LISTEN: After Revoked Visas, Los Alegres Del Barranco Release an Anti-Narcocorrido ‘El Consejo’
Courtesy of losalegresdelbarranco1 via Instagram.
Los Alegres del Barranco are teaming up with the government on a new anti-narcocorrido song. On June 15, the popular música mexicana band revealed their newest song, “El Consejo,” seemingly urging future generations not to make narcocorridos. The song’s idea came from Jalisco’s Governor Pablo Lemus.
With opening lyrics like, “Voy a darte un buen consejo / Si quieres llegar a viejo / No te enganches con lo malo / Nada bueno deja eso / Si crees que es dinero fácil / Ponle atención a estos versos / Hay sueños que se te cumplen / Y después son pesadillas / Pierden lo más importante libertad y familia / Eso si tuviste suerte y no perdiste la vida,” the song details on the possible outcomes that result after writing narcocorridos. Throughout the accordion-forward track, the vocalist warns the listener that by taking this route, they could end up having trouble with the enemies and the government – the latter echoing a situation they’re currently going through.
Earlier this year, the band got their U.S. visas revoked after they showed visuals of narcos while they performed a concert at the Auditorio Telmex in Guadalajara, Mexico (Mar. 29). Rolling Stone reported that the band “was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in February,” before Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau announced the revocation. The revocation was due to the band allegedly glorifying drug trafficking as a result of showing images of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) wanted leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho.” The Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office also accused the band of doing the same.
Since then, the band has had its earnings from the aforementioned Auditorio Telmex’s performance frozen (an estimated $302,000), which resulted in the Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office opening another investigation against the group, per Billboard. This separate investigation accuses the group of alleged “operations with resources of illicit origin.”
On June 5, the band released a statement denying the accusations. “We have NEVER, EVER received any illicit money, our contracts back up our statement,” the group wrote on social media. “With respect to the Telmex auditorium box office, the artistic employer who contracted us, will give his version in his own time, will defend his legitimate right originated by his work and will go to the corresponding authorities, when he so decides and when his lawyers advise him to do so.”
Fast forward to now, it appears that the band is hoping to continue clearing their name from false accusations with the help of this new song. In a press statement uploaded on their Instagram stories yesterday (June 16), the band revealed that they were invited by Lemus to write a song to “project a message of positive advice for Jalisco and Mexico as a whole.” The statement ends saying: “This is a step in the right direction to be able to face the legal challenges.”
Though the future is unclear, the Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office released a press statement that read: “By showing willingness to send a positive message with a song, the possibility of an eventual suspension of the proceedings against four members of a musical group, their manager and a promoter for allegedly advocating violence is opened.”
Moreover, Lemus also commented on the song’s release. “This new song by Los Alegres del Barranco titled ‘El Consejo’ deserves to be listened to with great attention, especially by young people,” he wrote on X. “Music is fundamental to bring us closer to future generations, and let them know all that is involved in choosing what many paint as the easy path.”
Listen to “El Consejo” below.