Residente‘s combative rhymes, along with his messages of Latin American pride and resistance in favor of Palestine, shook Mexico City’s Zócalo on Saturday (Sept. 6) during a free concert the Puerto Rican star offered at the country’s main public square. The event drew 180,000 attendees, according to figures from the city government.
In an emotional night, the famous rapper electrified the heart of the city capital with his powerful blend of protest music, activism and memory, delivering the best of his solo repertoire as well as hits from Calle 13, the band he co-founded in 2004 with his siblings. The evening also featured Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada as a special guest and highlighted the presence of the Abed family, Palestinian refugees living in Mexico.
The words of the 29-time Latin Grammy winner carried even greater weight given the symbolic location — a square where politics, social movements, culture and religion converge. It is the third-largest public square in the world, after Tiananmen Square in Beijing and the Red Square in Moscow.
“Everyone deserves equal opportunities. We need to support access to education, and it can be achieved. Thank you for being here with all your energy. I love you, Mexico,” Residente told the audience during his performance, which was attended by Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada.
The artist returned to this significant venue after six years, invited by the city’s Department of Culture. However, this marked the first time he performed a solo concert in the iconic location, which has hosted other global stars such as Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, Justin Bieber, Manu Chao, Shakira, Rosalía, Café Tacvba and the late icon of Mexican regional music, Vicente Fernández.
The two-hour show unfolded with socially conscious music, diverse rhythms and the unique voice of René Pérez Joglar (his real name), who showed his most vulnerable side by reflecting on a deeply personal experience encapsulated in the song “René.” He also paid tribute to the great Argentine musician Gustavo Cerati, revealing that they had planned to record “La Vuelta Al Mundo” together.
To open the night, the collective Mujer en Cypher: Barras, beats y resistencia en femenino — composed of Arianna Puello, Ximbo, Niña Dioz, Prania Esponda, Azuky and Mena — took the stage with a powerful message and fierce rhymes.
Here are five standout moments from Residente’s concert at the Zócalo in Mexico City.
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“Free Palestina”
The musician reaffirmed his political stance on the Middle East conflict and delivered a message of peace before performing his song “Guerra.” His message was accompanied by his attire, which alluded to the Palestinian flag, with white pants and a black sweatshirt with red and green lettering and the phrase “Free Palestine” on the front. He also invited the Abed family, who fled Gaza and arrived in Mexico as refugees last May, to join him on stage.
The call in favor of Palestine set the tone for the concert from the beginning, with hundreds of Palestinian flags waving throughout the plaza and the participation of cellist Sara Dowling Al Husseini, who performed pieces from Palestinian tradition at the start of the show.
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A Strong Setlist
In a collective burst of euphoria and an unforgettable moment for thousands, Residente —who revolutionized Spanish-language urban music with his band Calle 13 — unleashed his fans with songs like “Baile de los Pobres,” “Nadie Como Tú,” “Atrévete-Te-Te,” “Muerte en Hawái” and “Calma Pueblo,” transporting the audience back in time. His repertoire also included “René,” “Fiesta de Locos,” “El Aguante,” “La Vuelta al Mundo” and “This is Not America,” dedicated to immigrants in the U.S.
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A Song for Latin America
Silvana Estrada served as a special guest to accompany Calle 13’s powerful classic “Latinoamérica,” which the band originally recorded in 2010 with Totó La Momposina, Susana Baca and Maria Rita. With her masterful, virtuous voice, the young Mexican singer-songwriter thrilled the audience, with her energy resonating in every corner, making it a very special and emotional moment.
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“René”
Residente also highlighted a difficult time he went through in 2014, prior to the show he gave that year at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, to which he invited the families of the 43 missing Ayotzinapa students. At the time, he was facing a personal emotional situation that led him to want to take his own life, but a phone call to his mother made him change his mind, he recalled, before tearfully performing “René,” the heartfelt song that portrays that fragile moment and won the Latin Grammy for song of the year in 2020. The audience responded with a massive cry of “You are not alone!”
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Remembering Cerati
Another emotional moment came with an anecdote the rapper told about the late Argentine musician Gustavo Cerati, with whom he said he had planned to record “La Vuelta al Mundo” before the former Soda Stereo vocalist’s passing in 2014.