residente feat. ibeyi

Biography

René Pérez Joglar, known professionally as Residente (born February 23, 1978), is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker who emerged as one of Latin music's most critically acclaimed and socially conscious artists. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Residente developed an early interest in art, music, and left-wing politics. He studied fine art for 8 years, earning a master's degree in art from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia, before returning to Puerto Rico in 2003. During his studies, he created his stage name "Residente Calle 13" to reconnect with childhood memories and began writing poems and rap songs during his free time.

Residente co-founded the alternative rap group Calle 13 with his stepbrother Visitante (Eduardo José Cabra Martínez) in 2004, achieving breakthrough success with their 2005 self-titled debut album. The group became known for its eclectic musical style blending reggaeton, hip-hop, rock, and traditional Latin American music, combined with socially conscious and often sarcastic lyrics. Calle 13 released five platinum albums between 2005 and 2013, with all recordings charting globally and multiple singles reaching the top of various charts. The group won 24 Latin Grammy Awards, the most awarded to a single group in Latin music history, before going on hiatus after their 2013 album Multi_Viral.

In 2015, Residente announced his solo career, inspired by a genealogical DNA test that revealed his ancestry traced to 10 different locations worldwide, including Armenia, Ghana, China, and Puerto Rico. He released his self-titled debut solo album in 2017, accompanied by a documentary and book of the same name, recorded across multiple countries featuring diverse international musical styles and indigenous instruments. Throughout his career, Residente has won four Grammy Awards and 29 Latin Grammy Awards—more than any other Latin artist—and has been recognized for his social activism, humanitarian work with UNICEF and Amnesty International, and his commitment to championing educational and native rights across Latin America. In November 2015, he received the Nobel Peace Summit Award for his commitment to social awareness and promoting peace.

Fun Facts

• Residente created his stage name "Residente Calle 13" while studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design to relive memories from his childhood, and he began writing poems and rap songs during his free time to relieve academic pressure.
• Before Calle 13 was signed to a record label, Residente was working as a draftsman for an architectural firm when he received the call that the group had been signed; he directed and edited the music video for their breakthrough single "Se Vale Tó-Tó" on a budget of just $14,000.
• Residente's solo album was inspired by a DNA genealogical test that revealed his ancestry traced back to 10 different locations around the world; he traveled to countries including Siberia, Georgia, Moscow, China, Burkina Faso, and Ghana, collaborating with local musicians playing indigenous instruments.
• Residente has won 29 Latin Grammy Awards—more than any other Latin artist in history—and received the Nobel Peace Summit Award in November 2015 for his commitment to social awareness and promoting peace.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Visitante (Eduardo José Cabra Martínez) - Stepbrother and co-founder of Calle 13; studied music at the University of Puerto Rico and collaborated on musical composition and production (Calle 13 albums (2005-2013)) [2003-present]

Key Collaborators

• Visitante - Co-founder and primary creative partner in Calle 13; Residente wrote lyrics while Visitante constructed beats (Five Calle 13 albums from self-titled debut (2005) to Multi_Viral (2013)) [2004-2013]
• Bad Bunny - Featured collaboration on reggaeton single (Bellacoso) [2019]
• K'naan, Snow Tha Product, Riz MC - Featured artists on socially conscious track (Immigrants (We Get the Job Done) from Hamilton Mixtape) [2016]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia