Gerardo Ortiz Interview: Setting the Record Straight
Narco Corrido singer Gerardo Ortiz attacked in Colima
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In his first interview after surviving an attack in Colima which resulted in the death of his cousin and driver and led to rumors of his kidnapping, Gerardo Ortiz states that, despite the tragic outcome, he does not believe this attack or the prior attack on concertgoers after a show in Mazatlan on March 9, which left 6 dead and more than 20 wounded, had anything to do with him.
"I don't think the attack in Mazatlan was against me, and I don't think the second attack was against me either, I feel like I was just in a place where I shouldn't of been", said the 22 year old singer, a native of Pasadena, California who now is said to reside in Culiacan, Sinaloa.
Visibly nervous, the singer of "Ni hoy ni mañana" narrated the moments of horror he experienced moments during the attack in Colima, which still remain fresh in his mind.
"There was gunfire, because they were killed by gunshots, so there was gunfire, but in that moment there was chaos, confusion. At the first shot I hit the floor, that was my first reaction, drop to the floor. What happened? Bang, bang, bang. We wrecked, flew around and fell. The first thing I heard was my team shouting Gerardo! Gerardo! I got out of the truck, splattered with blood"
Rumors emerged after the attack that drug lords, who have unleashed a wave of assassinations against narcocorrido singers in Mexico, were behind one, if not both attacks on Ortiz. De Andrades, the interviewer, asked the singer if he had ever worked for a drug trafficker.
"I haven't come across any. Look, I ....Nobody pays me to do my music, I think it was something I was born with. I sing to those who want to hear my music, that's all", responded Ortiz. "I haven't had any parties or sang for any private audiences in quite some time."
Ortiz, who just launched his new CD titled "Morir y Existir"(Die and Exist), said his recent violent experiences influenced his decision in choosing the title. He also stated that, more than fear, he feels the pain of having lost both his cousin and chauffeur.
The new corrido is about Ignacio Coronel Villareal, one of the heads of the Sinaloa cartel and considered one of the most powerful kingpins in Mexico, who was killed last July during a confrontation with the Mexican Army.
"You know, the title for the track "Morir y Existir",came from that story. In the song, there's this guy from Guadalajara, rumors say the guy's alive, right? They said he died, but that was a lie, he's alive, no? That's where the title, "Die and Exist", came from," said the singer.
In the verses of Ortiz's corrido "Morir y Existir", the fallen kingpin, Nacho Coronel, is very much alive:
“Soy coronel y soy amigo, y si publican que no existo, ya me hicieron un favor…"
"I'm Coronel and I'm a friend, if they announce I don't exist, they've already done me a favor."
Listen to Morir y Existir here
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Sources: Impre.com, Univision
