In the midst of a chaotic semester involving an island-wide blackout, a horrific shooting that left many injured and one casualty, a threat of a gang war, and a constant fight against the Fiscal Control Board and its agenda, university students close to the area of Mayagüez have had the opportunity to express their stressful situation, or at least escape from it, by attending a variety of events. Many of these include the Art Walk in Rincón, the open mics held by Vox Populi: Puerto Rico, and art workshops held in Taller Liberta and El Loveshack. However, one location that has constantly been active providing a space for local artists, be they visual artists or musicians, has been Off The Wall in the middle of Mayagüez and last Wednesday, May 9th, they gave their space to young rapper Reyes ††† and his live band El Piso 9.
(promo art for the event by Derick Joel)
While Reyes ††† has performed previously in La Tertulia en mi Tierra for book releases and open mics, this was the first time he would perform with a live band. Accompanied by the funky and jazzy sounds of El Piso 9 and psychedelic visuals provided by Milton Perez, the young musician managed to recreate some new renditions of the songs he made alone using his computer, a home made studio, and a passion for music. Some of these included a jazzy and funky version of one of his latest singles, “Universos” and a more melodic performance of his track, “Nena,” all of which had people relaxing, head bobbing, and some even dancing.
(Reyes ††† performing)
The new interpretations of Reyes †††’s tunes were good all around. However, what made the show even better was the humbleness displayed by Reyes ††† and El Piso 9 who were more than willing to interact with the crowd. From Reyes ††† going into the crowd high-fiving everybody from the audience, to the bartenders and the band having conversations with the people before and after the sets making the experience feel a lot more comfortable, one where the audience felt at home. The show on May 9th at Off The Wall was truly one where anybody could feel the love in a chaotic time.
(Reyes ††† and El Piso 9)
Reyes ††† and El Piso 9 are slowly connecting to bring forth a much needed live hip-hop sound to the independent art scene in the west of Puerto Rico, and based on last night’s performance, one could say they have the potential to expand their sound to other parts of the island. Their live interpretations of the jazzy, funky, melodic, and lo-fi hip-hop tracks by Reyes †††, accompanied by excellent crowd interaction make a terrific environment for anybody who wants to have a good time. Hopefully, the band can continue working together and deliver some projects in the future that will continue opening some doors for them.