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These rap veterans still know how to talk shit: Residente, longtime lead vocalist for the acclaimed Puerto Rican hip-hop group Calle 13, recruited the Spanish MC Nach to sneer at their competition on “Rap Bruto.”
Like most older artists, these two are baffled by the new kids’ indifference to what once seemed like sacred hip-hop principles. Residente and Nach poke fun at young rappers’ lackluster rhymes and their obsession with social media, accusing the youth of prioritizing fly-by-night style instead of serious lyrical substance. At one point, Residente raps a mocking couplet that translates as, “I easily torture them/ I take away their Instagram and they go back to being insecure.”
The video for “Rap Bruto” starts bare-bones — black and white, lots of close-up shots, no backdrop — before becoming genuinely creepy. By the end of his verse, blood is dripping from Residente’s ears, his eyes have turned into inky pools, and new mouths have sprouted up on his face. The clip has accumulated over one million views in roughly 15 hours.
“Rap Bruto” is the latest release from Residente, who released his solo debut album last year. Calle 13 disbanded, but the group’s members are all active: the singer iLe recently released “Odio,” the lead single from an upcoming album, and producer Visitante’s Trending Tropics will put out an eponymous album later this month.
