stranger to making controversial art. On Wednesday, the Puerto Rican rap star released his intensely graphic short film for “Quiero Ser Baladista,” or “I Want to Be a Ballad Singer,” in which he calls out the commercialism of the Latin music industry with the help ofThe video opens with the rapper being shot in an elevator as his killer places a hat with his signature [R] logo back on his head.
Midway through the visual, Residente pulls a kidnapped man — played by Afo Verde, the chairman of Sony Music Latin Iberia — out of a car and seats him as Residente begins to sing and sardonically declares that “he wants to be a ballad singer” and a pop star who doesn’t ruffle feathers. Residente then — in a silly wig and a dress shirt and jacket — attempts to convince the executive to sign him as he performs a cheesy slow song and does silly choreo poking fun at empty balladeers.
After his performance , the rapper removes his wig and shoots the executive, before a masked man shoots Residente from behind and takes on Residente’s personality as he puts on his [R] hat. Wearing the cap, Residente’s voice overtakes Martin’s body. Matin launches into spitfire verses, name-checking Bad Bunny with the lyric: “I just recite my lyrics and they get thrown out like the phones Benito throws.” In another lyrics, he also seems to tease Maluma and his message of world peace.with mostly meaningless lyrics: “You’re missing what I have here/I’m missing what you have there/And if you can’t come here, well close your eyes there/Imagine yourself here with me.