Jorge J. Muñiz Ortiz / EFE
Puerto Rican artist Vico C, known as “The Philosopher of Rap” and historian of this musical genre, celebrates his 50th birthday this Wednesday, half a century that “always” saw the arrival despite all the falls suffered in the his life.
“Every year that is fulfilled is a success considering all the evil that exists, diseases or accidents that can happen,” reflected Luis Armando Lozada Cruz, real name of this pioneer of Latin rap.
Vico C was born in New York, precisely where he started the hip-hop movement and where he lived his first 5 years, until his family moved to Carolina, a town bordering San Juan.
Influenced by Anglo-Saxon hip-hop, which includes rap, breakdance, and graffiti, Vico C began composing his early songs.
But it wasn’t until he signed up to perform in a singing competition hosted by Puerto Rican producer DJ Negre that his talent and mastery of the stage came to light.
Vico C, just 17 years old, and DJ Negre teamed up to release the cassette “La recta final” in 1989. The production featured the tracks “Friday the 13th,” “Love Exists,” and “Taste, Sex, and Consequence,” and the production’s namesake.
As reflected by “The Philosopher of Rap”, age “does not make much difference” as a factor of being a gifted in composition and becoming a musical phenomenon, but, he stressed, rather has to do the interest and talent of the person.
After “The Final Straight,” Vico C released “Hispanic Soul,” which included the hits “Bomb to Settle,” “The Englishwoman,” and “Sweet, Sexy, Sensual,” which was a huge success.
They were followed by another album, “Xplosion”, which included the hits “Savor-“, “Cosa nostra de barri” and “Maria”.
But not all was good news, on a trip to perform in the Dominican Republic he suffered a serious motorcycle accident.
FROM MORPHINE TO HEROINE
As part of his treatment, Vico C received morphine to soothe the pain and later became addicted to this drug and heroin.
“Yes, I thought I was going to be in my 50s, although along the way I may have died from a drug overdose,” he admitted. “But out of that fear I had the faith that God would not let me die and I always visualized myself getting here.”
After the accident he had to act sitting in a chair, which he describes as his first “comeback” to music.
He later prepared “With Power” (1996), but after the release he returned to approaching drugs.
The artist, however, returned to the art world and in late 1998 released the production “The One Who Died”, which includes another of his hits, “Tony Presidi”.
After this record, Vico C worked on his new production, “Ambush”, which earned him his first Latin Grammy for Best Urban Music Album in 2003.
HE FALLS INTO PRISON
However, again, after the success came an accident on his way and shortly after receiving this award the rapper was jailed for six months for drug possession.
He compared this time of imprisonment to his half-century of life that he celebrates this Wednesday, reflecting that being imprisoned “one gets used to” the days that pass, but now it is “the other way around”. , he assures.
He spent time in prison writing and managed to compose ten songs for the album “In Honor of the Truth”, which earned him another Latin Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Urban Music Album.
A year later, this father of four released the album “Relief”, in which Eddie Dee, Ivy Queen, La Mala Rodríguez and Gilberto Santa Rosa collaborated.
ITS HIGHEST MOMENT
His latest work is “Babilla”, released in 2009, and which Vico C considers to be his highest moment in his musical career.
“It’s the best record I’ve ever done,” the artist said of an album featuring collaborations from Archangel, Yaga and Mackie, Wiso G, Gustavo Laureano and Andy Montañez.
Currently, Vico C is preparing to release a new album and has even saved an endless number of songs that he hopes to include on an album to release once he dies.
“I prefer to keep them and have a guaranteed product with my family,” he said.
“This is not limited to a business selling music, but a desire to change lives, and as this is on the agenda, as there is always a lot to do. It’s a project that never ends and my music has it has been a tool to not only do good to people, but for myself, for my identity and society, “he said.