Fans of hip-hop were treated to a surprise album release from beloved rapper Kendrick Lamar on Nov. 22.
Not only did the Compton native give the Los Angeles Dodgers a shoutout with track eight’s title ‘dodger blue’ but also featured vocals from Deyra Barrera, a mariachi singer last seen at Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees.
Barrera’s voice is the first thing listeners are greeted by when beginning Lamar’s sixth studio album, ‘GNX.’ The reaction to the album has been overwhelmingly positive, with Barrera’s contributions being a highlight.
It was all made possible through what some might call fate, with Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela as the driving force.
Barrera’s tribute to Valenzuela at Dodger Stadium prior to Game 1 of the World Series was the catalyst for this collaboration between a rapper from Los Angeles and a mariachi singer from Arizona, according to Tomás Mier of the Rolling Stone:
Several weeks ago, the mariachi singer was tapped by the Dodgers to perform a tribute for late legend Fernando Valenzuela at Game One of the World Series. She took the stage to perform “El Corrido de Fernando Valenzuela,” and a medley that included “Yo Te Extrañaré,” a powerful farewell song.
“I was in tears, singing for my friend who died, at a packed stadium,” Barrera says. “And, El señor Lamar was there. He listened to me sing.”
Rap and mariachi music is not a crossover seen often, if at all, which is why Barrera was initially unsure of how she would be contributing. She contributed her vocals on three songs in total: ‘wacced out murals’, ‘reincarnated’ and ‘gloria.’
During the recording process she got to meet Lamar in person briefly and had nothing but positive things to say about the interaction:
“I had no idea what I would record. I make mariachi, not rap,” Barrera says. “They told me they wanted my style, my voice. I had no idea how it was going to end up on the record.”
At one point, Lamar stopped by to meet Barrera, and thanked her for being part of the project. She says Lamar lingered to hear some of her takes, but they didn’t spend much time together. “He welcomed me and was so kind. He said, ‘You have such a powerful voice. Thanks for coming.’ I had no idea what to say,” Barrera recounts. “Lamar is a genius, a maestro. Everything he makes is magic.”
It’s safe to say that it has been a successful collaboration as ‘GNX’ is on pace to become the most-streamed hip-hop album of 2024. The album also earned over 44.2 million first-day streams on the global Spotify chart.
Watch Deyra Barrera’s performance from Game 1
The Dodgers celebration of Valenzuela began with a video tribute that was written and narrated by Tom Verducci. After which, there was a special mariachi performance featuring Barrera and Julian Torres in the left field pavilion as highlights of Valenzuela’s career played on the DodgerVision video boards.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
