Hector Lavoe - Rap Master?

[Salsa Bear]

"El Cantante" is one of my favorite and least favorite salsa songs at the same time. The lyrics are sensational, and the story behind the song...well, it's a soap opera within a soap opera.

On the negative side, the various versions of the song drone on and on; one version is 10 1/2 minutes long!

But the one version I absolutely love is the one featuring Don Omar. I don't know when that version was released, but isn't that a relatively early example of rap?

 

[Abayarde]

Don Omar version was included in "Urban Salute To Héctor Lavoe" released by Machete Music on December 2007. Reviews for that CD at that time are not the best; I'll need to listen that version on youtube.

The 10 and a half minutes version is the original LP version with extended string ensemble arrangements. I found it too long; a torture for dancers. a shorter 7" version was played on radio everywhere then.

 

[Salsa Bear]

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Don Omar version was included in "Urban Salute To Héctor Lavoe" released by Machete Music on December 2007. Reviews for that CD at that time are not the best; I'll need to listen that version on youtube.

To me it sounds down to earth and kind of quirky. I thought the introduction was a little weird at first - kind of like the intro to "Plastico" - but it really grew on me.

The 10 and a half minutes version is the original LP version with extended string ensemble arrangements. I found it too long; a torture for dancers.

I wonder how many relationships that version has broken up.