His name iss Pablo Jaramillo, but in the music world he is known as Ha$lo Pablitoa 24-year-old artist who makes songs so typical of Bogotá that when you listen to them you feel like you’re riding on a TransMilenio, shopping in the most famous stores, eating empanadas on the corner or simply living the daily life of a citizen walking the streets of the Colombian capital.
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After having made songs for TransMilenio, Only and D1 or the cigarette peche, Ha$lo Pablito already has La cumbia del Tigre playing loudly, the song that welcomed soccer player Radamel Falcao García to Millonarios, one of the two most representative soccer clubs in the capital.
In an interview with EL TIEMPO, the Bogota rapper spoke about his musical career, the birth of this song and what it was like to meet the player.
Your music is characterized by addressing Bogota experiences and symbols characteristic of the city. How do you choose which specific things can represent the city?
The process of writing these songs is very spontaneous. They are songs that come from my experiences and from the context of being from Bogotá. I couldn’t write anything I write if I didn’t live in Bogotá. It’s a very big city with a great variety of elements that characterize it. I speak from the perspective of the student, the unemployed, and everything I’ve been.
He is one of the artists who represents the trap genre in both Bogotá and Colombia. It is a genre that is often mixed with the reggaeton scene. Have you seen its evolution as an independent genre in the country?
For years, many rappers and reggaeton artists have been flirting with the genre, but only now has a Colombian trap movement as such been created. Artists like Pirlo or Kris R, in Medellín, are committed to this genre. However, I don’t really like the scene because it still doesn’t propose anything that goes beyond the commonplace of trap, which is talking about drugs or women. That’s valid, but the essence should be sought in the lyrics of what is experienced in Colombia, that’s what I try to do: speak from the position of a middle-class person from Bogotá.
Let’s talk about La cumbia del Tigre. How did the idea of making the song come about?
I’ve been a lifelong Millonarios fan and I’ve been thinking about writing a song for the team for a while, but the opportunity never came up. With the arrival of Falcao they called me to play in the blue welcome, But the conversation escalated until I suggested making a song for Falcao, and they said yes. The challenge was huge because we had to release the song in less than 15 days.
And how did you manage to make the song in just 15 days?
In those almost two weeks that we had to make the song, I met with my team and we thought about many things. We were thinking of making it in rap or trap, but we ended up choosing cumbia because we wanted the fans and the people to like it. Throughout the composition, love and the desire to make a song for Millonarios were very present and that helped it come out quickly.
Did you have the chance to go to Falcao’s presentation at El Campín?
Yes, of course, they told us we could go. When I arrived at the stadium they took us to the field, and I couldn’t believe it. The idea wasn’t to stay on the field, but I acted like I was crazy and stayed. The song started playing unexpectedly throughout the stadium and they put me on the giant screen. I was in tears of emotion.
Did you speak to Falcao?
I had been told that it would not be possible to meet him, but I brought the graphic piece of the song just in case. When the players were about to enter the locker room, I asked one of the people in charge of the event if I could give the drawing of the song to Falcao. When the person said yes, I ran onto the field, some guards tried to stop me (laughs). I stood in front of Falcao and, very nervous, I told him: “I make music, I made you a song called The cumbia of the tiger And this is the art of the theme. I wanted to give it to you. Thank you for coming to Millonarios, the greatest in history.” Falcao hugged me and that was it. It was a dream come true.
How do you define your connection with Millonarios?
I remember being a Millonarios fan since I was 8 years old. My grandparents are from Santa Fe, and I became a Millonarios fan because I wanted to be contrary. Also, my favorite color is blue. My first game at the stadium was Millonarios vs. Tolima, 2-2, goals by Omar Vásquez and Yovanny Arrechea.
What are your expectations for Falcao?
The first goal is the hardest part. As soon as the first one is scored, the rest will come. I bet he will score about ten goals this season and hopefully we will win the championship with him on the team.
What stories about Bogotá do you think need to be told?
There are many that I haven’t told. The stories that taxi drivers tell give a lot to talk about, just like you can find on a TransMilenio trip. I would even like to write a song for Icetex because I still owe them (laughs). It’s about continuing to live in Bogotá and there will continue to be stories.
Who are the Changua Boys?
People think that the Changua Boys are someone in particular, but they are my friends. My group. At the beginning, all my friends helped me make videos, make music, production, and it is something that I am very grateful for. Changua is Changua, and the rest is broth.
What has been the greatest achievement of your career so far?
As the name of my first album says, I’m living the fucking dream. Having known Europe thanks to music is something very beautiful. And, since we’re talking about La cumbia del Tigre, having embraced Falcao is a great achievement.
Gabriel Avila
FOR TIME
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