El General facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
El General
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El General at the 1993 Viña del Mar Festival
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| Background information | |
| Born | 27 September 1969 Panama City, Panama |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1990–2006 |
| Labels |
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Edgardo Armando Franco (born on September 27, 1969), known as El General, is a singer from Panama. Many people see him as one of the pioneers of reggae en Español (Spanish reggae). He also helped pave the way for reggaetón music.
In the early 1990s, El General was one of the first artists to create Spanish-language dancehall reggae. His songs "Te Ves Buena" and "Tu Pum Pum" became very popular around the world. These songs were sung in a Spanish deejaying style. They were a big hit in North America. After his success, many other Spanish dancehall reggae artists also became famous. He has a unique and catchy style of dance music. He created many well-known songs across Latin America.
El General stopped making music in 2004. He then became one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Early Life and Music
El General started singing and writing songs when he was just 12 years old. He grew up in Río Abajo, Panama. His family has roots in Jamaica.
Many people from Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad moved to Panama. They came to work on the Panama Canal. These workers faced tough conditions and low pay. Black Panamanians of Caribbean background were often treated unfairly. They were also kept separate from others.
While El General was growing up, Spanish Reggae became popular in Panama. In the 1980s, this music used popular Jamaican rhythms. Singers would rap or sing direct translations of Jamaican songs in Spanish. Using Caribbean sounds made this music a way to express feelings against unfair treatment. It was a form of resistance for Panamanians of Caribbean descent.
El General described himself as a "restless child." He would use everyday objects like buckets and flutes as instruments. He loved reggae music. Bob Marley and Donkey Banton were big musical influences for him. When he was younger, he was part of a group called Renato and the Four Stars. That's where he got his nickname, "El General." They sang reggae in Spanish.
Later, he received a scholarship to study business administration in the United States. He became a professional accountant. While studying, he also hosted parties as an MC. He opened shows for dancehall and hip-hop artists. His connections to Black communities in New York helped spread his music. It became popular across the Americas, including the US, Panama, and Puerto Rico. This led to huge fame in the 1990s with his first hit song, "Tu Pum Pum."
Music Career and Impact
El General's big break came when he was featured on the song "Robi-Rob's Boriqua Anthem." This was from C+C Music Factory's album Anything Goes. He started working with Chino Rodriguez, a music business expert. Chino convinced El General to sing a salsa song before his performance. This happened at Madison Square Garden in New York. Fans were surprised when El General sang salsa.
He began his music career at 19. For 17 years, his albums sold millions of copies. They earned "gold" status 32 times and "platinum" status 17 times. In Panama, popular Spanish reggae music is called plena. Some of his biggest hits include "Muévelo" (1991), "Tu Pum Pum" (1991), "Rica y Apretadita", and "Te Ves Buena." In 1992, El General won an MTV award for Best Latin Video for "Muévelo." In 1993, he won the Rap Artist of the Year Award at the Lo Nuestro Awards.
El General has spoken about the true roots of reggae. He shared how the building of the Panama Canal brought Jamaican people to Panama. He said his music was influenced by Burro Banton and Bob Marley. He hoped his music would be accepted in Jamaica, reggae's home. He also explained that reggae became a way to protest and share news. It was used to talk about daily life or problems in the government.
The Panama Canal connects trade routes between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Descendants of the Black workers brought "dancehall" music to Panama. Panama became a "multicultural melting pot." People from Jamaica and Barbados joined Panamanian communities. Many reggaeton songs use dembow as their main rhythm.
Reggae music was used by Black, low-income people in Panama City as a form of protest. Artists like Renato said that singing reggaeton helped them speak out against the government and police.
El General's success has been very important for reggaeton music today. After he became famous worldwide in the early 1990s, his Spanish Reggae style influenced "Underground" music. This "Underground" style later became what we know as Reggaetón in Puerto Rico. His success helped make Spanish-language reggae rap popular in Latin America and the Caribbean. El General's influence also shows how important the connections are between Black communities in Panama, the Caribbean, and Caribbean-American communities in New York.
Retirement
In 2004, El General went on a farewell tour. He announced he was retiring from music to focus on producing. After a few years, he seemed to disappear from the music scene. In 2008, a video came out where El General explained his decision. He said he returned to the Jehovah’s Witness faith. He left music because he felt his career was not aligned with his beliefs. He is one of several Latin artists, like Hector El Father and Farruko, who have left reggaeton for religious reasons.
Discography
- Pu tun tun (1990)
- Estás Buena (1990)
- Muévelo Con el General (1991)
- "Son Bow" (1990)
- "No Más Guerra" (1991)
- El Poder del General (1992)
- Es Mundial (1994)
- Clubb 555 (1995)
- Rapa Pan Pan (1997)
- Move It Up (1998)
- Grandes Éxitos (1998)
- Colección Original (1998)
- Serie 2000 (2000)
- Back to the Original (2001)
- IS BACK (2001)
- General De Fiesta (2002)
- El General: The Hits (2003)
- To' Rap-Eao (2003)
- La Ficha Clave (2004)
See also
In Spanish: El General para niños
