[Si] TV

Even as a precocious child growing up in Sevilla, Spain María Rodríguez was mired in illicit trade. She would travel to Madrid to get the product that was being brought in through the American military bases stationed in the Iberian nation. The merchandise wasn't of the highest quality--with scratched surfaces and nameless packages. But what was a girl to do? She needed her hip-hop fix. As a teenager in the 1990s, the only hip-hop music María, now known as La Mala Rodriguez, could get her hands on were bootlegs with no cover art or song titles. An authentic cassette was too expensive so bootlegs were the only way she could listen to her favorite gangsta rapper, Houston's Scarface. Today she has no need for fraudulent discs because she makes her own music. As one of Spain's most influential MCs, Mala has caused controversy with brash lyrics about the ills of drug use and society's disenfranchised. Here the SXSW performer tells us about the success of Malamarisimo, her friendship with Tego Calderón and racism in la Madre Patria.

Si Ent.: How do you feel about the great response Malamarisimo has received?
Mala Rodriguez: I've felt a lot of people identifying with my music. I knew my album was going to be something different but I didn't know how it was going to be received. But it has reached people's hearts and I notice it when I get on stage and perform outside of Spain. Everyone in the audience sings along with me.

Si Ent.: Which Latin American country has been the most receptive to your music?
MR: I've been to Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Colombia recently. To be honest the concert in Bogota was marvelous and [the one] in Buenos Aries also went well. Every concert is very special to me. Berlin also has been great. There have been great moments in every country I've been in.

Si Ent.: Are you working on new material?
MR: Right now I'm working on a couple of new songs but I don't know when I'll jump back in the studio to record an album. I'm playing with a couple of songs right now and some ideas but I know I still have some time before I get to record them.

Si Ent.: How is it having someone like Tego Calderón as one of your fans?
MR: I feel so grateful. We know each other and it seems like we've known each other for a million years. When that chemistry exists; he's a profound and sincere person. He's a fun person and I have a great time when we hang out. I'm really appreciative for all his kind words; it's always good for people to talk good about you.

Si Ent.: Is the Spanish hip-hop scene bubbling right now?
MR: It's blowing up, right. The scene in Spain characterizes itself by representing the Spanish youth. Right now the economy is doing well; people from other countries have come to work the jobs Spaniards don't want to do anymore. The youth is living in a tranquil time so a lot of them are blind because of it. Some MCs, like Los Violadores del Verso, rhyme about alcoholism and that they don't see an end for their problems. They have a profound message. But they also rhyme for the sake of having fun. They are the ones that are blowing up Spanish rap. I'm happy for them because they've been doing this for so long.

Si Ent.: There has been a lot of immigration from Latin America to Spain in the last decade. Unfortunately there have also been a lot of racist attacks on these immigrants.
MR: We actually had a terrible incident occur a couple of months ago. They took some images on a train of a girl who was sitting down, not bothering anyone. Then some bastard comes and attacks her; molesting her breasts and completely humiliating her. And no one, absolutely, no one on the train did anything to help her. The judge who had this bastard's case has let him go free because they were no charges against him! For one, I'm happy because he's going to know what the laws of the streets are now. He's receiving death threats from a ton of people. What the judge did do is that he can't be more than a certain amount of kilometers from his house. So he's basically on house arrest. He's going to receive what he deserves. He's going to feel what that girl felt. It doesn't matter what your nationality is, you have to respect people.

Si Ent.: Is there anything that will change from this incident?
MR: Spain's society has changed. Spaniards who would immigrate to Argentina, Ecuador and Germany now forget how it was to feel hunger and you needed help. Now, it seems like everyone has forgotten those times. I expect for this situation to remind people of what they went through and above all to be more aware of racism towards immigrants. On the positive side, I hope this brings new music, new fusions of genres.