Cover Story - The Quest for Hegemony
Greatness is what many have tried to achieve but have failed to do so. Several can call themselves “good” at what they do. Others are little more than average. But then there is a select group who posses a reservoir of God given talent. Such allows them to set themselves apart from the rest by emerging victorious in the struggle to get the doubters and skeptics to fully understand the genius behind their actions. For the Carolina, Puerto Rico native William Omar Landron Garces, that battle resulted in a lopsided conquest in his favor. And much like what New York City traffic looks like from atop a skyscraper, those who lost that fight look like ants from where he currently resides.
ULM caught up with Don Omar to discuss his upcoming album, the new acting career, additions to his label roster, and the path that got him here.
“The best thing about [reggaeton] music,”
he said from his home in Puerto Rico, “is
that it only permits the best to be present.”
Looking to raise the bar in the latest addition
to his impressive discography, Non Plus
Ultra (Latin for Nothing Further Beyond), the
ambitious endeavor aims at “nothing less
than straight up perfection.”
“To me [Non Plus Ultra] means that there
ain’t nothing better,” he said about the album,
“and I want this project to be that way.
You have to work very, very hard in order
for your album to be the Non Plus Ultra of
reggaeton music. But I look forward to that
challenge.”
In his view, being the top artist in the
genre has given him the opportunity to speak “from the perspective of a president,” which
warrants him bringing up highly divisive issues
like politics and religion. Furthermore,
the Don is looking to achieve this without
abandoning his roots as a reggaeton artist
but attracting a broader audience by working
with people outside of the genre.
“I think within the responsibility of being who I am, and the independence that I want for myself,” he said. “The door has opened for me so that I could show people a different facet of myself and show who I am nowadays. I’m looking for all genres of music. I’m looking for Swizz Beatz ‘cause I wanna do a real banger. I’m looking for Kat Deluna ‘cause I really respect her and what she’s doing. Me and her could work within reggaeton but I really like dancehall the way she was doing it. That feminine voice is what the music industry is respecting right now.”
The 30-year-old music veteran also went
on to confirm producer Wyclef Jean and
singer Julieta Venega as collaborators on
the project. It’s scheduled for a June/July
release. “You have to respect the summer
time,” he said. “I like that season because
it gives all these youngsters who are just
coming out of school looking to have a good
time a chance to enjoy music. You have
families together at the beach, people at the
clubs, the youth... They can come outside
and focus more on enjoying their youth with
friends.”
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
Throughout the years, Don Omar has effectively
shown a great amount of versatility
as an entertainer but 2008 promises to illustrate
his talents outside the realm of music.
During a concert at an amusement park in
2006, he announced his intentions to get
into acting. By then of course, he had been
in talks with major producers for possible
roles and just like that, he was Hollywood
bound.
Never one to take anything for granted, he began his tutelage under the acclaimed Puerto Rican theater/film actress Miriam Colon. Best known to younger audiences as Tony Montana’s mother in the cult classic film, Scarface (1983), Colon has appeared in more than 50 television, theater, and film productions combined dating back to 1953.
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