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 Saturday, May 25, 2013
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King Ricky Martin Is More Than You Think |
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RAFAEL MERINO CORTÉS
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Friday, June 08, 2007 |
 t is that time of year again. The largest gathering of Latinos outside an immigration protest will take place this Sunday, along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, on the east side of Central Park. The National Puerto Rican Day Parade will march from 44th to 86th Street. And if you don’t want to deal with millions of hot and sweaty Latinos in a state of euphoria — and thousands of underpaid and frustrated NYPD officers — you can watch it live on television, from 11AM to 1PM on Fox and from 1PM to 3PM on My-9 (All these Puerto Ricans are just too much for one TV station to handle!).
This year, Felix Juan Serrallés, of Serrallés Distilleries, has been named the “National Grand Marshall.” However, in the eyes of the Boricua mass, he won’t be “the man” in this year’s parade. That title, or “King,” will go to the Grammy Award-winning singer Ricky Martin. It is not certain whether the San Juan, Puerto Rico native will be wearing a crown and velvet robe, but he’ll certainly be sporting his charismatic smile and pop-star charm. However, the 35-year-old Boricua will also have a more complex, and perhaps more interesting element about him this year (it has nothing to do with make-up or wardrobe, silly). The former Menudo, who at one time endured speculations on his sexuality, has become a more grown-up and edgier character. We no longer care if "Livin' la Vida Loca" includes hidden messages of his life as a loca. The bubble-gum pop star and too-sexy-for-his-shirt Ricky Martin is sort of, well, manlier than thou all of a sudden.
The road has been long, however, at least in MTV years.
I remember acquaintances in Puerto Rico and New York making fun of Ricky Martin when he came out (on the music scene). There was that whole, “¿el es gay?” thing, as if his music would travel differently through the airwaves if he were. A year later, those same people started shaving their eyebrows and getting those ‘cute-yet-hard-core’ haircuts. Shortly after, I discovered the ‘metro-sexual’ thing (It had to have been born in San Juan). Frankly, I didn’t know what to make of it. In an island already drenched in ambiguity, the whole hoopla was just silly to me. I did find it interesting that beyond his talent and charisma, Ricky Martin made being sexually ambiguous cool for young Boricuas who were desperately in need of a role model. And if you thought hip-gyrating fluff was the extent of this Boricua's repertoire, then you sold him short.
His “Livin’ La Vida Loca” era (beginning in 1999) is well documented, so we won't go into that. This is where he helped usher in Latino Explosion #248 in the United States. After “She Bangs” (from the Sound Loaded album) and a greatest hits compilation, Ricky Martin was chiseled into the pantheon of Latino pop culture. But while his music career was well established, his political acumen was still under development.
In the 2001 inauguration ball for President George W. Bush, Ricky Martin was the performing guest. He even invited the newly elected president to join him onstage to dance. However, writing partner and former Menudo Robi “Dräco” Rosa, who was more advanced in his political awareness, found the whole display distasteful. Rosa was quoted as saying, "Singing 'The Cup of Life' at George Bush's inauguration is like playing the fiddle while Rome burns." Ricky Martin, and many other Latinos, would later acknowledge Rosa’s insightfulness.
But then something strange happened that other seemingly bubble-gum pop artists seldom experience — he began to plant ‘serious’ and universally accepted ‘cool’ seeds in his personal life. The 'safe-for-teeny-bopper' thing began to dissolve into a world with deeper colors and less contrast.
In December 2005, Ricky Martin told Blender magazine that he "loved giving the golden shower" to his partners and that
"There are moments for soft, gentle sex. And there are moments for a
good spank in the butt, the kind of sex where you pull the hair and you
grab the ears." (Pause) Livin’ la vida loca, indeed. But while the older folk were aghast by his remarks, the younger kids were raising their eyebrows, as if, “Coño, Ricky, you go with your bad self, you freak.” No matter your preference during intimate moments with “partners,” one has to admit it added this other dimension to our Menudo cutie.
In the spring of 2006, he threw concerts in Lebanon and Egypt, after making a promise to Queen Noor of Jordon on his 2005 visit to the Arab Conference. He even recorded an Arabic/Spanglish version of "Drop It on Me", "Enta Omri" with Arabic pop star Cheb Mami. Coming from a politically ambiguous territory and people, Ricky Martin near the Middle East is just an interesting thought.
Martin became the Goodwill Ambassador to UNICEF and established the Ricky Martin Foundation in Puerto Rico to advocate for the welfare of children around the world.
Through an MTV gig, he threw his two cents in for the cause of spreading ‘deeper’ Puerto Rican culture throughout the world, in particular, the aguinaldo jíbaro tradition through his rendition of “Tu Recuerdo.”
Later, in early 2007, he stuck his middle finger up when he sang the president's name in his song, "Asignatura Pendiente," which includes the words, "a photo with Bush." It was a public about-face from his stance (or oblivious state) during the aforementioned inaugural ball. His gesture drew cheers from the thousands of fans in the San Juan stadium. He later explained his action, which he based on his beliefs in peace, human rights and his feelings against the Iraq War.
Indeed, this is not the oh-so-cute Menudo, nor the man-diva of “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” Instead, you have man, hecho y derecho, who now more than just a Latin heart-throb. Even the most machista Boricua men are acknowledging his presence. “Coño, Ricky’s a cool 'mano, yo.” (If said out loud, you have to carefully navigate the vernacular as to avoid suspicion of having a male crush)
It could get to the point where some knucklehead compares Ricky Martin to U2’s Bono. But before that happens, it will be more comfortably accepted that Mr. Martin is shedding his bubble-gum exterior and letting his true Boricua out, with all it’s ambiguities, emotional depth, political consciousness and big spirit.
It is not sure if Ricky Martin will return next year, but if you’d like to make plans to be in the 2008 parade, you can contact the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, Inc. at (718)401-0404 or check out their website.
“Uh, Puerto Rico — ohhh” (sorry, it slipped)
RAFAEL MERINO CORTÉS
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