Residente's Crusade For Change: Rapper Talks 'Bellacoso,' Bad Bunny & More

It's been a little more than a month since Residente, Bad Bunny, Ricky Martin and a slew of other natives pushed for justice by urging Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosselló to resign. Prompted by the leak of a nearly 900-page private group chat between Rosselló and his associates, which contained profanity-laced, homophobic and misogynistic messages, it appeared as the final straw for the Boriqua struggle. Over the course of 12 days, celebrities and locals banded together for a non-stop protest, demanding a call to action and, much to their delight, their milestone efforts did the trick. Rosselló stepped down from his position, marking the first-ever alliance amongst the Puerto Rico community, at least according to Residente.

22 days since Rosselló's resignation, the former Calle 13 frontman appeared hopeful and reflective for his people, while simultaneously appreciative for the early success of his latest single, "Bellacoso," featuring Bad Bunny. It's his first reggaeton track in years, but maintains an agenda. Over four minutes of conscious Spanish rap, the song's subtext for unity is highlighted more than anything. And true to Residente's mission statement, it provokes thought with sex-drenched and mindful bars.

"I feel everything. I feel the party. I feel sex and I feel politics," the 41-year-old told iHeartRadio of his long-running formula. "That's the only way for me. That's how I learn in art school. You have to be honest with anything that affects you. You have to say whatever you feel even if the people don't like it. They just take it, but you have to say it. So I'm used to it, and this past month was crazy. What happened in Puerto Rico was huge, was history and it's the first time that people got united like that."

Residente and Bad Bunny also teamed up for a scathing Rosselló diss record, "Afilando los Cuchillos," which translates to "Sharpening The Knives" in English. Initially, the pair worked on "Bellacoso," but put the track's release on hold to address the island's political crisis and, needless to say, the two didn't hold back. You probably understand the song's sentiment simply based on its title.

"Bellacoso" is one of the many tracks on Residente's upcoming album, which is set for release in October and uses brain frequencies as part of its creation. After studying his own head, he thought of a grander idea to study the minds of others and even animals. The single was the result of a friendship that he and Bad Bunny nurtured over the course of two years. "We talk about different stuff. That's why I wanted to do this, to prove like even though we are like different people, and we think different, we can connect by brain waves," he explained.

The accompanying video for "Bellacoso" is similarly progressive, with an aim to remain inclusive, particularly of the LGBTQ community. Using strategic eye tricks and camera work, the rappers's clip revolves around a beachside optical illusion, before making its way onto the streets of Puerto Rico. "I like to play with people," he admitted, recalling a scene where a group of scantily clad females end up being men. "Homophobia really exists everywhere, but in Latin America it's hard."

Asked about the trajectory of the reggaeton genre that he's taken a break from, Residente said that he's grateful for how much Latin music has made a resurgence into mainstream American culture, but there's so much more to explore to his culture. "I think it's great," the rapper said diplomatically, before admitting that the U.S. has only captured a small portion of their musical offerings. "We are not piña coladas and palm trees. We have so much to say and we have so many lyricists that are so great. When I hear someone from here be like, 'I'm the best rapper in the world," it's like, "No, brother, you don't know what the rappers [are] like. Do you know every rapper in Latin America? Do you know every rapper in Africa, like, in Nigeria, for example?"

But for now, Residente is minding his own agenda and it's clear that his return to reggaeton is resonating. "Bellacoso" has made an impact on Stateside charts, particularly Billboard's Latin Digital Songs, where it debuted at No. 7 spot on the August 10-dated list. Since its release, the video has amassed 70 million views on YouTube.

"The thing is that I did reggaeton in the beginning of my career, and then reggaeton was like [it is] now. It was so hot, and so high that I thought to myself, 'I don't wanna take advantage of this situation,'" he recalled. "I just wanted the people to meet me and know my music because of my lyrics and the creativeness, but not because it's part of fashion or a thing that is happening. That's why I kind of stopped. I did some, but it was different, like, I mixed it with other mood music genres like tango, and reggaeton. I thought it was good to do it."

Photo: Adrianna Casiano for iHeartRadio