My Hometown Playlist:
“House Party” by Screwston
“Mi Ultimo Contrabando” by Beto Quintanilla
“Fiesta En La Sierra” by Los Tucanes de Tijuana
“Por Mi Mexico” by Lefty Sm & Santa Fe Klan
I grew up listening to all kinds of music. I was born in Houston, but I was raised in Victoria, Mexico. My mother was born in Mexico and my dad was born in Houston. My mom moved to Houston with my dad when she was only 15. I remember when I would hangout with both sides of my family they’re both from different places so there would be different types of music and dancing.
The song “House Party '' by Screwston reflects my Houston heritage; it represents Houston hip hop. This song is a celebration of life, in which we can find the vibrant energy in social gatherings, mostly in house parties. The lyrics emphasize the excitement of the music and the collective enjoyment. Overall, the song has a very positive and upbeat perspective on the communal experience of coming together to celebrate and have a good time. It also talks about the south of Houston which is where I'm from.
The song “Mi Ultimo Contrabando '' by Beto Quintanilla, is a traditional Mexican song that we listen to on my dad’s side of the family. It's a Mexican corrido; the lyrics emphasize the risk, and hardship. The meaning of the song lies in the depiction of a challenging time in life. The song can have many types of meaning for other people, but for me it has a strong meaning since it does remind me of my dads side of the family.
When I was 5 years old, I came back to Houston from Mexico. I went to many different types of schools since we moved houses a lot. I did go to public schools and private schools. The song “Por Mi Mexico” by Lefty Sm & Santa Fe Klan became a very famous song in Mexico when it came out. This song is about Mexico and how any Mexican will carry their flag anywhere and represent it. This reflects in my life in many ways because many Mexicans are hard workers and I do represent my Mexico in many ways. This song became a huge impact in my life since I was raised over there for 5 years.
The song “Fiesta en La Sierra” by Los Tucanes de Tijuana is a song by a group of people. This song reminds me of my mom because she loves corridos and this is one of her favorite songs. I've always listened to their music since I was little. This song is a celebratory song that can often reflect in a joyous atmosphere of social gatherings and festivities in the Sierra region. In my life, this song may serve as soundtracks to moments of happiness, and cultural celebration, creating a connection between the vibrant and dynamic spirits that are depicted from the lyrics. It has catchy melodies and upbeat rhythms that can evoke joyful memories, having a sense of positive energies into the experience.
When I graduate from high school I hope I get to travel around Mexico and get to know more places that I dont know of, getting to know their tradition, music, and the dances in different parts of Mexico. I eventually want to travel out of Houston and visit other cities and states that have different music and dances to maybe see what their taste of music is. This has been a dream of mine since coming back from Mexico, but I'll always have Mexico as my number one place that I like the music from.
I was inspired by my family who are from Victoria, Mexico. They taught me many traditions, dances, and many of their different music genres. When I lived in Mexico for six years I went to a family event and learned the many different dances they have, and the foods, and games. These songs that I listed represent my life in Houston and in Mexico.