By Reynaldo Mena
The global phenomenon of ‘corridos tumbados’ has already caused a sensation, but also garnered criticism from some due to its appeal to narcoculture. However, for Juan Carlos RamÃrez Pimienta, this phenomenon has a positive impact on young Latinos, primarily of Mexican origin, as they adapt it to their circumstances.
“You can see hundreds of videos on TikTok where young Latino graduates play Chino Pacas’ music with the song ‘They said I wouldn’t make it…’ (Dijeron que no lo iba a lograr). It empowers them; they’re not thinking about becoming outlaws,” says RamÃrez.
As a writer and professor of Border Studies at San Diego State University-Imperial Valley, he is a qualified voice and advocate to delve into the topic. Years of study, resulting in publications such as the book “Singing to the Narcos” (Editorial Planeta, 2011) or the essay “El corrido de ‘El Bazucazo’: Estado pasmado, punto de quiebre y antecedente del Movimiento Alterado” (Revista Cultura y Droga, 2020), support his views, as reported by Milenio.
“In Mexico, this music is seen as a negative message, as if it were poison. Here in the United States, we see it more clearly; we distance ourselves from the message. Not all young people listen to it the same way. For example, if we compare two young people, one residing in California and the other in Sinaloa, their reactions are different; they adapt to their circumstances. A student in California can enjoy this music, but that doesn’t mean they’ll say, ‘Okay, I like this music, I’m going to quit my career and grab my AK-47 and become a malandro (criminal).’ That won’t happen; their goals are different,” explains the academic.
For RamÃrez Pimienta, all this implies an auditory dissonance; we approach this phenomenon but turn it into a positive experience. And he sees the impact and penetration of ‘corridos tumbados’ in the world, not just in the United States, as something positive.
“A few weeks ago, among the 200 most played songs in the world, seven by Peso Pluma were among the top 30. This is an unprecedented phenomenon,” he adds.
This academic is aware of the message related to narcoculture but emphasizes that most people listen to it because the songs are well-made, the music is catchy, and they enjoy it.
“This music reaches around 700 million listeners. And not all of them are criminals; over ninety percent of those who listen to it are not,” says RamÃrez Pimienta.
For him, the attractiveness of this music for Mexican-American youth lies in the revalorization of their culture. They feel identified with an empowered young person like Peso Pluma.
“In the United States, the corrido has served as an empowerment for young people,” he says.
“For example, imagine an undocumented young person in their forties. They have to be very careful when going to work; they know that if they get caught, they not only face a fine but also the risk of deportation. So, listening to a Peso Pluma song for three minutes empowers them; it helps them forget about those dangers and makes them feel strong, confident,” he adds.
For RamÃrez, the future of ‘corridos tumbados’ is limitless.
“It is a worldwide phenomenon, heard all over the world. I was surprised by the speed of its rise, but many people, even if they don’t identify with the voice or the music, enjoy listening to them because of how catchy they are. What remains to be seen in the near future is the success of ‘corridos tumbados’ becoming something normal. This is not the first time something like this has happened to Mexican music,” concludes RamÃrez.
