Jul 18, 2011

¡Viva Mexico! and the Drug War: Art imitating life, death in Mexico's drug war - Corrido Music

Art imitating life, death in Mexico's drug war | imitating, life, art - Corrido Music - TheMonitor.com: "A style of music that has long roots in Mexican culture has recently come under fire by critics who accuse it of spreading lawlessness.

Performers and fans maintain it’s simply another form of expression that has begun to reflect the recent realities of the drug war, which are felt throughout Mexico and have brought border cities like Reynosa and Matamoros to the forefront.

In the latter group is a former assassin who claims to have killed more than 30 people. He says the music helped him fight his demons as he sought to leave his criminal past.

The genre is called corrido, and its songs depict stories of an individual who faces a struggle — either ultimately triumphing, or meeting a glorious end. The songs, known for their accordion-laced rhythms, are very popular in the Rio Grande Valley, where high-profile performers appear regularly."

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