El malo

When Willie Colón released his first LP, titled El Malo, in 1967, he was barely 16 years old. This album, released under the Fania Records label, became a fundamental starting point for what would be known as New York salsa. Latin music experienced a renaissance in the 70s, and this album was one of the first to mark that path, opening doors worldwide for Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe. Colón, a grandson of Puerto Rican immigrants, was already a accomplished trombonist and used music as a form of social protest in the streets of New York, expressing his discontent with how Latin culture was received. His nickname, "el Malo" (the bad one), came from his reputation as a troublesome youth, an image he decided to bring to the stage, making the title of his debut seem like the most fitting choice for his peers. The album cover shows him at 16, without his iconic mustache or beard, dressed in a black suit and a red turtleneck shirt.

Year

1968

Songs

8

Duration

30 min 20 seg