The warlike corridos, heavy, altered, lying down, jackalous… the narcocorridos. They are a type of popular music in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries; a subgenre of the traditional corrido of Mexican music that is characterized by incorporating themes related to war, violence and armed confrontations. And many may come to relate them to the American rap style, but with string and wind instruments, no, they are not the same, nor do they have the same past, they are not new.
Its origin can be traced between the end of the 19th century and the Mexican revolution. They were born as songs that narrated stories of battles and military exploits, and they used to talk about real historical characters, places and events.
However, since the 1970s they have been heavily influenced by the drug culture.
Over time these corridos evolved to include more contemporary themes and characters, such as drug traffickers and cartel leaders.
Corridos belicos have recently become popular in the regional Mexican genre, which includes subgenres such as banda, norteño, cumbia, and a few other new combinations.
Despite this, they are still an important form of cultural expression and to remember the history and struggles of ordinary people.