El Segundo: Cris MJ, Machismo, and Donald Trump
Bienvenido's to the second edition of El Pinchadisco
Welcome to El Pinchadisco. I’m Liam.
Let’s run this back. Following last week, I felt inspired to continue the journey of newsletter writing, excited to learn, create, and disseminate more information about Latin music and the world around us.
This week will take us in a similar direction as last week, using Latin music to analyze the intricacies of our world.
If this is your first time here, welcome — and if it’s your second, welcome back. Our journey continues, and I’m grateful you’re here. Whether you like Latin music or not, this is the place for you to be — trust me.
So without further ado, let’s get to it…
Cris MJ, Kali Uchis, & JHAYCO: Si No Es Contigo (Remix)
We’ll start right where we left off.
As you might remember, there was a reaction video at the bottom of my newsletter from last week on the song Si No Es Contigo (If It’s Not With You), originally created by the Chilean artist Cris MJ and remixed with the Columbian-American Kali Uchis & the Puerto Rican JHAYCO.
Let’s get real:
There’s not many songs that get more reggaeton, flashy, and sexy as this: a combination of middle eastern rhythms and street-inspired vocals make this song a stunner that leaves no doubt why it’s a chart-topper.
Low quality, night-vision, hand-cam and fish-eye cinematography stylizes the music video, complimenting the luxurious lifestyle of sports cars, jet-skis, jewelry, and more donned by the artists.
The lyrics of the song fit classically into the genre of reggaeton: love, intimacy, commitment, and sexual desire are the central principles of this piece, combining ideas of romanticism from the three Latin cultures represented in the artists behind the song: Chile, Puerto Rico, and Colombia/United States.
Un poquito más:
Let’s learn a little bit more by dissecting the lyrics of the song, and seeing where it takes us:
“Gata, aprovechémono,'mamita, casémono’” (Cris MJ, chorus)
“Gata, let's take advantage of it, mamita, let's get married” — here, Cris MJ uses Latin colloquial language to allude to ideas of intimacy.
“Gata” — directly translated to “cat” — is Puerto Rican slang referring to a woman who is very good looking.
“Mamita” — is another allusion to intimacy. Culturally translated to “hot mama,” the word controversially carries a historical connection to the sexual objectification of women.
“Mami, qué rico te queda, pantycito rojo que a mí me modela” (Cris MJ, verse one)
“Mami, it looks so good on you, little red pantyhose that she models for me” — a continuation of sexual and intimate allusions and imagery.
“Mami” — another intimate reference, similar to “gata” and “mamita.”
Pantyhose are commonly a sign of seduction and elegance, especially with the color red — an emotional color of passion, love, and intimacy.
“Conmigo está ready, le compro Bottega” (Cris MJ, verse one)
“She’s ready with mе, I'll buy her Bottega” — a reference to the designer brand Bottega Veneta, renowned for their handbags, shoes, accessories, jewelry and fragrances.
Consistent allusions to other luxury brands such as Chanel and Amiri are seen throughout the song, describing the growing connection between reggaeton and fashion.
So what…?
Sexy. Intimate. Romanticizing. Adjectives reminiscent of loyalty, reassurance, and pleasure dominate this song; a heartwarming cry of love by the three Latin artists.
But there is a deeper level to this — and a slightly more controversial one.
Consistently seen within Si No Es Contigo and the wide genre of Latin music (specifically reggaeton), there is reference to the objectification of women — on both an individual and societal level. From sexual remarks to the reinforcement of traditional gender roles for both women and men, the idea of machismo plagues Latin music.
Machismo — a traditional cultural behavior pattern common in Latin American countries — can be exhibited in toxic ways, including through “violence, dominance, emotional illiteracy, sexual entitlement, and hostility to femininity,” according to Michael Flood, Professor of Sociology at Queensland University of Technology.
Real talk:
The presence of machismo in modern day music speaks largely to the issues circling our society regarding equality, freedom of choice, and more. While machismo is something rooted in culture, sharpened over centuries with the reinforcement of traditional gender roles, there are other effects that rely on the mindset of traditional machismo that ARE highly controversial, pressing, and at stake in our current world.
Machismo — or any variant of it, from toxic masculinity to the female version of the behavior, marianismo — can be seen in any level of society, from interpersonal relationships to political systems.
So let’s address the elephant in the room…
With America’s presidential leadership passed to another man — one with a history of behavioral patterns consistent with toxic machismo — a sentiment of fear hangs in the air, especially in regard to freedom of choice, in which Donald Trump’s opinions have been muddled.
Toxic machismo rhetoric is also common with the former president’s speeches, conversations, and appearances on media. Here are a few examples of quotes he has said over the past few years that delineate this:
"When you're a star, they let you do it."
“You can either go down in history as a patriot … or you can go down in history as a pussy.”
"You know what, people don't like her. Nobody likes her. She could never be the first woman president. She could never be. That would be an insult to our country."
"She was so filthy, dirty, disgusting. She was so dirty. Every word was filthy, dirty. What a loser she is."
"If she were a man, I don't think she'd get 5 percent of the vote."
"You know, it doesn't really matter what [the media] writes as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of ass."
There is no question that these quotes embody the worst parts of toxic masculinity, whether taken in context or out of it. From using demeaning language that puts women down to objectifying women blatantly, be aware of this rhetoric as there is no question it will help shape the policies, decisions, and events of the next four years.
Full circle:
Let’s remember where we started: Si No Es Contigo. Latin music. Lyrics, machismo, political systems, Donald Trump.
Ultimately, this is not a trash on Cris MJ’s chart topper, but rather a way to connect underlying social issues on a global level, using culture, time, and space to dissect modern-day injustices.
As always, I would like to highlight what this newsletter is based on — Latin music — and my collective love for it, shared by the majority (I hope) of my readers. Keep on listening — make sure to plug Cris MJ, Kali Uchis, JHAYCO, and more into your queue, and remember to keep in mind your global positionality and the people around you.
Want more?
Check out a video of me reacting to King Savagge’s A200 with Jairo Vera and Bayron Fire, which could be on next week’s edition of El Pinchadillo. If you have any information on the song, you can contact me at l_ferguson2023 [at] coloradocollege [dot] edu.
I’m Liam Cardenas Ferguson, a Chilean-American student studying journalism, film, and environmental studies at Colorado College. Storytelling is a passion of mine, illuminating what only a few know for the knowledge of the public. My art portfolio that contains the stories I’ve told can be found at @liamsxhib on Instagram. If you enjoy this newsletter, please consider subscribing — it’s free.