00:00 We're not necessarily erasing our traditions,
00:03 we're embracing tradition as well as giving it
00:05 our own new school flair.
00:07 (speaking in foreign language)
00:08 It's your girl Becky G and you are watching Billboard News.
00:11 (upbeat music)
00:13 - So you've had quite the evolution, you know,
00:20 musically as a rapper.
00:22 ♪ I won't stop till I get to the top ♪
00:25 ♪ I'm so, I'm so Becky from the block ♪
00:28 - You went from being a pop reggaeton hit maker.
00:30 (singing in foreign language)
00:34 Now you're stepping into regional Mexican music.
00:36 (singing in foreign language)
00:41 Talk to me about that evolution.
00:42 - Yeah, it's been quite the journey, girlfriend.
00:44 Honestly, like (speaking in foreign language)
00:49 I grew up listening to all kinds of music
00:51 in English and Spanish.
00:52 I consider myself a genre-less artist.
00:55 - What did you rediscover or how did you reconnect
00:58 with your heritage?
00:59 What was one thing that you learned?
01:00 - You know what's so interesting is that
01:02 I feel like that essence of me being Chicana,
01:05 born and raised in Inglewood,
01:07 and obviously being very proud of being my Mexican roots,
01:11 like I think it's always been there.
01:13 Two years ago when I lost my papi, my abuelito Miguel,
01:17 (speaking in foreign language)
01:18 he was kind of the catalyst as to why I decided
01:20 it was time to do the project,
01:22 'cause it was a dream of mine.
01:23 I definitely feel like it's a part of my soul
01:26 when I sing (speaking in foreign language)
01:28 - Talk to me more about the title, "Esquinas."
01:31 Where did you come up with the title?
01:32 - For me, I think I've always felt like I'm not
01:36 this side of the streets that raised me
01:37 or this side of the streets.
01:38 I am literally la esquina, like I'm at la esquina
01:41 where those cross streets are, of like I always say,
01:44 those two languages, those two flags, the two cultures.
01:47 It's a very intentional body of work
01:49 from all the visuals and all the song selections
01:52 and all of the collaborators.
01:54 Edgar Barreta is like family to me
01:56 and he really helped kind of create a sound
01:59 that I think represents me in this space.
02:01 And so it's been a lot of hard work,
02:05 but I feel like you can really hear me
02:07 and see me in this album.
02:09 Of course, like any traditional regional project,
02:13 you wanna have some covers on there.
02:15 I wanna say like personally selected the covers
02:18 that I did for the album because they really
02:20 either take me to a point in time in my life
02:23 that just remind me of my childhood
02:25 or like have such a deeper significance
02:27 even before I ever existed.
02:29 And one of those is Cruz Olvido.
02:31 And it's a song that my papi dedicated to my grandma
02:34 when he was crossing over from Mexico to the United States.
02:37 And Cruz Olvido is one of the first mariachi songs
02:40 that I ever learned.
02:41 And I have video actually of me singing it
02:43 to my papi at his birthday.
02:45 It's so crazy to cross reference, you know,
02:48 mis vocales in the cover that I recently recorded of it.
02:52 And then when I'm, you know, 12 years old,
02:55 singing it in like, you know,
02:57 the front of my papi's house in Englewood.
02:59 - You've pulled up some amazing guests on your album,
03:03 your upcoming album.
03:04 You got Peso Pluma, Gabito Ballestero, and others, you know.
03:08 So tell me about how you go about selecting
03:10 who to collaborate with.
03:12 - I think there's this wave of fresh and authentic artists
03:17 in the regional space.
03:18 And we're not necessarily erasing our traditions.
03:22 We're embracing tradition,
03:23 as well as giving it our own new school flair.
03:26 And so I was definitely, like,
03:28 I had my heart set on artists
03:29 who interpret regional music in their own way.
03:33 A lot of it happened organically.
03:34 Like when I worked with Peso,
03:36 (speaking in foreign language)
03:37 like we didn't really have intentions.
03:39 It was just to introduce to each other,
03:42 what are you working on?
03:43 This is some of the music I've been working on.
03:45 And, you know, somebody with Edgar whips out a guitar,
03:47 and next thing you know,
03:48 we wrote the song in like 45 minutes.
03:50 (speaking in foreign language)
03:51 It was, you know, instant chemistry between Peso and I.
03:54 And same with like, it was really sweet.
03:56 One of my favorite memories is working with Ivan Cornejo
03:59 on our song for the album.
04:00 He almost canceled the studio session.
04:03 'Cause he (speaking in foreign language)
04:04 and he's like, no, it's just, I feel really,
04:06 a little bit of pressure.
04:07 I wanna do a really good job.
04:08 You know, I'm gonna be going on my first tour,
04:10 and I just don't wanna let you down.
04:12 And I was like, bro, you could literally come
04:13 and we can eat in and out.
04:14 And just like, hang, like we don't have to write anything.
04:17 We don't have to do anything.
04:18 Like, let's just vibe.
04:19 And then one thing leads to another
04:20 and you start creating these beautiful friendships,
04:22 you know?
04:23 - You're a proud 200 percenter.
04:25 Can you share a little bit more about, you know,
04:28 being a 200 percenter?
04:29 - Totally, no, it's 'cause I remember there was,
04:32 there was a moment in my life,
04:34 and I feel like I can even remember the day
04:36 where I was like, man, you know, 50/50 doesn't cut it.
04:39 Why do I have to give up half of myself to be accepted here?
04:42 I'm 100 percent proud to be from Inglewood.
04:45 ♪ Living in the world ♪
04:48 But I'm also 100 percent proud to be Mexican
04:50 and to be Latina.
04:51 And so, hopefully the next generations can get more
04:54 and more inspired to understand that.
04:55 Nunca has tarde.
04:56 It's never too late to learn more about where we come from.
04:59 - Tu Casa Mi Casa Tour.
05:01 I love the name, first of all.
05:02 It's, yeah.
05:03 So, talk to me behind the concept.
05:05 What can fans and attendees expect?
05:08 - Yeah, so it's really cool that,
05:10 I would say on the Coachella stage,
05:11 was the debut of Casa Gomez.
05:13 And there was so much inspiration of the 200 percent for me.
05:17 I knew that I wanted to make a statement
05:19 representing two cultures, two flags, two languages.
05:21 And so, we had like, you know,
05:23 from the color scheme to the way that we played out
05:26 the set list, having the whole middle set of the show
05:29 be dedicated to Música Regional,
05:30 it was just like, this is the essence of the tour.
05:32 And so, we're bringing Casa Gomez to everybody
05:35 on Mi Casa Tu Casa.
05:37 And it's gonna be really, really awesome.
05:39 - Muchísimas gracias, Becky G.
05:40 - Hey, thank you.
05:41 (upbeat music)
05:44 (electronic music)
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