Panamanian composer Rubén Blades, born in 1948, is a multifaceted celebrity whose interests include music, film and politics. He grew up in Panama, but immigrated to New York City in 1974 with only a few dollars in his pocket. As a singer, he began to experiment with salsa music, adding elements of jazz and rock, and exploring the good, the bad, and the ugly of life in the barrios of New York and the problems of the Latino population. Some ten million copies of his songs, like "Plástico" and "Pedro Navaja," were sold in the 1970s. Later on, he attended Harvard Law School and became a lawyer. In 1994 he went back to his homeland and made a strong run for the presidency of the country. Blades' music continues to evolve with great success. "La rosa de los vientos," one of his recent productions, sends a message of hope to modern Panama, emphasizing the importance of freedom and dreams in life. |
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