As looming worry over ongoing ICE raids within the higher Los Angeles space continues, one group of music fanatics is utilizing their platform to name out for extra visibility and assist from famed artists — underscoring tense conversations about affect within the Latino music scene.
Since 2021, the “Agushto Papá” podcast — based and hosted by Jason Nuñez, Diego Mondragon and Angel Lopez— has performed a key function in chronicling the rise of música Mexicana by giving up-and-coming artists a platform to showcase their expertise and personalities. Well-liked style acts like Xavi, Eslabon Armado, Becky G, DannyLux, Ivan Cornejo and extra have appeared on their YouTube channel, which has amassed over 635,000 subscribers up to now.
Nonetheless, on Monday, the trio strayed away from their normal leisure content material, importing an Instagram reel reflecting disappointment over ICE sweeps, which have focused communities of Paramount, Huntington Park, Santa Ana and different predominantly Latino communities.
“It’s super unfortunate to see what’s happening within our Latino community,” Nuñez states within the clip. “I think it’s very important that we stay united and spread as much awareness as possible.”
The video initially highlighted efforts by Del Information, who’re offering free authorized help to members of the neighborhood who’re going through deportation orders; earlier this 12 months, the Bell Gardens label was caught in an online of responsible court docket verdicts because of their hyperlinks to cartels. Nonetheless, the label is without doubt one of the few Latino-led music entities outspoken about offering sources for affected people, “but I definitely think they shouldn’t be the only ones,” added Nuñez within the video.
Podcast co-host Lopez prompted viewers to tag their favourite artist within the remark part if they want for them to talk up, he stated, “I think it’s fair and just that [artists] show some of that love back to the community that’s in need and that is hurting.”
“I think that [artists] do play a big role because I think we see them as role models or leaders in our community,” stated Lopez in a Tuesday interview with The Instances. “These are times when we need those leaders to speak up and for us and people that maybe can’t speak up as well.”
The subject of immigration hits near residence for 2 of the members; Nuñez and Mondragon are each DACA recipients and brazenly talk about their distinctive expertise on the podcast. The Obama-era program, which offers non permanent aid from deportation and work authorization, has additionally come below assault in recent times by Trump-appointed judges and is at present acknowledged as illegal by the Fifth Circuit Court docket of Appeals, though utility renewals stay.
“I feel betrayed because with [“Agushto Papá”], we now have lots of artists and corporations and labels attain out to us to advertise albums, excursions,” stated Mondragon. “We’ve actually reached out to some of these companies [and] they’ve been ignoring us.”
Whereas Mondragon received’t disclose names, he says that many people haven’t spoken out as a result of, “their artists are not born in the U.S.” To that he quips, “We don’t have papers as well, and we’re still using our platform.”
There’s a way of betrayal, the group says, particularly given how varied artists and labels got here out to assist Californians in the course of the January wildfires, “but now when it comes down to bringing awareness to things that are happening to their people, it’s just unfair that they’re keeping quiet,” says Nuñez.
Nonetheless, the “Agushto Papá” podcast just isn’t alone on this sentiment; when you scroll throughout the remark sections of trending música Mexicana acts, you’ll probably come throughout feedback asking them why they’re staying silent about current sweeps, which immigration-leaders say have totaled a minimum of 300 folks.
“I think my big let down is that these companies/artists are vocal about their culture, their heritage, their ethnicity every chance they get, but now I feel like they’re picking and choosing only when it matters,” stated Lopez.
In days following public demonstrations and protests, a number of Mexican American artists have vocalized their assist of the immigrant communities together with huge acts like Ivan Cornejo, Becky G, and Chiquis.
On Tuesday, the boisterous San Bernardino band Fuerza Regida, uploaded an announcement to their 9.1 million followers, sharing assist for the Latino neighborhood. The podcast trio later thanked in a follow-up video.
“There’s still a lot of artists that are staying silent and we hope by this week they speak out about what’s going on,” states Mondragon within the video, urging artists to unfold consciousness, or maybe, in the event that they’re daring, entrance a portion of their hundreds of thousands to the neighborhood, even when it means choosing top notch as a substitute of their non-public jet, he says.
