Afropop Worldwide

The finest purveyor of Mayan cumbia reggae that I know of—and sure O.K., yes, the only, but still—Doctor Nativo returns with a surprising and beautiful ballad on Stonetree Records. Afropop is proud to premiere: “Minorias.”

If you listened to Guatemaya, Nativo’s full-length album for Stonetree (like you were told to do), or if you’ve seen Doctor Nativo live, you know his trademark is living like a ball of molten energy. He bounds across the stage, duckwalks back and finds the mike just in time to shout “international!” to cue up a trombone solo, freeing him to spin off elsewhere. It’s great.

This new track is the Doctor taking some speed off his fastball and throwing a change-up. The first verse opens with “Yo no sé porque la vida fue tan cruel,” which translates to “I don’t know why life was so cruel.”

He describes the subject of the song like this:

'"Minorías” is inspired by the struggle of all immigrants, especially from Central America and Mexico, who leave their homes in search of the “American Dream," at any cost. It is a special dedication to Claudia Gomez, a young girl from Guatemala who was murdered by a Border Patrol Ranger in Texas last year on May 23. She left her village on a journey with no return, her intention was to meet her boyfriend in Virginia, to find work to be able to pay for her university and return to her beloved Guatemaya. Instead, the only thing she gained was a shot in the head that ended her life... "Minorías" is a tribute to all of those families who have suffered, who have been separated from their children and incarcerated, and to the many who lost their lives while in search of a better life and survival.

Like when a comedian tells you something somber, there’s a special poignancy to seeing the jovial Doctor Nativo sing in such a heartfelt way about something that touches him so deeply. There’s always been complicated depths beneath his playful rhythms and maniacal laughter, and with “Minorias,” Doctor Nativo asserts himself as not just a consummate performer but also a songwriter with an eye for detail, who conjures the whole harried journey across America’s southern border, ending in tragedy, with only a few snippets of dialogue and a backbeat guitar.

Book an appointment with the good doctor himself at the Lafayette International Festival in Louisiana, April 27 and 28. Just scanning over the lineup for that festival—Mdou Moctar, Alsarah and the Nubatones, Moonlight Benjamin—it’s utterly devastating. My advice is to take two tickets and call us in the morning.