That's absolutely bullshit! artists like los tigres del norte have been playing this music for decades. the lyrics of corridos delve into many topics such as drug smuggling, running liquor acrros the border during prohibition, revolution, love, betrayal/. most of these songs are stories, such as with "gangsta rap". corridos didn't spawn the drug problem it is the other way around. if you want a better understanding of this genre of music pick up Narcocorrido by elijah wald. It Is a great read.

edit: los tigres were not the originators of the corridos. this style of music was around long before any before these guys were born. the content matter of the songs changed when prohibition ended and marijana became illegal. but like i said before, drugs are not the only topic that corridos deal with.

I think i said all that. And linked to a story that quotes Mr Wald (whose book i have right here on my shelf). The lyrics of corridos embrace all themes, but narcocorridos are about drug smuggling.

I certainly would never say or imply that these songs spawn the drug problem. I'm 100% the plans to ban them. Perhaps I should have been stronger in saying that.

SOOOO ummm yeah I dont understand english drug slang my spanish drug speak is even worse damn me for not using. I saw that video I thought it was all prop bodies gotta give em props for going all out QT is no longer my favorite shock director he has been out done by a drug cartel.

sorry point blank it was not a response towards you, but the governments idea that somehow cesorship will fix the problem. and the recommmendation for the read was for everybody. i was in a hurry. got to go to work.

Really fascinating.

+1

These videos are all but unheard of, they've been around for a long time now, the difference is they only got media exposure a couple of years ago.

The government also has never said that banning these songs will make the problem disappear, that's ludicrous. It is true that there have been voices against them because some think of them as means to glorify drug dealers and their activities, as they are often portrayed as successful, all-mighty untouchables.

Personally, I have nothing against them, what a person listens to in their own time is their problem. As for banning them from the radio, really it's not like they're on all the damn time, most stations play "pop norteño"

A complete useless post, but

I like this version a lot more...

then why all the talk of banning this musiic? is it just for no reason? why else would the the subject of censorship come up? ... the questions, its the questions.

definitely

i took a course last fall on the social/political implications of music in America, and about 2 weeks was spent on Mexican-American music, including narcocorridos, which are, imho, very similar to gangsta rap. very good article, and nice to see another type of music written about.

There's this old interview with Elijah Wald from NPR's Morning Edition (back when Bob Edwards was still on!) that's sort of interesting.

First Don Imus, then rappers, then narcocorridos.