Narcocorrido

A narcocorrido (Spanish pronunciation: [naɾkokoˈriðo], "narco-corrido" or drug ballad) is a subgenre of the Regional Mexican corrido (narrative ballad) genre, from which several other genres have evolved. This type of music is heard and produced on both sides of the Mexico–US border. It uses a danceable, polka, waltz or mazurka rhythmic base.

The first corridos that focus on drug smugglers—the narco comes from "narcotics"—have been dated by Juan Ramírez-Pimienta to the 1930s. Early corridos (non-narco) go back as far as the Mexican Revolution of 1910, telling the stories of revolutionary fighters. Music critics have also compared narcocorrido lyrics and style to gangster rap and mafioso rap.[1][2]

Narcocorrido lyrics refer to particular events and include real dates and places.[3] The lyrics tend to speak approvingly of illegal activities, mainly drug trafficking.

  1. ^ Ramírez-Pimienta, Juan Carlos (2004). "Del corrido de narcotráfico al narcocorrido: Orígenes y desarrollo del canto a los traficantes". Studies in Latin American Popular Culture (in Spanish). 23: 21–41.
  2. ^ Hodgson, Martin (19 September 2004). "Death in the midday sun". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 May 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  3. ^ Musica Regional Mexicana para toda la Plebada! | Corridos | Musica Nortena | Musica de Banda | Musica Duranguense | Mexican Music Archived 2010-05-12 at the Wayback Machine[failed verification]