9 January 26 - February 1, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | Contents | Letters | news | night+Day | CuLture | Cafe | MusiC | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | 1989: I Am I, Nuclear Valdez While hip-hop, dance music, and Miami freestyle com- manded local radio airwaves in the 1980s, a thriving rock ‘n’ roll scene still held a grip on parts of the city, led by none other than Nuclear Valdez. The Nukes, as they were endearingly re- ferred to, comprised four long-haired Miami boys of either Cuban or Dominican descent with a palpable love for guitar distortion and harmonizing themes. The band garnered national attention by winning radio contests hosted by former FM rock station WSHE and domi- nated Miami’s alternative rock scene in the mid- to late ‘80s with a sound and vibe that channeled U2, the Alarm, and Mid- night Oil. Following a reported bidding war among large re- cord companies, Nuclear Valdez landed a major deal with Epic Records. The debut album’s first single, “Summer,” in- cluded a music video filmed locally that won MTV daily-loop honors for several months. The album embodied the angst, emotion, and anxiety of Miami’s politically charged immi- grant experience, abetted by hard-rock riffs, agreeable melo- dies, heart-pounding drum beats, and soulful lyrics. A second album in 1991 did not fare so well, and eventually, the record company shelved the Nukes in favor of the burgeoning grunge scene in Seattle. Nevertheless, the I Am I is a noteworthy de- but and proof of Miami’s rockier roots. Other notable alternative and indie-rock options: Nil Lara, Nil Lara (1996) No Seasons, Jacuzzi Boys (2009) 2002: ¡Fuacata! Live, Spam Allstars At the dawn of the 21st Century, Miami music was fragmenting into silos as various technologies democratized access to recorded music. Experimentation by multicultural and diverse enthusiasts resulted in subgenres that hovered over the Magic City like loose, atmospheric particles. A foreigner came to the 305 to make some sense of it and, in the process, began to shape Miami’s musical identity in the new millennium. Born in Canada and raised in London, the nomadic An- drew Yeomanson was equally at home listening to Black Sabbath as he was to Haitian rhythms. An enthusiastic re- cord collector and music archivist, Yeomanson drew from Latin and Caribbean music, American jazz, and Miami bass to form Spam Allstars, featuring Mercedes Abal, Adam Zim- mon, John Speck, AJ Hill, and Tomas Diaz. On Thursday nights at Calle Ocho’s Hoy Como Ayer, the group staged ¡Fuacata!, a weekly residency on a crammed elevated stage while clips of the 1970s bilingual PBS sitcom ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A? were projected on the wall behind them. The dance floor was dimly lit, and hipsters swayed and sweated next to 60-year-old abuelitos. It was both trendy and nostalgic and felt multi-generationally right. The authentic vibe drew national interest. Stories ap- peared in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Rolling Stone. One night, Mick Jagger stopped in. So did Prince. In 2002, the group released ¡Fuacata! Live, encompassing the blending of cultures, rhythms, and influences, along with voice clips from Álvarez Guedes, Fidel Castro, and Walter Mercado, earning the band a Latin Grammy nomination for “Best Pop Instrumental Album.” Other notable albums featuring Miami’s diverse instrumentalists: La Verdad, Locos Por Juana (2008) Modern Animal, Magic City Hippies (2019) Dreamlike, Electric Kif (2021) 2006: Port of Miami, Rick Ross In the M-I-(Y)A-Yo. Whether it’s the illicit proceeds that funded the development of commercial and high-end residential towers along Brickell Avenue, the abundance of cash deposits at local banks that compelled Congress to enhance cash activity controls, or the protests in the early 1980s about a certain film that upset the Cuban community because of how negatively it depicted the exiles, few would deny that Miami has an extensive, albeit sordid, love-hate history with white marching powder. Tony Montana’s meteoric rise from Cuban political prisoner to Mi- ami cocaine kingpin in 1983’s Scarface made the character an icon to both East and West Coast hip-hop artists. Miami-born Rick Ross goes all in with this theme in his 2006 debut album, Port of Miami, which even includes a sample of the Giorgio Moroder-produced “Push It to the Limit,” off the Brian De Palma-directed film on Ross’ opening track. The rest of this essential Miami album raps about cocaine, designer brands, and everyday hustlin’. Port of Miami hit the charts hard and scored the number-one spot on the Billboard 200 chart that year. Other notable albums that highlight Miami street life: Thugs Are Us, Trick Daddy (2001) Zuu, Denzel Curry (2019) 2011: Planet Pit, Pitbull Reggaeton is a global phenomenon. Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, Maluma, and Bad Bunny top the charts, generate billions of streams on YouTube and Spotify and sell out arenas and stadi- ums. In Miami, reggaeton is as ubiquitous as humidity. Whether you’re lying on a blanket on Miami Beach, driving with your windows down on U.S. 1, or someone’s last-minute guest on an illegal party boat on Biscayne Bay, the inescapable, methodical 80- to 90-bpm time pattern that originated in the barrios of Puerto Rico has saturated Miami’s soundscape since Daddy Yankee poured “Gasolina” over the 305 more than 15 years ago. To honor Miami’s affinity for La Isla del Encanto’s most prolific export, this list includes the rhymes and rhythms of our very own Latin rhyme spitter, Pitbull. Pitbull’s music combines elements of reggaeton and juicy old-school crunk. In 2011’s Planet Pit, the artist formerly known as “Mr. 305” launched himself into the stratosphere as he sped up the bpm and incor- porated danceable pop melodies into the mix. Planet Pit is a Mi- ami-style all-inclusive party with a guest list befitting an atomic splash, finding Pitbull mingling with Ne-Yo, Afrojack, Marc An- thony, T-Pain, Enrique Inglesias, and even Jamie Foxx, an im- pressive roster to take himself and the 305 worldwide. The album even features the rapper’s first number-one hit, “Give Me Everything.” Mission accomplished. ¡Dale! Other notable Miami reggaeton-influenced albums: M.I.A.M.I., Pitbull (2004) Íntimo, Nicky Jam (2019) [email protected]
