Monday, August 06, 2007

Looking for La Hill

Some weeks ago, I had the fortune of meeting Natasha Alford, a Harvard senior writing her thesis about reggaeton and women artists. She brought to my attention a reggaetonera I hadn’t heard of before—La Hill—who put out an album titled Boricua de Cora in 2004. I’m very intrigued by La Hill but haven’t been successful in getting substantial information on her through the Internet. Neither has Natasha. Does anyone have any leads?

La Hill’s forte might not be a masterful flow or an intricate wordplay... but she’s coming at this from an aggressive social commentary angle (at least in the song below, “Paso a paso”... I heard snippets of the other songs on ITunes and “Paso a paso” seems not to be the rule). All of that makes me wonder even more about her, how she got to record a reggaeton album, and what’s up with her nowadays.



[...]
y al sexo masculino que se guillan de machitos
abusando, oye, del sexo femenino
dándole a mujeres como una pandereta
por eso Lorena Bobbitt te picó la maceta
[...]
y a los cuellos rojos que son unos racistas
obligando a sus hijos que se casen con blanquitas
materialistas con mentes homicidas
si fuera por ellos nos quemarían todas vivas
[...]
pa’ los machistas con un grado de egoísta
que en las producciones no quiere que canten damitas
oye mijo, mira, avanza apúntame en la lista
mejor que tú me sale el style y la rima
no es que yo me guille de tremenda raperita
pero hablo la verdad y eso a ti te pica

—rough translation—

and for the men abusing women
beating ladies like panderetas [tambourines]
that’s why Lorena Bobbitt cut off your dick
[...]
and for those racist rednecks
forcing their sons to marry whitegirls
materialists with homicidal minds
if it was up to them, they’d burn us all alive
[...]
and for the machos with a degree in egoism
who don’t want women to sing in albums
listen, man, put me down on that list
my rhymes and style are much better than yours
I’m not claiming to be the greatest raperita
I’m just speaking the truth and that stings you

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was living in Rincon (West Coast-PR) in 2004, when I heard Paso a Paso by La Hill on a local radio station. I loved it and immediatly asked a girlfriend from the area about her. Why radio stations weren't playing her on the east coast (San Juan-Carolina)? Why nobody knew about her in La Tierra de Gigantes?

Boricua De Cora was produced by Rafy Meléndez for www.jnrecords.com, distributed by Sony discos. Invited DJs include Luny Tunes and DJ Blass. It features Voltio, Monchy y Alexandra amongst others. It seems the perfect formula for a successful record. It is in fact a great record. Really refreshing to hear a new femenin voice that actually has an attitude and strenght to it.
What happened then?

My personal opnion: There are many interests behind Reggaeton Radio stations in PR. Djs will only play certain things, and totally ban others, (like Don Omar's case last year-he was banned from the reggaeton airwaves, we could only hear him in salsa stations. I think it was because he moved to Miami.) It is said that you have to 'pay' somehow to get your song on the radio. And it seems true when you hear mediocre songs up to three times in half an hour.

Maybe she posed a threat to the indisputable Queen of Reggaeton. Maybe, as she states in her songs, she put out Boricua de Cora without giving up her style and rhymes .

In any case there are some numbers on the CD cover that maybe helpfull for 'finding' her.

PARA CONTRATACIONES
787 374 4444 Puerto Rico
305 629 8880 Miami
212 833 4722 NY

good luck!

Raquel Z. Rivera said...

Hi Carolina.

Thanks for all the info and insights! I will be re-posting your comments on my www.myspace.com/raquelzrivera blog, where people have been leaving comments on La Hill as well.

Natasha A. said...

Just in case anyone is wondering- I've found LA HILL!!! She's been on hiatus for a few years, but is dropping a new album soon called "Strike Back." Blog entry on my interview with her in Puerto Rico last week is forthcoming on my myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/natasha_s_alford

Thanks for the help Raquel!!

Raquel Z. Rivera said...

I look forward to your interview w La Hill!

LittleK said...

www.myspace.com/femalesofreggaeton2010
La Hill sing Pa La Calle