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Dangerous time to sing narco-corridos

By Jeremy Schwartz | Wednesday, December 13, 2006, 10:22 AM

You can add another group to the police officers, military members and newspaper reporters targeted by Mexico’s ruthless drug cartels: singers. A week after popular singer Valentin Elizalde was gunned down after a show in Reynosa, fellow corrido crooner Lupillo Rivera was the subject of a drive-by shooting in Guadalajara this past weekend.

Rivera escaped unharmed and has not blamed the cartels, but the incidents have created a scary atmosphere for singers of “narco-corridos,” the hugely popular folk songs detailing the inner-workings of the drug world.

The group Control and singers Beto Quintanilla and Vicente Fernandez have canceled shows, reportedly because of safety worries. The group Paloma says it will no longer sing those corridos that might cause them trouble, the daily Reforma reported Tuesday.

Often described as gangsta rap set to a polka beat, narco-corridos are big sellers in Mexico and often memorialize the big capos with chronicles of their exploits. Sometimes the narco-corridos take sides.

Elizalde began and finished his Reynosa show with the song “To My Enemies,” which supposedly was taken as a threat to the Zetas, the armed faction of the Gulf Cartel. Elizalde is from the state of Sinaloa, home to Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who has been at war with the Gulf Cartel for years.

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Comments

By Michael

December 13, 2006 10:22 PM | Link to this

Correction, Elizalde Valentín is from Sonora, not Sinaloa. He grew up in a municipio of Navojoa, (ed: Sinaloa) where his family now lives.

By elpidio

December 14, 2006 4:22 PM | Link to this

let them sing!! what they are singing about is the real world. not just here but in mexico too.

By ariana herrera

December 15, 2006 1:45 PM | Link to this

yo pienso que valentin no tenia nada que ver con el narcotrafico …

By diego hernandez

December 20, 2006 4:33 AM | Link to this

elizalde had alot to do with drug cartels. its kinda hard not to these days. when its about big money in any field of work in mexico you have to be afileated some how with drugs or drug money. corridos are just like underground rap . both talk about the same (stuff) drug deals, guns, sex, money.

By jessica

December 24, 2006 7:31 PM | Link to this

valentin elizalde era un muy buen muchacho!el se meresia sueguir viviendo no es justo!valentin elizalde siempre va estar en nuestros corazone!!viva valentin elizalde el gallo de oro!!!te amo!we all love you!!!el narco trafico si es malo pero para que acaben matando a artistas como que no!!alamejor valentin ni tenia nada que ver en eso!primero vieran pensado lo que ivan a ser los que lo mataron porque ivan a acabar con un gran artista el gallo de oro!!!!!!!!!TE AMO SIEMPRE VIVIRASV EN NUESTRO CORAZONE ARRIBA!!!