacts change.

"The death of George Floyd has impacted the world very deeply," he said. "No man, woman or child should have to worry about being treated unjustly just because of the color of their skin. As a younger generation, it is our responsibility to TAKE part and BE part of the change."

Hear the full song above. 

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Salt Cathedral

Salt Cathedral

Photo: Courtesy of artist

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Record Store Recs: Salt Cathedral Talk Favorite Brooklyn Indie Shops & How To Support Artists Of Color

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"One of the most useful resources to support Black artists directly is Bandcamp," the Colombian electropop duo shared
GRAMMYs
Jul 8, 2020 - 8:36 am

With the unprecedented global disruption of 2020, it's important to support the music community however we can. With our series Record Store Recs, GRAMMY.com checks in with vinyl-loving artists to learn more about their favorite record stores and the gems they've found there.

Finding inspiration from tropical, danceable rhythms of their native Colombia, Bogotá-born, Brooklyn-based electropop duo Salt Cathedral create breezy, joyful music that's impossible to not dance to. 

The band, consisting of Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada, first met in the U.S. while attending Berklee College of Music. They first released music as Salt Cathedral in 2013 and were signed to the legendary electronic label Ultra Music in 2018. Their name is a nod to their shared hometown, inspired by the Catedral de Sal in Zipaquirá, an underground church built 200 meters underground in a former salt mine in the small town outside of Colombia's capital.

Preceded by three self-released EPs, their sunny debut album, CARISMA, featuring Ronderos' angelic vocals in both English and Spanish, dropped this May on Ultra Records. Originally slated to play SXSW and other major festivals and shows this year, and without these spaces to share and evolve their new music live, they decided to reimagine the tracks, with the help of some virtual collaborators, on the forthcoming CARISMA remix album. Their latest release, "CAVIAR *isolation mix*," offers a fun taste of the project.

For the latest edition of Record Store Recs, we caught up with the pair to get the scoop on their favorite record stores in New York and some of the gems they've found there. They also share useful tips on how to better support artists and business owners of color.

The Last One: Record Store Recs: Polo & Pan Take Us To Paris' Les Balades Sonores

Please pick three to five record stores you love. (The links below have online shopping options.)

The Mixtape Shop in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Human Head Records in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Face Records in Brooklyn, N.Y. 

What do you love about these shops? What kind of goodies have you've found there?

Most of our favorite record shops are around where we live (in New York). The first one is The Mixtape Shop. It's in Bed-Stuy and you can find eclectic and new records of every style of music. The place is amazing and it's one of the prettiest record shops we've ever encountered. The curation is very selective, so when you pick a record there, it's because the owners believe in it. We love their Brazilian and African selection.  

Our second favorite record shop is Human Head Records. Overall, it's a great place to find good records but, what's remarkable about them is their Latin section. It's pretty big and you can find records from Fania or Discos Fuentes to a really obscure Cuban santero record. In my experience, I don't very often see record shops with a big Latin section so, for a fan of that kind of music it's great.  

Our final recommendation is Face Records. It's a record shop located in Williamsburg and it has a big selection of Japanese music. If you want to go further with and beyond [Haruomi] Hosono, [Ryuichi] Sakamoto or Yellow Magic Orchestra, this is place to go deep into Japanese music. 

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Sun Ra vinyl | Photo: Salt Cathedral

More: Record Store Recs: Öona Dahl Tells Us Her Favorite Places To Find Vinyl In L.A. And Berlin

For at least one of your favorite shops, share a recent record or two you bought there and what you love about the record/artist.

I got Sun Ra's Astro Black (1973) and Mariah's Utakata No Hibi (1983) from The Mixtape Shop. Those two records opened my mind about the possibilities and perspectives of music. With those two records, I realized that you can challenge people's views with music. That's pretty powerful. 

What's an upcoming/recent release you have your eyes on picking up and why?

Nothing particularly, but we always check what [London's] Soundway Records is releasing. They have been very instructive to us and we pretty much love everything they had released. 

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A growing vinyl collection | Photo: Salt Cathedral

How would you describe your record collection in a few words? When did you first start collecting?

I started collecting just a year ago. I wasn't into collecting at all [before]. I love music and I realized that collecting is one of the many ways to discover new music, from the past or present. I would describe my collection as eclectic; all over the place and driven by curiosity. 

And More: Record Store Recs: Chulita Vinyl Club On The Best Music Stores In L.A., Oakland, Austin & Beyond

What was the first CD and vinyl you remember buying?

My first CD was Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999) and vinyl was Hot Rats by Frank Zappa (1969). 

Learn: How Black Trans Artists Are Fighting To Achieve Racial Justice & Amplify Queer Voices

What can music fans do to better support artists and business owners of color?

One of the most useful resources to support Black artists directly is Bandcamp. There is an incredible site called blackbandcamp.info offering a crowdsourced list of Black artists on the platform, which music fans can search by genre and location. The beauty of Bandcamp really helps you find and buy directly from these artists, making sure that you're not supporting a big corporation or label but the actual musicians. 

This article from Brooklyn Vegan is a great resource to find Black-owned record stores—it doesn't just list the record stores but speaks about their story. And the best way to support Black business owners is to research what is local to you, to your city or your neighborhood. We live in Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, for example, and Black-owned restaurants and stores have signs that say so. Pay attention, and make sure that when you have the option, you choose to support a Black-owned business. The times are changing and the Black community needs all our support. Look to support local because small, family-owned and independent businesses need it the most. 

From Aretha Franklin To Public Enemy, Here's How Artists Have Amplified Social Justice Movements Through Music

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Downtown Music Hosts A Free Virtual Summer School For Students & Recent Grads

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Running from July 21-31, Downtown Summer School is a free, week-long series of virtual classes designed to provide insightful music business education for future industry professionals
Ogden Payne
GRAMMYs
Jul 6, 2020 - 11:22 am

While the ripple effect of COVID-19 has limited, if not eliminated, the possibility of hosting in-person events for some, Downtown Music Holdings has found a way to keep its commitment to providing quality education and opportunity to the next generation. In place of their on-site internship program, the company has announced its inaugural Downtown Summer School, a free, week-long series of virtual classes designed to provide insightful music business education for future industry professionals.

"We’re excited to reimagine our internship program for a virtual audience this year and fuel the next generation of music business leaders and creative entrepreneurs," said Justin Kalifowitz, CEO of Downtown Music Holdings. "Downtown Summer School will help participants understand the building blocks of the industry so we can continue to support a thriving creative class, now and in the future."

Beginning July 27, high school students, college students, and recent grads will have the opportunity to participate in morning and afternoon sessions on topics such as "How Unsigned Acts Distribute, Monetize and Promote their Music Today," "Crafting Hit Songs Around the World," "Music on Screen," "Diverse Career Paths into the Music Industry," and "The Future of Music Streaming." Guest speakers include Molly Neuman (President, Songtrust), Joe Kentish (Head of A&R at Warner Records, UK), Tracy Gardner (Head of Label Licensing and Partnerships at TikTok/Bytedance), and more.

"For many of us at Downtown, internships were our first pathways to exploring the business and developing our networks," Kalifowitz said. "We’ve been offering music industry internships at Downtown for over ten years and have had the good fortune to hire many of our interns to join us full time as the company has grown."

In addition to Downtown Summer School, the company has supported similar education initiatives such as Sound Thinking NYC. The program addresses gender and racial diversity by introducing students to the basics of the music industry and has reached over 500 students from 50 public schools in its first year.

Despite the spread of COVID-19 across the U.S., Kalifowitz sees a silver lining. The decision to utilize an online platform for their initiative creates an opportunity for Downtown to reach a wider audience than their on-site internship programs might have. Virtual or not, Kalifowitz says the company looks forward to "future iterations once we hear feedback from participants, educators, and our colleagues."

With brands such as Downtown Music Publishing (home to John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Benny Blanco, George Gershwin), Songtrust, and CD Baby under its umbrella, there might not be a better company than Downtown to extend its resources to the next generation. Rather than aim to outshine similar programs, the company looks to add a new option for future generations to take advantage of.

"Downtown Summer School is really focused on sharing our company’s unique perspective on the music business," Kalifowitz added. "It has less to do with addressing what’s missing in other programs and more to do with giving people a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re doing across Downtown every day."

Those interested in participating are encouraged to register here by July 22.

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Jenni Rivera 

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EXCLUSIVE: Listen To A Preview Of Jenni Rivera's Never-Before-Heard Song "Quisieran Tener Mi Lugar"

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GRAMMY.com has an exclusive preview of the Mexican Regional music icon’s latest unreleased single
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 29, 2020 - 9:55 am

It’s been eight years since Mexican regional music lost their great lady, their "Gran Señora."

But Jenni Rivera’s one of a kind voice and rebellious, trailblazing spirt lives on in her latest never-before released track "Quisieran Tener Mi Lugar."

The unforgettable Mexican-American singer, who died in a tragic plane crash in 2012, paved the way for women in Mexican regional music with her command over several genre styles (banda, corrido and mariachi, to name a few) and a powerful, soulful voice that belted out lyrics about heartbreak, love, sex and mafia life. A female artist in a male-dominated genre, Jenni Rivera made room for herself and claimed her throne as banda’s diva, as she was lovingly known, with a spirit that was not afraid to break gender norms.

"Quisieran Tener Mi Lugar" exudes the confidence, determination, drive and outspokenness the world loved about her.

"They keep going with the same old story/ They judge and criticize my life/ I’m the diva and it hurts them/ I say what I want, I don’t care," she sings in Spanish over the brass heavy style of banda music. "They just want to talk to talk/ Because they don’t have any shame/Maybe they want to have my place and live the good life."

GRAMMY.com has an exclusive preview of the song, which will be fully released on what would be Rivera’s 51st birthday, July 2.

The unreleased song was discovered by Rivera’s brother Juan, who was unsure if the songs he had come across were new when he found them, after her death.

"When I found out they were unreleased records I wasn’t sure if it was sheer happiness or sadness," he told GRAMMY.com via email. "Happiness because it was something FRESH, TOTALLY NEW and UNHEARD for her fans. Sad because I’m afraid to find them all and reach that potential end."

"Quisieran Tener Mi Lugar" is the third single off a posthumous forthcoming album called Hablando Claro. No release date has been set. Juan and Rivera’s youngest son, Johnny, are aomg some that have worked on the album which will feature previously released singles "Aparentemente Bien," co-written by Erika Ender and Alejandro Lerner and "Enganemoslo" with Mariachi Los Reyes and written by Espinoza Paz.

Juan says working on the album has brought a new way for him to contribute to his sister’s legacy.

RELATED: The Spirit Of Jenni Rivera Is Forever Unbreakable

"It’s been the greatest honor and BLESSING. At times, difficult because as a brother i would have never imagined that I would have to work on her music in this manner," he said. "I had the honor of working with her on live performances and to see that PURE LOVE for her from her fans. Now, I can say I’m a part of her musical history via these new songs."

The family has been holding news of the album since 2017, waiting for the right moment to release it.

Rivera’s son, Johnny, has been looking forward to the album since then. For him, it’s been an honor to work on his mother’s music. He thoughtfully came up with the album’s title so that it could align with other albums in her catalog.

"I wanted to make sure it’d fit with the rest of my mom’s studio albums and so I chose Hablando Claro because she recorded that song on the album for my grandmother. She has the theme across many of her albums of honoring my grandmother with tracks like 'La Gran Señora,' 'Resulta,' 'Homenaje A Mi Madre' and 'Déjame Vivir.'" He said. "I feel this is her speaking her truth through her music."

Johnny reveals fans can expect his mother’s "most bold, broken-down and personal tracks" on the new album.

"She left behind some great music and I think she always had the thought in her that she wanted to leave music behind for when she was no longer here physically," he shares. She was always thinking about the future."

He adds that he hopes her fans, new and old, become touched by her emotion and resonate with every single one she leaves on the album—whether they laugh, cry, or celebrate with her.

"She knew her purpose in life was to help others through her music.,” he said. “That intention is still the main goal even almost eight years after she’s been physically gone."

The album’s release will be a bittersweet feeling for Johnny too.

"It makes it more real that she’s no longer physically here. This is her final album of original Spanish material," he said. "In a lot of ways you wanna hold onto it forever but I know this is going to hold such an important place in her legacy."

Hear a snippet of the song above.

Save The Date: The 2020 Latin GRAMMY Nominations Will Be Announced September 29