Residente

Residente
Residente performing at el Festival Afrocaribeño in 2009.
Background information
Birth name	René Pérez Joglar
Born	(1978-02-23) February 23, 1978 Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Genres	Hip-hop, urban
Occupations	Vocalist, lyricist
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2004–present
Associated acts	Calle 13

"Residente" of Calle 13

René Pérez Joglar, (born February 23, 1978 in Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States)^[1] better known by his stage name "Residente Calle 13" or simply "Residente", is the American^[2] lead singer and composer of the Puerto Rican band Calle 13, which also includes his siblings Ileana ("PG-13") and Eduardo ("Visitante"). He began his career singing reggaeton, but has moved away from the genre, taking an experimental and varied approach to music, with his lyrics being more geared to social and political concerns^[3] which combines hip-hop and urban with various Latin American musical styles.

Early life and education

Residente, was born on February 23, 1978 in Hato Rey, a neighborhood located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.^[4] He is the son of Puerto Rican actress Flor Joglar de Gracia.^[5] Residente met his step-brother Visitante when they were both two years old, when Residente's mother married Visitante's father.^[6] The family developed strong ties to the Puerto Rican arts community; Residente's mother was an actress in Teatro del Sesenta, a local acting troupe, while his stepfather is currently a lawyer, but at one time was a musician.^[7] Residente asserts that he and his family lived a relatively comfortable lifestyle growing up, placing himself in a group of Puerto Ricans who are "too poor to be rich and too rich to be poor."^[8] Although their parents later divorced, the stepbrothers remained close.^[6]

Residente attended the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia, where he obtained a Master of Arts degree and a Master of Fine Arts degree in computer animation.^[9][10][11]

Musical career

Calle 13 was formed when Residente began making music with his step-brother Visitante (real name Eduardo José Cabra Martínez) in 2004.^[6] The step-brothers hosted their music on a website, and began searching for a record label in order to release their music commercially.^[6] After sending demo tapes to White Lion Records, the duo was offered a record deal.^[6] The duo gained recognition for their controversial song "Querido FBI", which responded to the killing of Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, a key figure for the Puerto Rican independence movement.^[7]

Joglar chose his stage name "Residente" because that is how he had to identify himself to the guard every time he returned to his house in Trujillo Alto.^[5] Residente's influences come from numerous musical genres. Artists that were influential on him included salsa master Rubén Blades, singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez and writer Tite Curet Alonso.

He had made a cameo appearance in the 2009 film Old Dogs, where he played a tattoo artist.^[1]

Residente and his band Calle 13 have won 19 Latin Grammy Awards and 3 Grammys, the most of any group.^[12]

Discography

With Calle 13

• 2005: Calle 13
• 2007: Residente o Visitante
• 2008: Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo
• 2010: Entren Los Que Quieran

Compositions

• 2006 – Loose (by Nelly Furtado)
• 2009 – Un viaje íntimo (by Mercedes Sosa)
• 2010 – Sale el sol (by Shakira)

Filmography

• 2006 – My Block: Puerto Rico (documentary), as himself.
• 2009 – Old Dogs, as a tattoo artist
• 2009 – Mercedes Sosa, Cantora un viaje íntimo (documentary), as himself.
• 2009 – Calle 13: Sin Mapa (documentary), as himself.

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Latin Grammy Awards

Billboard Latin Music Awards

Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica

Instituto Cubano de la Música

Ateneo Puertorriqueño

References

External links

• Calle 13 official website

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