J Balvin Criticizes Artists Who Promote Criminal Behavior

J Balvin took to Instagram Tuesday (Aug. 14) to express some of his current frustrations with the music industry. In the caption of a rather graphic photo, the reggaeton sensation shed light on the harsh realities of the “street” and the pain that comes with it.

“I was born in 1985 in Medellin Colombia where drug trafficking boomed, which I DO NOT FEEL PROUD OF,” he writes. “As an exponent of the genre, I want to express that this attitude was the one that damaged my country for generations and affected the world culture with the same vice.”

Rather than romanticize the violence he and so many others have first-handedly experienced, Balvin expresses a strong distaste with what he believes is an urban trend of “focusing on the attitude of criminals and drug dealers.”

Instead, the “Equis/X“ singer hopes artists can lead fans in the right direction by creating happy, positive music. “Zero respect to all the clowns of the genre, who are followed by thousands of people,” Balvin says. “All they have to offer is sh*t vibes when we come to make people dance and make them happy.”

J Balvin is currently gearing up for the North American leg of his Vibras tour which is set to embark this September. Check out the original post and full translation below.

Últimamente nuestro género musical anda más enfocado en la actitud de maleantes y narcos que en la música… Nací en el año 1985 en Medellín Colombia donde tuvo auge el narcotrafico, de lo cual NO ME SIENTO ORGULLOSO, pero es una realidad en ese tiempo era la plena calentura en la calles y por mas que lo quisieras evitar y no fueras “calle”, algún amigo, conocido o familiar fueron asesinado de las formas más crueles e inhumanas, como exponente del género quiero expresar que esta actitud fue la que dañó por generaciones mi país y afectó la cultura mundial con el mismo vicio. Yo como colombiano de Medellín pues no comparto la película, tengo amigos en todos los niveles sociales y los más calle “malos de verdad“ ni hablan, ni se sienten orgullosos de lo que son, tampoco lo aconsejan, ni mucho menos usan redes sociales. Para mi es un chiste lo que está pasando. Mejor hagamos música! Me gustaría llevarlos a un barrio de mi ciudad a ver cuantos de los más “calle” del género no salen corriendo o les da un infarto al ver que sus películas no tienen nada que ver con la cruda realidad, respeto pa lo que son calle y guardan silencio porque su dolor y su realidad es mejor no contarla pero cero respeto a todos los payasos del género, que los siguen miles de personas y lo único que tienen para brindar es una mierda de vibras cuando vinimos es a poner a la gente a bailar y a hacerlos felices.

A post shared by J Balvin (@jbalvin) on Aug 14, 2018 at 10:18am PDT

Translation:
“Lately, our music genre is more focused on the attitude of criminals and drug dealers than music … I was born in 1985 in Medellin Colombia where drug trafficking boomed, which I DO NOT FEEL PROUD OF, but it was a reality at that time. It was like a full fever in the streets and however much you wanted to avoid it and as much as you did not identify as “street”, some friend, acquaintance or family member of yours was killed in the most cruel and inhumane way. As an exponent of the genre, I want to express that this attitude was the one that damaged my country for generations and affected the world culture with the same vice. I, as a Colombian from Medellín, don’t share the film, and I have friends at all social levels and the most street “bad guys” who do not speak, nor are they proud of what they are, nor do they advise it, much less use social networks. For me, it is a joke what is happening. Instead, let’s make music! I would like to take them to a neighborhood in my city to see how many of the most “street” of the genre do not run away or give them a heart attack when they see that their films have nothing to do with the harsh reality, respect for what they are, and keep silent because their pain and reality is better not to tell. But zero respect to all the clowns of the genre, who are followed by thousands of people and all they have to offer is shit vibes when we come to make people dance and make them happy.”