Meet 'El Compa ? ', Compton's Very Own Black Mariachi
Options
S2J
Members Posts: 28,458 ✭✭✭✭✭
Rhyan Lowery is a 19-year-old African American from Compton, but he grew up listening to Mexican regional music — corridos, banda and cumbia. So it’s no surprise he loves some of those signature sounds.
“The accordion — it’s amazing what they can do with the accordion, and what sounds you can get from it. Also, the tuba and the Charchetta, it’s awesome! I guess that’s what draws me to it,” he says.
But the music wasn’t the only draw.
“I love Mexican women,” he says. “And Mexican women, they dance banda and cumbias and Norteñas. Music is the key to the heart so if I’m going to win the heart of a Latina, I have to do my homework.”
But Lowery says when he was growing up, his African American friends didn’t understand his love of all things Mexican. They’d say “what are you doing? You’re supposed to be singing rap and hip-hop. Why are you hanging out with the Mexicans, those are the enemies," he recalls.
Lowery says he’d tell them, they’re not enemies — they’re my friends. “Because of that, in 9th and 10th grade year, I had like no black friends. No one wanted to hang out with me, because they were embarrassed that I would sing and hang out and speak Spanish.”
A couple years ago, one of his high school friends started calling him “El Compa ? ,” which means “my black friend.”
And it stuck.
El Compa ? got discovered the way a lot of young talent gets discovered these days. His manager, Antonio Lopez, saw a video of a 16-year-old Lowery singing a capella on YouTube.
That was three years ago. This past May, El Compa ? appeared on the LA-based TV show, “Tengo Talento Mucho Talento,” (I have Talent, A lot of Talent). He came in third.
He sings a tune, “? Claro,” written by his manager Lopez, with lyrics that translate as: “I’m black, of course, African American, heart and soul of a Mexican.”
“Look what I’ve started. I’ve made something like Obama, he’s the first African American president. Well, I’m the first African American in the 'Regional Música Mexicana.'"
http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-10-20/african-american-compton-rising-star-mexican-music-scene
Comments
-
Did this really deserve a thread?
I doubt it. -
Why are Mexicans obsessed with cowboys?
-
He could just claim to be Mexican since they have dark skinned folks as well
-
I'll keep moving.
-
-
I ain't mad at him. do ya thing brotha!
-
@s2j drop a vid of old boy black mariachi-ing nh
-
lol.
Dude is funny -
w/e, just don't perform in Mexico... they hanging politicians from their own billboards... lmao. and they practically ran all their Afro Mexicans out of Mexico..
-
Smh the things ? do to get the plug on the yay.
-
Rhyan Lowery is a 19-year-old African American from Compton, but he grew up listening to Mexican regional music — corridos, banda and cumbia. So it’s no surprise he loves some of those signature sounds.
“The accordion — it’s amazing what they can do with the accordion, and what sounds you can get from it. Also, the tuba and the Charchetta, it’s awesome! I guess that’s what draws me to it,” he says.
But the music wasn’t the only draw.
“I love Mexican women,” he says. “And Mexican women, they dance banda and cumbias and Norteñas. Music is the key to the heart so if I’m going to win the heart of a Latina, I have to do my homework.”
But Lowery says when he was growing up, his African American friends didn’t understand his love of all things Mexican. They’d say “what are you doing? You’re supposed to be singing rap and hip-hop. Why are you hanging out with the Mexicans, those are the enemies," he recalls.
Lowery says he’d tell them, they’re not enemies — they’re my friends. “Because of that, in 9th and 10th grade year, I had like no black friends. No one wanted to hang out with me, because they were embarrassed that I would sing and hang out and speak Spanish.”
A couple years ago, one of his high school friends started calling him “El Compa ? ,” which means “my black friend.”
And it stuck.
El Compa ? got discovered the way a lot of young talent gets discovered these days. His manager, Antonio Lopez, saw a video of a 16-year-old Lowery singing a capella on YouTube.
That was three years ago. This past May, El Compa ? appeared on the LA-based TV show, “Tengo Talento Mucho Talento,” (I have Talent, A lot of Talent). He came in third.
He sings a tune, “? Claro,” written by his manager Lopez, with lyrics that translate as: “I’m black, of course, African American, heart and soul of a Mexican.”
“Look what I’ve started. I’ve made something like Obama, he’s the first African American president. Well, I’m the first African American in the 'Regional Música Mexicana.'"
http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-10-20/african-american-compton-rising-star-mexican-music-scene
@Purr Will You Be My Date? -
He sings a tune, “? Claro,” written by his manager Lopez, with lyrics that translate as: “I’m black, of course, African American, heart and soul of a Mexican.”
Get this fool the ? up outta here...
-
"El Mejor Talento Del Momento" Roughly Translates "As The Best Neega Out"
I Actually Think This Pretty Dope...Homeboy Is The Headliner..Might As Well ? Mexicans At They Own Thing -
-
-
lmao @ doing all this to get latina women. bruh must really be a lame lol smh... more power to him though.
-
The original cowboys or vaqueros were Mexican. Plus ranches are a big thing down in Mexico so everyone on the whole cowboy tip.Why are Mexicans obsessed with cowboys?Why are Mexicans obsessed with cowboys?
-
JoHn_DougH81G wrote: »
Need more proof bruh -
I give dude props tho. I'm Mexican and can't stand banda or nortenas. Damn accordion gets on my nerves lol my girl is Puerto Rican so I gotta deal with the salsa music and what not. Just can't get into Spanish music at all lol
-
I know it's Wikipedia so you can take it with a grain of salt but it mentions itEn-Fuego22 wrote: »
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy -
-
sound like some ? ?lmao @ doing all this to get latina women. bruh must really be a lame lol smh... more power to him though. -
-
lol @ the khalessi tag
-
w/e, just don't perform in Mexico... they hanging politicians from their own billboards... lmao. and they practically ran all their Afro Mexicans out of Mexico..
Yep and malcolm x 's grandson got killed down there. I wouldn't go down there for anything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB2kJoO781k
