While Friday the 13th is usually considered to be an unlucky day or the day after which Jason Voorhees’ franchise is named after, it is safe to say that Puerto Ricans have found ways to make this date a little different. While Puerto Rican rap legend Vico C has made two songs dedicated to this date and involved Jason Voorhees in them in some way, shape or form, Friday, April the 13th was completely different from the scary and/or violent scenes from any Jason movie. Back in 1989, Vico C released his first “Viernes 13” in his album La Recta Final and the second part in 1990’s Mision: La Cama, both of which told a story about the rapper’s fictional confrontation with the famous horror movie killer Jason Voorhees. However, on Friday April 13th saw the release of two video singles which heavily feature one of the triggering elements that sets Voorhees in his killing sprees: sex.
(image used for the 24 year anniversary of the first part of Vico C’s “Viernes 13” as found in Primera Hora)
Starting off with the much awaited “Thinkin’” by Bad Bunny, Anuel AA and Future, one can find a trap single bringing together two worlds: the one that made trap famous, in Future, and the newly emerging sub-genre, in Bad Bunny and Anuel AA who represent Latin Trap. By these three joining forces one can find a tune that will go perfectly alongside with many other songs in the genre as it does little to be different sound-wise and lyrically. While the track does feature lyrics in English and Spanish, these are not enough to make it that much different from the rest of the trap bangers being released on a daily basis. However, with a video like the one used to promote the song, one can find originality coming into the sub-genre that currently dominates the rap and pop charts. The visuals to accompany the collaborative single is an animation made in the style of Japanese anime which features the three rappers in a strip club alongside scenes of them showing off their money and luxuries, all of which reflect the tune’s lyrics. While, the concept may not be the most original, it is the fact that the video is animated and that it looks like an anime that makes it so different. Never has a Puerto Rican been featured in such animation and the amount of times African Americans have appeared in this style doesn’t amount to many. That is why this video single is so meaningful, it gives people representation as they can finally see one of their own appearing in something that at once was so foreign. It makes the opportunity of creating animation or being featured in it a possibility for a community that has to overcome a variety of hardships.
(still from the video for “Thinkin’”)
Meanwhile, on the other side of the “urban music” spectrum, one could find the veteran Rene Perez Joglar, better known as Residente, alongside Dillon Francis and his sister iLe catching people unexpectedly with the release of the infectious “Sexo,” a party anthem all about exactly what the title states: sex. However, while “Thinkin’” was more in tone with the braggadocious lifestyle of trap-rappers today, Residente’s latest video single is a comedic take at explaining the many reasons why people take certain actions in life, all of which are a result of the person wanting to have sex with the other. The track is a blend of electronic, Caribbean and Latino influenced sounds that celebrate the act of sex in every way. However, while many songs can accomplish what “Sexo” does with its lyrics, it is its video what sets it apart from the rest. The visual is a very colorful reflection of much of what Residente’s lyrics state featuring a few of the situations he mentions and, just like many musicals, it ends in a celebration where people are dancing in their underwear as if they had all had sex or were about to do so. While this single may not be the most conscious, like previous Residente and Calle 13 tunes, this one is just one of those that’ll have audiences dancing like crazy and repeating iLe’s infectious chorus in their heads or out loud.
(still from the video for “Sexo”)
Friday the 13th is usually associated with bad luck and the famous fictional horror movie character Jason Voorhees. However, Puerto Ricans have found ways to make it their own. Back in 1989 and 1990, Vico C made his own fictional confrontations with Voorhees a reality in his two “Viernes 13” tracks. Meanwhile, on Friday April 13th Bad Bunny alongside Anuel AA and Future and Residente alongside Dillon Francis and iLe managed to release two completely original and opposite video singles that shared their date of release and their emphasis on sex. However, at this point you might be asking yourself, “How do these relate to Friday the 13th?” and/or “Why were they released on this day?” Trust me, I have asked this myself, so I just came to a conclusion with a fun theory. In the Friday the 13th franchise, the reason why Jason Voorhees drowns in Camp Crystal Lake is because people weren’t paying attention because they were having sex, or at least this is the explanation provided by his mother Pamela. Sex has also become one of the key elements in the franchise to trigger Jason’s killing sprees. So this is why both video singles were released on Friday the 13th: they both heavily feature sex, weirdly connecting them to the franchise because of the aforementioned reasons. Or perhaps they were just released on Friday the 13th because it was a Friday and the artists wanted to have fun.
Watch “Thinkin’” and “Sexo” on YouTube