As a result of these killings, many musicians in Mexico have been cancelling their concerts. They fear that they too will be captured and killed by members of a gang. What does this mean for popular music in Mexico? If musicians are fearing their lives because of the music they are making, perhaps they will stop making music altogether. More likely, they will probably take their music underground and will not publicize themselves or their music. This would be truly devastating for the people of Mexico and the rest of the world. Any thoughts?
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Gangs and Musicians in Mexico
After searching the internet for some more recent news articles, I found a rather interesting one from 2007 ( a little dated, I know). The article discussed a very serious issue in Mexico that directly affects musicians living in the country. Over the past year and a half, approximately thirteen Mexican musicians have been killed. One of the only things that these musicians have in common is the fact that they all make music that falls into the genre of grupero, which is similar to country. The lyrics often deal with drugs and crime, however, some of the others are simply love songs. Police in the area feel that these crimes are the work of gang members in the area, however, they do not have any evidence or real motives. Several other musicians bodies have turned up, after being what seems to both tortured and strangled. Police have stated that "some victims may not have direct gang ties; they simply touch some nerve with their songs".
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Maybe some of the lyrics offended the gangs because it talked about drugs and violence which is directly related to gangs. Maybe the police arn't doing there job well enough to find whoever is doing the killings. It breaks my heart to know that people are being killed for making music, doing something they love. It's like telling an artist they can't paint,or a writer they can't write, or an actor they can't act or they will die. What is the world coming to? As an artist myself I don't know what I would do if i was unable to express myself. I know that something needs to be done to restore order and to save lives.
ReplyDeleteI think a big part of this issue comes down to MONEY. The norteno music has quickly transformed into a money making machine. Some artist are just performing for the money and are contracted by those who have money. Drug lords are extremely wealthy and have made a trend out to have your own corrido so they contract famous artist,which is kind of signing a deal with the devil. I still remember when they killed Valentin Elizalde, a very famous mexican artist that was shot. This murder was all over the news and was one of the first attacks to artists
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