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Vico C: A Self-taught Philosopher
Vico C: A self-taught philosopher
Vico C, the most popular Latin
philosopher and urban poet of recent times, returns after a few years of absence
with a new and powerful album. As one of the pioneers of the musical movement
that eventually gave birth to Reggaeton, Vico C shows us with this new album
that he is still the leader.
Twenty years of musical career are
transformed into Vico C’s more recent album "Babilla,” in stores on Ocotber 6,
2009. "Babilla" is a story of many chapters. The songs and themes recurring on
his lyrics intertwine with each other in a manner only representative of the
style of the Philosopher of Rap. Songs like “Babilla”, “Sentimiento”, “Prueba de
Farmacia”, “Moriré” and "Angelina" will mark the new generations of the Latin
Urban movement.
This new project includes the collaboration of many
important and talented artists of the genre, like Arcangel, Yaga y Mackie, Wiso
G, Gustavo Laureano, Angel Lopez and Andy Montañez. The first single, the title
track, hit the airwaves on July 1st and has been rotating strongly in New York
and Puerto Rico. The second single, “Sentimiento” will be released at the end of
August.
Luis Armando Lozada Cruz was born on Sept. 8, 1971 in Brooklyn,
New York. Soon after, his family moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico where his
parents saw early on that their son had artistic talent so they decided to
enroll him in theater lessons. The stage helped him develop his talent, but he
didn’t decide what he wanted to do with his life until he heard a certain song.
In 1980, “Rapper’s Delight” became a radio hit and inspired Luis Lozada
to dream of his future. At the age of thirteen years old he begins the art of
Spanish Rap, not English like everyone else. He forms a team with DJ Negro and
they begin to record their art clandestinely. It is here, in the streets of
Puerto Rico that a new music genre is born, Latin Hip Hop and Reggaetón.
Inspired by Run DMC and the Sugar Hill Gang, Luis in 1984 formalized his
career, naming himself Vico, and adding the C simply as a novelty. By the end of
the 1980s, his independent release LA RECTA FINAL had become a collector’s item
for his fans. In 1990 he releases “Me Acuerdo,” in 1991 “Bomba para Afincar,” in
1992 two new songs that earned him gold and platinum records: “Saborealo” and
“María” and in 1993 “Explosión”
Vico C continued with CON PODER, AQUEL
QUE HABÍA MUERTO (more than 300,000 sold in the United States), VIVO (Latin
Grammy winner), EMBOSCADA (Latin Grammy nominee) and also a number of
greatest-hits collections and special collectors’ editions.
Everything
seemed to be going perfectly until a motorcycle accident changed his life and
led him to a new awakening. This event left him in a deep depression and caused
him to seek shelter in a world that could seemingly take him away from his
emotional suffocation: a world of drugs.
“As is normal, I began smoking
marijuana in the barrio, before I was famous. And I’d say that I moved to
cocaine because I was influenced by the bad friendships that appear in this
environment, there’s always someone offering it to you. But it got worse after
the accident, when I was banged up. They prescribed me a cornucopia of medicine
and since I couldn’t sing, I fell into a depression and I decided it was best
for me to be anesthesized all the time,” he explains.
While living in
Orlando, Florida, Vico C experienced the solitude of a prison cell, though he
never let it overwhelm him. To the contrary, it was a time when he felt closer
than ever to his family and friends. It was also at this time in his life when
he endured the loss of his mother to a serious illness.
Instead of
giving up in the midst of all these tragedies, Vico was motivated to change his
life again. In prison, he decided to start recording a new album. The album EN
HONOR A LA VERDAD was released in 2003 and shows the artist with an open heart
and his talent reinforced by his experiences and newfound wisdom. The
entertainment industry recognized it with a Grammy as Best Urban Record. In 2005
Vico C releases "Desahogo", an album that received a Grammy and Premios Lo
Nuestro nominations.
Vico C is a legend in Latino popular culture. His
philosophy of life is the same one he expresses in his songs. His education and
life lessons come from his drug addiction to his Christian awakening, from life
in the San Juan barrios to the stages of the Grammy and Billboard awards, from
the intimacy of a family that supports him, to the ovations of a continent that
acclaims him.
“I feel very grateful that the people have forgiven me for
so many things. I feel like I’ve regained ground not just as a public figure,
but as a man,” he says.
Now, Vico C is enjoying his life and career to
the fullest, eager to reconnect with his public, which he considers his best
friends.
This is the story of a man who created a philosophy out of his
personal experiences, and in turn created art out of his philosophy.
Soy
un filosofo sin doctorado (I’m a philosopher without a doctorate) Porque en la
calle yo me he graduado (Because I’ve graduated in the streets)
Soy el
filósofo (I’m the philosopher)
Sabiduría y demás (Wisdom and plenty of
it)
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