Tego Calderón
Encyclopedia
Tegui Calderón Rosario is a Puerto Rican
rapper and actor.
and Led Zeppelin
. He has noted that both of his parents were fans of Ismael Rivera
, and that his father was also interested in jazz. He was influenced by both genres and incorporated them into his music, including songs such as Minnie the Moocher
. He eventually developed a music style that combined elements of salsa
, plena
, dancehall
, and hip-hop
, focusing on aspects of urban life in his lyrics.
In August 2003, Calderón performed at the Madison Square Garden
in New York City. Based on his show and performance, The New York Times
noted that he "made the best case for Reggaetón as music with room to grow" being a "forward-looking performer." His second appearance at the venue was in October 2004, where he headlined an event titled Megatón 2004. The concert sold out, with 20,000 in attendance, a mixed crowd of Latino and non-Latino fans.
Calderón's travels subsequently led him to Miami, where he incorporated dancehall
elements into his musical style. In 2004, his album titled El Enemy de los Guasíbiri
was released. The album's production included a mix of several urban genres. Calderón claimed that he preferred the influence of these other genres due to his belief that Salsa had "become too corporate and too safe". Years after its release, Calderón stated that he had never approved the release of the Guasibiri album, which he claimed was rather a collection of old songs and that it should be left out of his discography
as an unauthorized album. Following the release of this album, reggaeton gained more influence with several hip-hop producers in New York. Calderón continued working on several mixtapes, being featured in remixes of Usher
's "Yeah", Fat Joe
's "Lean Back
", N.O.R.E.
's "Oye Mi Canto
" and Akon
's "I Wanna Love You" and also Tego featured Aventura's "We Got The Crown".
In the summer of 2005, Calderón signed a deal between Atlantic Records and his own independent label, Jiggiri Records, making him the first reggaeton artist to have a deal with a major record company.
In 2006, Calderón and both companies published The Underdog/El Subestimado
. He noted that the production includes influence from several Afro-Caribbean rhythms including Reggae, Salsa, Bomba and Rumba. This production featured the guests appearances of Buju Banton, Voltio
, Bataklán, Eddie Dee, Luis Cabán, Yandel, Zion, Chyno Nyno, Don Omar
and Oscar D'León
. Several producers were involved in the album, including Cookee, Major League, Salaam Remi, Eric Figueroa, Luny Tunes
, DJ Nelson
, Danny Fornaris, DJ Nesty, Naldo, DJ Joe, DJ Fat and Echo & Diesel. At the presentation party for the album, Calderón explained that he no longer considers himself as a reggaeton artist because this genre of music has become too commercial. Noting that reggaeton is becoming too similar to pop music and that he does not let his children listen to it at home unless it is on the radio.
artist, he claims to like "all types of music". Evidence of this is seen both in his biography (he began his career in music in a metal
band and attended a school for music as a drummer) as well as in his music, which incorporates "'several musical tendencies'", including sounds and rhythms from places like Africa, Colombia, and the Caribbean. He obtains the sound for his popular reggaeton music through "fusing an experimental reggaeton style strongly rooted in the working-class Caribbean aesthetics of classic salsa with a strong dose of hip-hop". On The Underdog/El Subestimado
, he collaborated with rap duo Anónimo Consejo
to create a song entitled "Son Dos Alas" which eventually was shortened to an interdule without Calderón.
Calderón has also been praised for his lyrics, which are much more substantive and uplifting than the misogynist materialistic words that have come to define reggaeton as well as the majority of hip-hop music. Calderón has been described as "the reggaeton champion of an Afro-Caribbean working-class aesthetic" and is known for lyrics that are equal parts poetry and politics. A consistent link between all of his albums "are the social themes and the untouchable bravado that he usually transmits through his artistic outlook." According to Tony Touch, "Tego is someone who represents struggle, an underdog... He's more of an MC, a product of late-'80s hip-hop."
" produced by John Singleton. Calderon played the role of Choco, a Puerto Rican gangster whose character was written specifically for him by director Franc Reyes.
Calderón turned down roles in both Feel the Noise
and "El Cantante
" and instead chose to appear in Illegal Tender out of respect for its producer. After convincing John Singleton that he wanted to appear in a comedy, Calderón is slated to appear in an upcoming Singleton film which casts him as the coach of a baseball team.
Calderón traveled to Sierra Leone
along with artists Raekwon
and Paul Wall
to film a VH1
documentary about diamond mining entitled "Bling'd: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip-Hop." The documentary focused on the role of Hip Hop in the blood diamond trade, after the filming concluded Calderón publicly announced that he would no longer wear jewelry. His experience in Africa also changed his outlook on life, which influenced the recording of the track "Alegria", encouraging fans to not complain about life and recognize that there are other people with bigger problems in their lives.
Calderon and Don Omar are featured in Fast & Furious and Fast Five, the fourth and fifth installments of The Fast and the Furious franchise
.
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
rapper and actor.
Early life
Calderón was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, the son of Pilar Rosario Parrilla, a schoolteacher, and Esteban Calderón Ilarraza, a government worker for Puerto Rico's Department of Health. Moving at a young age from his native Puerto Rico to Miami, Florida, Tego attended Miami Beach Senior High. Here he was exposed to several different cultures, eventually studying percussion and working as a drummer in a rock band. The band would cover songs produced by artists including Ozzy OsbourneOzzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
and Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
. He has noted that both of his parents were fans of Ismael Rivera
Ismael Rivera
Ismael "Maelo" Rivera , was a renowned Puerto Rican composer and singer of salsa music.-Early life:Ismael Rivera was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, on October 5, 1931. He was the first of five children born to Luis and Margarita Rivera. His father, Luis, was a carpenter and his mother a housewife...
, and that his father was also interested in jazz. He was influenced by both genres and incorporated them into his music, including songs such as Minnie the Moocher
Minnie the Moocher
"Minnie the Moocher" is a jazz song first recorded in 1931 by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra, selling over 1 million copies. "Minnie the Moocher" is most famous for its nonsensical ad libbed lyrics . In performances, Calloway would have the audience participate by repeating each scat phrase in a...
. He eventually developed a music style that combined elements of salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
, plena
Plena
Plena is a folkloric genre native to Puerto Rico. Its creation was influenced by African and Spanish music.-History:The music is generally folkloric. The music's beat and rhythm are usually played using hand drums called panderetas, but also known as panderos or pleneras. The music is accompanied...
, dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
, and hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, focusing on aspects of urban life in his lyrics.
Early musical career
Calderón made several cameo appearances on other rapper's albums, eventually signing with label White Lion. In 2002, he published his first full-length album titled El Abayarde. Despite the fact that Reggaeton was considered an underground genre, the album sold 50,000 copies upon its release, setting a sales record for an urban music album. Three months after publishing El Abayarde, Calderón organized his first concert, which took place at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico and sold out the venue. The following day he became the first rap artist to perform at the annual Puertorican Día Naciónal de la Salsa (National Day of Salsa).At the same time he finished his album El Abayarde he finished his voice training, that took three years from his life.In August 2003, Calderón performed at the Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York City. Based on his show and performance, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
noted that he "made the best case for Reggaetón as music with room to grow" being a "forward-looking performer." His second appearance at the venue was in October 2004, where he headlined an event titled Megatón 2004. The concert sold out, with 20,000 in attendance, a mixed crowd of Latino and non-Latino fans.
Calderón's travels subsequently led him to Miami, where he incorporated dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
elements into his musical style. In 2004, his album titled El Enemy de los Guasíbiri
El Enemy de los Guasíbiri
El Enemy de los Guasíbiri is the first compilation album by Tego Calderón.-Track listing:# Intro# Elegante de Boutique# Gatas Gozan# Cosa Buena# Mi Entierro# Cerca de Mi Neighborhood# Guasa Guasa feat. Voltio# Al Natural feat. Yandel# Interlude...
was released. The album's production included a mix of several urban genres. Calderón claimed that he preferred the influence of these other genres due to his belief that Salsa had "become too corporate and too safe". Years after its release, Calderón stated that he had never approved the release of the Guasibiri album, which he claimed was rather a collection of old songs and that it should be left out of his discography
Discography
Discography is the study and listing of the details concerning sound recordings, often by specified artists or within identified musical genres...
as an unauthorized album. Following the release of this album, reggaeton gained more influence with several hip-hop producers in New York. Calderón continued working on several mixtapes, being featured in remixes of Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
's "Yeah", Fat Joe
Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
's "Lean Back
Lean Back
"Lean Back" is a 2004 single from the Terror Squad's album True Story. It features Fat Joe and Remy Ma, and was produced by Scott Storch. Fat Joe raps verses one and three, and Remy handles verse two...
", N.O.R.E.
N.O.R.E.
Victor Santiago, Jr., best known by his stage name N.O.R.E. or Noreaga , is an American rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
's "Oye Mi Canto
Oye Mi Canto
"Oye Mi Canto" is a Reggaeton single by N.O.R.E.. The song was originally released in 2004 as the lead single from the album 1 Fan a Day, which is heretofore unreleased. It is his second biggest hit, peaking at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was later included on the 2006 album N.O.R.E. y la...
" and Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
's "I Wanna Love You" and also Tego featured Aventura's "We Got The Crown".
2005–Present
Calderón participated on the 2004 and 2005 editions of New York's Puerto Rican Day parade. During this timeframe he became the first Latin American artist to be included on New York's Power-105. Calderón's influence among Latin American youth was noted in a featured published by the Village Voice. The publication claimed that he had "almost single-handedly. .. steered his country’s dominant youth culture out of the island and Latino neighborhoods, and into the American stream of pop consciousness.”In the summer of 2005, Calderón signed a deal between Atlantic Records and his own independent label, Jiggiri Records, making him the first reggaeton artist to have a deal with a major record company.
In 2006, Calderón and both companies published The Underdog/El Subestimado
The Underdog/El Subestimado
The Underdog/El Subestimado is a Rap/Hip-Hop album released by Tego Calderón on August 29, 2006. The first single of the album was titled "Los Maté" , which has garnered much air-play on the radio. During a press conference in und, Tego decided not to use as much reggaetón and focus more on hip-hop...
. He noted that the production includes influence from several Afro-Caribbean rhythms including Reggae, Salsa, Bomba and Rumba. This production featured the guests appearances of Buju Banton, Voltio
Voltio
Julio Voltio is one of the reggaetón genre's best-known artists.His nickname came to be as the result of an accident. Before joining Karel, he worked as an electrician. One day, he stuck his hand in the wrong place and got shocked...
, Bataklán, Eddie Dee, Luis Cabán, Yandel, Zion, Chyno Nyno, Don Omar
Don Omar
Don Omar, also known as El Rey Don Omar, also known as El Rey Don Omar, also known as El Rey (born William Omar Landrón Rivera; February 10, 1978, is a Puerto Rican Reggaetón singer and actor.-Early life:...
and Oscar D'León
Oscar D'León
Oscar Emilio León Somoza, better known as Oscar D'León is a Venezuelan musician who became internationally famous for his salsa music. In Spanish, he is known as El Sonero del Mundo . His most famous song is perhaps "Llorarás," which he recorded in 1975 with his group La Dimensión Latina...
. Several producers were involved in the album, including Cookee, Major League, Salaam Remi, Eric Figueroa, Luny Tunes
Luny Tunes
Luny Tunes are a Dominican reggaeton production duo consisting of Francisco Saldaña and Víctor Cabrera , who have been known for creating unique musical rhythms for some of the most popular reggaeton artists since the early 2000s.-Biography:...
, DJ Nelson
DJ Nelson
Nelson Díaz Martinez , known artistically as DJ Nelson is a DJ/producer who played a significant role in the development and popularization of reggaeton. He first made a name for himself as part of the Noise, a club-centered collective that was spawned in 1992...
, Danny Fornaris, DJ Nesty, Naldo, DJ Joe, DJ Fat and Echo & Diesel. At the presentation party for the album, Calderón explained that he no longer considers himself as a reggaeton artist because this genre of music has become too commercial. Noting that reggaeton is becoming too similar to pop music and that he does not let his children listen to it at home unless it is on the radio.
Musical styles and themes
Although Calderón is a reggaetonReggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
artist, he claims to like "all types of music". Evidence of this is seen both in his biography (he began his career in music in a metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band and attended a school for music as a drummer) as well as in his music, which incorporates "'several musical tendencies'", including sounds and rhythms from places like Africa, Colombia, and the Caribbean. He obtains the sound for his popular reggaeton music through "fusing an experimental reggaeton style strongly rooted in the working-class Caribbean aesthetics of classic salsa with a strong dose of hip-hop". On The Underdog/El Subestimado
The Underdog/El Subestimado
The Underdog/El Subestimado is a Rap/Hip-Hop album released by Tego Calderón on August 29, 2006. The first single of the album was titled "Los Maté" , which has garnered much air-play on the radio. During a press conference in und, Tego decided not to use as much reggaetón and focus more on hip-hop...
, he collaborated with rap duo Anónimo Consejo
Anónimo Consejo
Anónimo Consejo is one of Cuba's hottest up and coming rap groups, whose name translates into English as Anonymous Advice. The duo consists of MC Sekou and MC Kokino, Sarrias and Jaramillo . The rappers cover the usual bases of contemporary and social themes in their music, as well as edgier topics...
to create a song entitled "Son Dos Alas" which eventually was shortened to an interdule without Calderón.
Calderón has also been praised for his lyrics, which are much more substantive and uplifting than the misogynist materialistic words that have come to define reggaeton as well as the majority of hip-hop music. Calderón has been described as "the reggaeton champion of an Afro-Caribbean working-class aesthetic" and is known for lyrics that are equal parts poetry and politics. A consistent link between all of his albums "are the social themes and the untouchable bravado that he usually transmits through his artistic outlook." According to Tony Touch, "Tego is someone who represents struggle, an underdog... He's more of an MC, a product of late-'80s hip-hop."
Film and other career projects
Calderón made his acting debut in the film "Illegal TenderIllegal Tender (film)
Illegal Tender is a movie written and directed by Franc. Reyes and produced by Academy Award nominee John Singleton. It stars Rick Gonzalez, Wanda De Jesus and Dania Ramirez, the movie also marks the film debut of Reggaeton music star Tego Calderón....
" produced by John Singleton. Calderon played the role of Choco, a Puerto Rican gangster whose character was written specifically for him by director Franc Reyes.
Calderón turned down roles in both Feel the Noise
Feel the Noise
Feel the Noise is a drama film written by Albert Leon, directed by Alejandro Chomski and produced by Jennifer Lopez. It was released on October 5, 2007 and stars Omarion, Giancarlo Esposito, Victor Rasuk and James McCaffrey.-Plot:...
and "El Cantante
El Cantante
El Cantante is a 2006 American film released in the United States on August 3, 2007. The biopic stars singer Marc Anthony and actress-singer Jennifer Lopez . The film is based on the life story of salsa legend Héctor Lavoe...
" and instead chose to appear in Illegal Tender out of respect for its producer. After convincing John Singleton that he wanted to appear in a comedy, Calderón is slated to appear in an upcoming Singleton film which casts him as the coach of a baseball team.
Calderón traveled to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
along with artists Raekwon
Raekwon
Corey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
and Paul Wall
Paul Wall
Paul Michael Slayton , better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper. He is currently affiliated with Swishahouse Records, having released several albums under the label as well as...
to film a VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
documentary about diamond mining entitled "Bling'd: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip-Hop." The documentary focused on the role of Hip Hop in the blood diamond trade, after the filming concluded Calderón publicly announced that he would no longer wear jewelry. His experience in Africa also changed his outlook on life, which influenced the recording of the track "Alegria", encouraging fans to not complain about life and recognize that there are other people with bigger problems in their lives.
Calderon and Don Omar are featured in Fast & Furious and Fast Five, the fourth and fifth installments of The Fast and the Furious franchise
The Fast and the Furious (film series)
The Fast and the Furious is a series of action films that focuses on street racing and heists. Produced by Universal Studios, the series was established in 2001 with the eponymous first installment, which has since been followed by four sequels, and two short films that tie into the series...
.
Discography
- El AbayardeEl AbayardeEl Abayarde is the debut album by the Puerto Rican rapper Tego Calderón. It was one of the first commercially successful albums in the genre of Reggaeton. It included the singles "Pa' Que Retozen", "Guasa Guasa" and "Al Natural"...
(20032003 in music-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
) - El Enemy de los GuasíbiriEl Enemy de los GuasíbiriEl Enemy de los Guasíbiri is the first compilation album by Tego Calderón.-Track listing:# Intro# Elegante de Boutique# Gatas Gozan# Cosa Buena# Mi Entierro# Cerca de Mi Neighborhood# Guasa Guasa feat. Voltio# Al Natural feat. Yandel# Interlude...
(20042004 in musicSee also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
) - The Underdog/El SubestimadoThe Underdog/El SubestimadoThe Underdog/El Subestimado is a Rap/Hip-Hop album released by Tego Calderón on August 29, 2006. The first single of the album was titled "Los Maté" , which has garnered much air-play on the radio. During a press conference in und, Tego decided not to use as much reggaetón and focus more on hip-hop...
(20062006 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
) - El Abayarde ContraatacaEl Abayarde ContraatacaEl Abayarde Contra-Ataca is the fourth album of Tego Calderón's discography. It was released on August 28, 2007. The tracks in the album are a fusion of African and West Indian rhythms, salsa, merengue, Colombian and Venezuelan sounds. Tego's first single is "Tradicional A Lo Bravo", produced by...
(20072007 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
) - El Que Sabe, SabeMr. T (album)El Que Sabe, Sabe is the upcoming fifth album by Tego Calderón. Its first single is called "Pegaito a la Pared" and has been released on iTunes and Amazon. The single got a remix with Plan B. The remix was also released on iTunes along with an exclusive reggaeton remix.-Background:The album is said...
(2011)
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Def Jam: Icon Def Jam: Icon Def Jam: Icon is a fighting game, and is the third in Electronic Arts's Def Jam-licensed hip hop video game series. The game was developed by EA Chicago, developers of Fight Night Round 3 and is the first Def Jam game not to be developed by AKI Corporation. Unlike the previous games in the series,... |
Himself | Video game, voice only |
| 2007 | Ilegal Tender Illegal Tender (film) Illegal Tender is a movie written and directed by Franc. Reyes and produced by Academy Award nominee John Singleton. It stars Rick Gonzalez, Wanda De Jesus and Dania Ramirez, the movie also marks the film debut of Reggaeton music star Tego Calderón.... |
Choco | Film Debut |
| 2007 | Bling: A Planet Rock | Himself | Documentary film / DVD |
| 2009 | Los Bandoleros | Leo Tego | Lead Role / Short Film, Part of Fast & Furious |
| 2009 | Fast & Furious | Leo Tego | Cameo |
| 2011 | Fast Five | Leo Tego | Supporting Role |