Corridos, a music genre, has gained global recognition in recent years, largely due to artists like Peso Pluma and Natanael Cano, among others. Yet, the genre’s frequent allusions to violence, opulence, and drug trafficking give rise to debates and conjectures, often revolving around the most popular tracks.
A recent example is the song JGL, a collaboration between the band La Adictiva and Luis R, Conriquez. The song, which pays homage to Joaquín Guzmán Loera, also known as El Chapo, has stirred considerable controversy since its debut at the Premios lo Nuestro.
“The general is missed too much in the capital of the corridos, the capital is Culiacán, and it is not alone because his children are still here. He is the boss, he is, and he was. He turns and stops the earth if Joaquín orders it. One Friday, I was stopped in my car because I was speeding. They told us, ‘Here we are patrolling 24/7, don’t be scared if you see checkpoints and even less if you carry JGL’s hats’ The minors have grown up, and what they have left over is people,” are lyrics from the contentious hit. The song continues with:
“This life doesn’t come with instructions or teach you how to be a boss. One is brave, and the other is more. They are two brothers, one is Alfredo, and the other is Ivan. We will not talk about the Culiacanazo because it is not allowed. That day they didn’t paint it red because they released the son.”
The band La Adictiva has been asked about the inspiration behind the song.
Following the release of the song, a wave of conflicting opinions was unleashed, including criticisms of glorifying violence. Rumors also circulated about whether La Adictiva could have written this song “on demand” or if they had any connection with Joaquín Guzmán Loera’s family.
To finally quell the rumors, the band’s lead singer, Memo Garza, responded in an interview picked up by SDP.
“We don’t know. We haven’t received any comments, much less anything they have sent us to say. The song doesn’t say anything bad. I think they must have liked it,” he stated.
Garza also noted that the release of JGL has been met with positive experiences and warm reception from the audience.
“We have not had (problems) because I think people understand it perfectly, what we do is music, besides it is a story that is in social networks, on television in the series, it is not that we are telling something new,” he commented. He further added:
“What this corrido says is what has happened, what has been said in notes and in what television publishes and we just made it music”.