Vico C, The man who opened doors for Reggaeton and Latin Rap Artists of the Future
August 8, 2005
Vico C is one of the most accomplish Rappers in Latin America. He started his music career back to the days of American Rap stars Run DMC , LL Cool J and Ice T . He acquired the C in his name because of a promise of a T-shirt with his name on it from his friend who was to visit New York. Another friend from around the neighborhood had purchase a similar T-shirt on his visit to New York with the letter C next to his name. Being young and naïve, Vico assumed that the C was a popular thing in New York at that time and requested the same type of shirt for him as a souvenir. Needless to say, he never received the shirt, but the C has stuck with him all these years.
Born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico , Vico C has made a name for himself at an early age. He is a very passionate and eloquent speaker on any subject. Anyone who knows him will say that he is one of the most down -to-earth person you will ever meet in the music business. Although English is his second language, he never has a problem getting his point across. He is known to the music world as “ The Philosopher .” When he speaks one cannot help but feel that they are speaking to someone great. Vico is considered one of the pioneers of Spanish rap and Reggaeton. This statement alone humbles him and makes him feel honored that fans think of him in this way. He, however, does not want people to associate the name Vico C and the word “pioneer” with someone who is ancient. With Old school rappers like LL Cool J still going strong and looking as sexy as ever, a grampa like image imprinted in the minds of die hard fans should be is the last thing he worries about.
Starting his music career in the 80's was not difficult for Vico because he was not focused on the intricacies of the industry. He was doing something he loved. For him rapping was a passion and he liked how people responded to hearing what he had to say. His first years as a Rap star in Latin America were a breeze. Vico recalls that it only became difficult when he saw that he needed not only to earn the respect of his fans, but those in the industry. He not only represented Hip-hop, which was something new, but also the streets of Puerto Rico where he grew up.
When it came to the music industry he began to make sacrifices in areas like his dress and had to create a style that would be accepted by the Latin music mainstream. He calls the style that he created for himself “elegant urban”, which consisted of a suit with the shirt which was not tuck in similar to that of the stars of the television show Miami Vice . He also experimented musically to try to find the style that would be suitable to both the industry and his fans.
His journey parallels that of those in Hip-hop in the United Stated, but went virtually unnoticed to those who did not speak Spanish. Although his work was of the same quality of those in the United States Vico stated, “Hip-hoppers in English may know of those who do Hip-hop in Spanish, but for the most part they didn't really care because they didn't understand the language anyway. It's two different worlds. However, we recognized and respect them because Hip-hop originated from the states. I don't really focus on [Markets in the United States] because I am just doing my thing. I present the lyrics in the language that I speak. I used the words in a language that people around me used and I didn't have to feel like a sell out. I feel good about that.” English speaking people were not the ones buying his music at the time and he simply did what he needed to do to please his audience. It is also known that Vico considers his audience his best friends.
Vico never felt the pressure to Rap in English because he thought that he need to express exactly what he felt in his heart. The most efficient way for him to communicate was in his native language, Spanish. Fans would agree that attempting to rap in English may have destroyed the essence of the message was sending. For Vico, there is no loss from not breaking into U. S markets because he was not doing it to simply sell records. He feels it is more important for people to remember his message rather than simply recognizing him as a famous Puerto Rican. “It would be a difficult job for me to give the same feeling, and realness to my message in English as I do in Spanish. It's more important for me to be real all the time, whether or not I am saying something in English and in Spanish. I am already tired of different aspects of the business. I don't get as happy as I did when I first traveled. When it was new it was great. Now it‘s my job, but I still need to make sure I am passionate about what I do. It's important to me that what I am doing has meaning and that it comes from the heart”
Some of Vico's old material has been used and an educational tool in college class rooms. Vico states that this simply helps him feel comfortable with his presence in the world and makes him happy to see that his life has meaning. “I feel that I am useful,” he said with pride. He was just fifteen when he made “La Recta Final”. Vico points out that at that time in his life there was still so much that he had to learn. He tried to use the words that he knew to get his message across.
Vico feels that he has matured since he began and it can be seen in his work. “My message is the same, but it has deeper meaning. I always spoke about what I felt and I still believe in the same things. My work has matured with me over the years. Back then and even now I continued to speak what was happening around me without losing the essence of my original style. I have developed better quality in my work, bigger words, bigger productions, and more complete musical arrangements”
Many fans want to know what their favorite celebrities are doing to give back to the community. Vico feels that people need more from the government. “You never really see government officials going to the neighborhoods and dealing with households directly to access their needs and try to make changes.” He says. He feels that his music picks up where the government stops. It is not that he is doing more, but he is simply doing what is in his power. “You can have all the commercials that you can afford that tell kids to say no to drugs, but when you present someone who is famous, and looked up to, that has lived through the pains of drug addiction the message is more powerful. The people who listen to my songs know that my message comes from the heart and this has a much better impact on today's youth. It's my choice to write about what ever I want. No one is paying me to say words they want me to use. I could use subjects and words that will ensure that I make millions of dollars. When people see that I choose to write about my drug addiction and what I have been through personally, and that is more special to them and the message is accepted positively. For example I could change who I am, my style and message, because reggaeton is on top but I don't want to lose who I am because of money. People respect me for that.”
When Vico C was addicted to heroin he almost lost everything. His money and car was gone and he was just another addict. He stated that it would have been much easier for him is he wasn't famous before his struggle with drugs. What hurt the most is when people recognized him as Vico C and not just another junkie from around they way. Seeing the damage his diction to heroin caused his family was a wake up call for Vico. To turn himself around he had to find a solid foundation to rebuild his life. It took him three years to get back on track. He feels he could have never accomplished anything without the support of his family.
The future of Reggaeton is always a topic of debate in the United States. Vico feels that people have to be open to change and not continue to use the elements in Reggaeton that at times makes one song sound like another. Latinos will then be able to continue to stay on top in the music industry worldwide. A little change will make the genre a lot stronger and it will continue to grow. His album Desahogo , which was released this past spring, is very popular among reggaeton fans. Vico has also been featured on a few compilation CDs such as Mas Flow 2 . Whether it is Reggaeton, Latin Hip-hop or Christian Rap, fans of Vico are always eager to here what he has to offer next.
