As we observed the Martin Luther King, Jr. day, I reflected on two books I read recently which pointed out racism in Latin music. Is there still racism in Latin music?<\/p>\n
Note: I originally wrote this blog for Martin Luther King Jr. day in 2014. I’m republishing it and translated it to Spanish due to the situation we are living these days regarding #BlackLivesMatter.<\/em><\/p>\n In his book “1 Bala, 2 Combos, y 1 Vida<\/em>“, the late El Gran Combo saxophonist Eddie “La Bala” Perez<\/a> narrated how sometimes hotels would ask Cortijo y su Combo and El Gran Combo<\/a> in their earlier days, to enter through the kitchen and not the main door as they were bands of black musicians.<\/p>\n Puerto Rican crooner Ruth Fernandez<\/a> narrated a similar story in one of the Banco Popular de Puerto Rico Christmas specials and other interviews. Here’s a video of her story.<\/p>\nExamples of Racism in Latin Music<\/h3>\n