The New Yorker Radio Hour

Episode Summary: "Salsa Star Rubén Blades on Acting, Politics, and the Power of Music"

Date: January 2, 2026
Host: David Remnick
Guest: Rubén Blades
Interviewer: Graciela Mochkowski

Overview

This episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour explores the remarkable life and career of Rubén Blades, the legendary Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, activist, lawyer, and actor. Speaking with New Yorker contributor Graciela Mochkowski, Blades reflects on five decades at the forefront of salsa’s global influence, his enduring commitment to social commentary, and his unique trajectory through law, politics, and Hollywood. With stories ranging from his breakthrough in New York, his musical collaborations, his time in public office, and his refusal to accept Latino stereotypes in film, the episode offers a portrait of an artist whose work and activism continue to cross borders and generations.

Key Topics and Insights

1. Early Life and Musical Beginnings

• (05:44–09:11)
  Blades’ entry into music was almost accidental:

  • In 1969, as a law student in Panama under pressure to quit music, he was invited to a recording studio, where his performance unexpectedly caught the ear of influential New York producer Pancho Cristal.
  • Amidst Panama’s political upheaval and following a military coup, Blades’ mother sent him to New York. He recorded the album From Panama to New York with Pete Rodriguez’s orchestra during this visit.
  • Quote (05:44):

    “Most of the things in my life came as a result of total unexpected occurrences...I had quit music by that time because the dean...asked me if I was going to be a musician or a lawyer...” — Rubén Blades

• Return to Panama: He completed his law degree before fully returning to music after unforeseen family and political crises forced him to the U.S.

2. Immigration, Fania Records, and the New York Salsa Scene

• (10:07–13:27)
  • After emigrating to Florida in the mid-1970s under political duress, Blades struggled to find work as a lawyer and took a job in the mailroom at Fania Records—the iconic salsa label.
  • His break as a musician came when Ray Barretto needed a new singer, launching Blades' professional career in New York.

3. Political Themes in Music and Rejecting “Protest Singer” Labels

• (13:27–17:53)
  • From his high school years writing about political events to composing songs like "Pablo Pueblo," Blades has consistently interwoven social issues into his art.
  • However, he is careful to distinguish his approach from propaganda or “protest music,” striving for storytelling and balance.
  • Quote (14:49):

    “Political songs are propaganda by definition… If you start singing about political ideology, you’re not an artist, you’re doing propaganda. Basically I try to be as close to a newspaper person as I can… you can be balanced. And you have to be careful…so it doesn’t become a lie.” — Rubén Blades

  • He views salsa as a vehicle for connection and dialogue as well as dance.
  • Quote (16:16):

    “All these people who come from all these different walks of life in one place… you’re touching a total stranger… Now I’m talking to you about a priest that was killed. Or… your mother that died of cancer. Or… the gay guy who doesn’t dare to say that he’s gay… Music, especially salsa music, was creating what did not exist at the time… a vehicle for total strangers to meet and share a common ground.” — Rubén Blades

4. Integrity, Fame, and Artistic Values

• (17:09–17:53)
  Referring to advice he’d heard from Argentine rock star Charly García, Blades credits his long career to never compromising his values or “chasing fame,” but instead prioritizing communication and artistic purpose.

5. Musical Experimentation: Salsa and Jazz

• (19:25–21:59)
  Blades discusses his collaborations with jazz greats like Wynton Marsalis, his influences from American standards (Tony Bennett, Sinatra), and the creation of SalSwing—his 2021 big band project fusing salsa and swing.
  • Quote (20:40):

    "I learned to sing on top of the records, and that's why I lost my accent singing... I learned how to breathe just by following what [Sinatra] was doing in his records." — Rubén Blades

  • He emphasizes the deep historical roots of Latin–jazz connections and the long-standing Panamanian jazz tradition.

6. Public Service, Political Ambitions, and Acting

• (21:59–25:24)

  • Blades took a five-year hiatus from arts to serve as Panama’s Minister of Tourism (2004–2009), motivated by a desire to combat political corruption from within.
  • Returning to the arts, he found that acting—particularly his role as Daniel Salazar in Fear the Walking Dead—was both a practical move (for union health insurance) and a way to refresh his public relevance worldwide.
  • Quote (22:54):

    “Most people in Panama don’t think to become involved in politics because they consider that it’s corrupt and horrible. And I tell them it’s corrupt and horrible because people like us don’t participate. You have to eliminate the space for the corruption.” — Rubén Blades

• Political involvement in the U.S.: He remains a Panamanian resident to retain political eligibility in Panama.

7. Latino Identity, Representation, and Stereotypes

• (25:41–28:04)
  • Blades reflects on why Latinos have little political power in the U.S., blaming a lack of unified identity and a climate of political caution among immigrants.
  • He critiques Hollywood’s narrow roles for Latinos and recalls rejecting a prominent “drug dealer” role, even at career cost:
  • Quote (27:25):

    "I was able to say no... I lost a role in a movie called Q & A... But I could say no because I had the music. I'm not criticizing those who need to work... I had an option that was brought to me by music, so I said no." — Rubén Blades

8. Staying Relevant: Collaborations and Crossing Generations

• (28:04–30:04)
  • Blades continually records and performs with younger and genre-spanning artists—Natalia Lafourcade, C. Tangana, and especially Stay Homas, the Barcelona trio who rose to YouTube fame during COVID-19.
  • His openness to collaboration helps him reach new, younger audiences:
  • Quote (29:05):

    “I thought they [Stay Homas] were great melodically... I sent a message, ‘Hey guys, I’d love to do something with you.’... I sang with them live in the festival in Barcelona—25,000 people. Their tour was bigger than mine!” — Rubén Blades

Memorable Quotes

• On refusing to be boxed in:

  “My goal from the beginning was not to be famous… My goal from the beginning was to communicate, to present a position, and create a conversation.” — Rubén Blades (17:36)

• On the power of salsa:

  “Imagine that incredible possibility of having all these people who come from all these different walks of life in one place... You’re touching a total stranger… Now I’m talking to you about a priest that was killed.” (16:16)

• On music as more than protest:

  “If you start singing about political ideology, you’re not an artist, you’re doing propaganda.” (14:49)

• On Hollywood stereotypes:

  “When are we gonna break away from the roles of ‘narcotraficante, maid, illegal alien, hoodlum’... I was able to say no [to stereotyped roles] because I had the music.” (27:25)

Important Timestamps

• 02:11: Introduction to Rubén Blades’ significance by David Remnick
• 05:44: Blades describes his first accidental recording
• 10:07: Emigration and the Fania Records story
• 13:27: Discussion of political themes in his lyrics
• 19:25: Blades’ embrace of jazz and big band influences
• 21:59: Conversation about his years as Panama’s Minister of Tourism
• 25:41: Reflections on Latino political identity and Hollywood stereotypes
• 28:04: Collaborations with younger musicians, including Stay Homas

Episode Tone and Style

The conversation is wide-ranging, candid, and deeply personal—reflective of Blades’ storytelling style. Both Blades and Mochkowski infuse the discussion with warmth and humor, as well as pointed critiques of politics and the music industry. Remnick’s framing underscores the enduring cultural and political resonance of Blades’ career.

Conclusion

Rubén Blades emerges in this episode as an artist who has never stopped evolving, refusing to be limited by borders—geographic, artistic, or social. His story is a testament to the role music can play in bridging divides, starting conversations, and sustaining integrity over the long run.

For listeners new to Rubén Blades, this episode offers both an inspiring introduction and an invitation to explore the ways art and activism can fruitfully collide.