The urban music artist René Pérez Joglar, known as Residente, announced on the social network Instagram that due to the “macabre genocide” he had decided to postpone the release of his new album in reference to the war conflict in the Gaza Strip.
“Well, that’s what I tell anyone who’s interested in my music “Since October, I have decided to postpone the release of my album and several videos that were supposed to come out this year because it is impossible for me to do so given the macabre genocide that is slowly destroying Palestine.” said the former member of the band Calle 13 in a video published on this social network.
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The singer-songwriter and activist, who has won 36 Grammy Awards, asked: “When was the day we became so dehumanized that we see boys' and girls' heads explode in front of us and we don't say anything?” Why doesn't everything stop, like in the pandemic? We stop everything and focus on what is happening in Gaza. Instead of uploading a “story” modeling clothes, showing the plate of food you eat, or the night of partying you got drunk, stop for a moment, look for information about Palestine, and denounce it Genocide that Israel is committing with the support of the United States against the civilian population of Palestine, because it is civilians who are being killed. I do this not for reasons of blame, but for reasons of peace.”
The interpreter of “'Atrévete” and other hits also said itI'm disappointed as an artist because at the recent Grammy Awards “no one said anything about this genocide, nothing.” And I understand that there are people who say nothing because they don't understand the conflict, but let's see, you say me, what do we need to understand? What's so complicated? You don't have to be a historian to put yourself in the shoes of every person who was massacred in Palestine. It's easy. It's about showing compassion, putting yourself in other people's shoes, thinking about others, thinking that the child who was just killed could be your son or your brother, or that that woman under the rubble could be your mother could be.
On the other hand, Pérez asserted that there is a rampant and constant disinformation campaign on the Palestine issue that has led people to believe that “all Palestinians are terrorists.” “That's why when I wrote 'Atrévete' as a kid, I had no fucking idea what was happening in the Middle East, I got this line that's already out, in my concerts, that's going to explode as a Palestinian. I'm ashamed Sucks for writing it. Good bastard, but what have I done? Well, I started to educate myself, to understand, to know what is really happening in Palestine, in Gaza, to understand the people and the Palestinian struggle and their desire to live freely in their land.
He added that because of the awareness he developed of the conflict in Gaza while recording the multiviral video in Palestine, “I came out with a Palestinian scarf” and that at every concert they “throw Palestinian flags at them “. us, they always throw them at us. “I stay on stage to show my support because I already know what’s happening.”
During his video, “Resident” shared his thoughts with his fellow urban artists, whom he urged to denounce the genocide in Gaza. “Just like when they released the lists of the best rappers who all cried for a month, the same way you can cry for Gaza for at least two weeks and post something that has nothing to do with you or your career, that has to do with the children who are being killed in Palestine,” he said.
He added that the complaints on social networks and the public were so overwhelming that they led to “the United Nations seeking a solution to stop the fire thanks to the demonstrations.” The mass media also had to start to show the reality of what was happening in Gaza, because they didn't and were already making a fool of themselves. “The governments of Israel and the United States are also now under pressure worldwide because we all know that they are guilty of this genocide.”
Pérez Joglar also described Gaza as the largest open-air concentration camp in the world. “I know some people call it the largest open-air prison in the world, but since the Palestinians have committed no crime, I'd better call it a concentration camp.” And why? Because they cannot leave the country unless they have special permission, and this permission is given to them by Israel. Not because of illness, not to visit relatives you haven't seen for years, not even to academics to give lectures at universities. “You can’t get out of there.”
Finally, Pérez claimed that “Israel kills everyone in Palestine whenever it wants because it knows there will be no consequences.” Abusive detentions occur, entire trucks full of civilians are arrested without clothes and tortured. There are currently 7,000 Palestinians imprisoned in Gaza, more than 2,000 of them without charge or trial. Algarete, arrested. They arrest you just because. Children up to 13 years old are locked up in prison and abused, and all of this is happening at the same time as the bombings.”
Pérez Joglar called on the public to follow the work of Palestinian journalists and photographers “who have sacrificed their lives to show us through their networks everything that the mainstream media hides.” We must all come together and demand an immediate ceasefire, because each Child murdered in Gaza today would be alive if bombing had stopped yesterday. Freedom for Palestine. And see you next year,” Residente concluded.