On May 17, 2014, he performed the “Tempo Freedom” concert at the José M. Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico. (Archive)
March 2, 2024 • 11:48 am
David Sanchez Badilloin the urban genre known as tempo, would have his 24-year federal drug trafficking sentence expire in April. The Ponce artist has been in the free community ever since April 9, 2014when he was allowed to serve the remainder of the sentence on supervised release.
What happened?
- The rapper was arrested on October 17, 2002 for a drug offense along with producer Francisco “Buddha” Tomás Muriel, who was exonerated in 2004 and died in 2007.
- Sánchez Badillo was found guilty Distributing cocaine, heroin, crack and marijuanain addition to owning one Firearm.
- He was convicted in June 2004.
- The prison sentence imposed in 2004 was initially set at 24 years.
- In 2011, in an evidentiary hearing in the federal court in Old San Juan with Judge Daniel Domínguez, it was decided to reduce the rapper's sentence. The decision was based primarily on Sánchez Badillo's admission of drug trafficking in the past.
- One of the agreements that made this concession possible was participation in a substance abuse program. He was also required to complete 500 hours of social work in public housing in Puerto Rico.
- After spending 11 years and 6 months in United States prisons, he arrived in Puerto Rico in October 2013.
- In April 2014, he joined the Free Community under supervised release. This year he revealed to the press that he had distracted himself by playing basketball during his time in prison. He also completed 11 courses in psychology.
- In an interview with Primera Hora in 2019, he specified compliance with the remaining sentence This is not probation, but rather supervised release. “I have no bondage. I can stay until it's out. I can travel. I have a so-called open travel request, which the judge granted me after I left. I just have to write a note saying I’m leaving.”
- Tempo also expressed to this medium that the confrontation with the law had taught him lessons. “I have worked in seven different prisons in the United States. But I learned my lesson, I paid a price. I made a mistake. Everyone knows it's no secret what I did. I paid with almost 12 years of my life in prison“.
Other encounters with the law
- On June 8, 2017, he was arrested by San Juan Highway Patrol Division officers and held at a police station in Hato Rey for alleged traffic violations and possession of controlled substances. He was released hours later after authorities found no evidence in the vehicle he was traveling in.
- Early in the morning of September 18, 2018, he suffered an accident in Caguas in which he lost control of his vehicle and ended up in a pasture. The rapper's bus was found abandoned in the area. Tempo later clarified that he was dazed at the time of the accident and decided to exit his vehicle and walk to his apartment near the scene of the accident. He said he suffered blows to his collarbone and neck.
His career
- David Sánchez Badillo was born on September 25, 1977 in Ponce.
- The rapper, also known as the “Lion of the South,” has been active in the urban music scene for more than two decades, with reggaeton, trap and other fusion songs including dancehall and drill.
- Her discography includes the studio albums “Game Over” (1999), “New Game” (2000) and “Free Tempo” (2009).
- His songs include “Narcohampón,” “Amén,” “Qué es tu nombre,” “Contra Men,” “25. September” (His date of birth)”, “I'm the best at this”, “More fame and money”. “, “There is no forgiveness”, “They want to kill me”, “Your game” and “Masochist”.
- On May 17, 2014, he returned to the stages of his country with the “Tempo Freedom” concert at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico. The show featured the collaboration of artists Daddy Yankee, Wisin, Fat Joe, J Álvarez, JKing & Maximan and others.
- In 2017 he played in a “lyrical war” with the urban artist René Pérez. The tiraera began in May with “Calle Sin Salida” by Tempo. René Pérez responded with “I'm sorry.” In June of the same year, Tempo released the song “El grosso” and René Pérez responded with the song “La cátedra”. In October, after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, the Interpreters put aside their rivalry to unite and bring supplies to help residents of La Perla in Old San Juan.
- The reggaeton artist has tried to stay active by releasing new singles, including “Mi mundo,” “Asalto,” “Buenos dias neighbor,” “Yo seguir firm,” and others.