The crudeness of Remik González’s lyrics is not an invention. The anecdotes in this rapper’s songs are just some of the hundreds of experiences he lived in dangerous and conflictive neighborhoods of Tijuana.
“There are experiences that I missed singing,” Remik said in a recent phone conversation. “Everything I know I learned in that environment.”
Not hiding anything—what is called nothing—from his life is what has made Remik one of the most popular artists of his genre in Mexico. His followers number in the millions and he attributes this success to his ability to connect with his audience through the honest lyrics of his songs.
However, despite the fact that the singer has been gravitating around the world of rap for more than ten years, it was not until a few weeks ago that he released what could be called his first solo album; before that he had released songs that had received millions of reactions on social media and recorded albums with collaborators, but he had never made an album like the one he has just released.
“My Demons is a concept that encompasses many things,” he said about the title of this material. “I talk about my emotions, my feelings, my lifestyle.[Son] chronicles of what I experienced; it is a very personal album, which despite the title brings my good and bad side.”
Remik explains that this dichotomy is the way he struggles with things in his head, which is a reflection of his personality and that he made this production because since he has several vocal styles when it comes to performing, that versatility was perfect for “Mis Demonios.”
Remik’s career began in his native Tijuana, a city as fascinating as it is turbulent and contrasting. As a border city, it is greatly influenced by American culture, and one of those influences is rap. He grew up listening to it, and the first time he realized his talent was when, after finishing classes at his high school, he and his friends began rapping in the street.
“We didn’t do it for money, but people gave us things, sometimes even ice cubes,” he said.
One time, one of his friends invited him to record at his house. Remik had no idea that a computer and a software program were enough to make original songs. During one of those visits, he recorded “Pirata sin barco” (Pirate without a boat), a song that went viral after he posted it on social media at the time. The same thing happened with his other songs.
But as time went by, life on the streets of Tijuana became increasingly difficult for Remik, because just as he found rap, he also found “vagrancy, thugs, and drugs.” He had to leave home before he came of age to help his mother, who was alone and taking care of several children.
It was then that Remik, who already had several successes under his belt, decided to leave his city and move to Guadalajara. He had with him only the clothes he was wearing and the bus ticket he had travelled on. Some producers who knew his work had invited him to work with them.
That was salvation for the rapper. In that city he found his tribe and also commercial success. He lived there for ten years and has been living in Mexico City for the past one year.
He recently gave a concert at El Lunario in the National Auditorium in Mexico City, one of the most important venues in that city, and that filled him with pride. He is waiting for his work visa to be able to come to the United States.
Now he says that he lives a peaceful life, and that despite what he has experienced, he feels proud of his achievements. Above all, he feels privileged to know that few can sing what he sings because they are experiences that he lived through firsthand.
“My fans know that’s where I come from,” said Remik, 31. “They know that I lived what I sing about, and they relate to me and support me.”