Fidel Nadal: The Reggae Argentine

What the world knows about Argentina is linked mostly to football. With good reason as Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires is known to have the highest collection of football teams in one city in world and also happens to be the birthplace of three of the best players of that sport of all time, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and the recently deceased Alfredo Di Stefano. Add to that Argentina’s national team (La Albicelestes) has been world champions twice and runner-up three times. Then it is with good reason that the world’s view of Argentina is tempered by their footballing exploits. However it is because of this focus that questions about Argentine society began to surface. Located within one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse continents in the world (South America), it would stand to reason that the Argentine national squad and larger demographic would reflect such diversity. But it doesn’t. And there seems to be no firm theory as to why that is so. Our research on the topic of black Argentinians brought up several names however the one that stood out was Fidel Nadal. Not only was he black and Argentine he was one of South America’s biggest reggae acts. During 2014 edition of the World Cup, BACKAYARD actually got to meet and interview Fidel, who we identified through his donning of a Club Atlético Independiente jersey (One of the “Big Five” of Argentine football and Fidel’s favourite team), and got to asking him about his interesting beginnings and connections with Rastafari and reggae music. He let us in on those topics and more. As we behold the Black Argentine!

It is a honour to meet you. Could you please let us know where you are from?

Blessings, for the interview. I am from Argentina. I am Afro-Argentine as they say now. I am from Buenos Aires the capital.

How exactly did reggae music reach your ear?

Well for me it was hard to find the reggae music as a yute because it was hard to find music at that time in Argentina until one year records start to come from abroad. Disco music, ballads….. Everything and in between all of those records that come to the record shop of my neighbour was Bob Marley, Peter Tosh. So I buy it and listen to it first time.

So your neighbour is one of the reasons why reggae reached you?

Yes….. My father listened to calypso for example Harry Belafonte and all that. But they don’t know about reggae.

Wow!! Even the calypso your father listened to was from a Jamaican. But why do you think calypso had an impact on your father?

My father liked, of course, a lot of black music. He was a big fan of Jazz, Soul music and Afro-Caribbean music.

Ok, so your father was Afro-Argentine as well?

Yes my father black, my mother white. After when you check (research) him you will see a lot of things. He was a revolutionary in Argentina always fighting social struggles.

What was his name?

Enrique Nadal. He started the Anti-Apartheid movement in Argentina, When Mandela was in jail. So he was a big big fighter. When I was yute, I learnt about Patrice Lumumba, Malcolm X a lot of thing that the other yutes they never know. That is through my father social revolutionary actions. That was why when I was little, I knew about the black struggle. Without noticing I started to get involved and develop interest. So they listened to that kinda of music and I like it but when I found reggae I make it like my music different from the music of my father’s. And I feel something, I see the pictures and listen to the music because at that moment I understand nothing of the lyrics. As a yute I don’t speak english so I never understand the lyrics…..

What age was that?

I was 12 years old. So little by little, I got the dictionary and started to translate. When I found Rastafarian in those things, I did not know what it mean. Because in the dictionary, they don’t say a thing you know. So I start to search and investigate because I feel interest and that is why I am here today.

How did your family feel about that interest?

No, they don’t take it serious. They think of music as a hobby. They love it but they are not musicians. I start to dedicate to the music to make myself a musician. At first my family, of course, didn’t like it because they feel there was no future for me with that. But when they know that I was serious and determined they started to have respect.

When did you decided you yourself wanted to be an artiste?

Whoo! That is like 25 years ago. First, I was in my room making the lyrics and playing with the musicians of the neighbours, anyone who has an instrument. And then I started to go to concerts and meet musicians. Then I make a band, to play all over and mix all kind of music. At a later time, I feel that reggae music was my music. Then I become a solo artiste and started to make my career doing reggae.

Do you think if it wasn’t for reggae you wouldn’t be in music?

I think I would be in music but I don’t know if I endure so long. I don’t know if I don’t know reggae if I would be in music so long because reggae make me maintain you know.

How hard was it for you to get a record deal?

Well, first time I started doing it underground, that’s in the 80’s, then we make a record on a major label and they started to put the music on the radio. That is how we got to play all over in the 80’s. After they kick us off (the label) we started do doing it independent.

These labels were based in Argentina?

Yeah, Argentina based.

How did the label respond to your type of music?

When I started my solo career in 2000, I had a lot of music but no record label. No one want to put out my music so I have to make it myself, independent producing, go to the factories and make the records and then go to the record shops, you know old style. Until I find a company who were interested in my music and they started to make my records.

Which company was that?

It is called PopArt, an Argentine based company.

Are you still with them now?

No no, now I am alone. I make a last record with them last year and this year I start alone. I was with Popart from 2007 to 2013. They made records like ‘International Love’, the song that go on the FIFA (EA sports videogame franchise soundtrack, Fidel’s song featured on the 2010 release FIFA 10). Very good records we make together, they (PopArt) like it and the people love it.

Where was your first performance?

As a solo artiste, I start with soundsystem downtown Buenos Aires in 2000. In that time, Argentina don’t know soundsystem. I came from a band, when I went solo on stage with turntables like disc jockey styling, they don’t understand at that time. So the people didn’t show up as much. Until we started to be regular at a place on Fridays, then the people start to come. We also introduce to the people artiste that they don’t know like: Sizzla, Anthony B and Jah Cure…

You were like a promoter then?

Yeah because they just know Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Israel Vibration, Burning Spear, Aswad, Black Uhuru and that is it, Third World maybe. You ask them about Capleton they don’t know same for Jah Cure and Jah Mason. I go with all of that thing at that time which they don’t like so much. Because it is not the same thing as Israel Vibration. I had to show them “No, this is a new thing”. So some people don’t like in that moment and some yutes come and they love it…. (Laughs)…. The people that don’t like it then now they love it.

What was the name of the sound system you operated?

K-Dus Anbesa (Kidus Anbessa) which is Amharic for Saint Lion. It wasn’t a soundsystem in the fact that we don’t have dubplates or nothing. I just go with my records and be a selector all night long with our own speakers, you know. The people start to like it so we expand.

How hard was it for you to find sponsors?

When I was solo, I had no sponsors. I had to call the places and try and get a percent at the door. We make our own promotion, since I have been with the company they take care of those things. But there is not a lot of support for reggae in Argentina, like with sponsors. But there are big artistes and groups.

Apart from yourself who else does reggae in Argentina?

Well you have in Buenos Aires: Los Cafres, Los Pericos, Dread Mar-I, La Zimbabwe, Dancing Mood, Junior C and plenty more.

Where have you toured?

I have been to Europe last time being 2009 in Spain. I have been all over South America sometime Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico and United States. 2002, I went to Japan.

Most of your songs are done in Spanish?

Yes, I have a few in English. But I born and grow in Argentina so mostly Argentinian Spanish.

How would you describe your music to people who never heard it before?

I would say it is reggae and it’s in Spanish so if you don’t speak Spanish sometimes might be better. I grow listen to music that I don’t understand a word they are saying but you follow the vibes and you follow the sound and even if you don’t understand you get to know it is always about the positivity.

Do you produce yourself?

Well not lately. Now I am with Bobby Digital. I spent 7 years producing myself and then I allowed other people to produce. I make the music and they produce and arrange and everything. Just to mix and incorporate other people’s music because when I made my production I focused on the music I liked. But maybe when other people come then it is another style and make good good things.

(Disclaimer: While neither English nor Patois are Fidel’s first languages, he was quite proficient with both. However there were certain phrasings within the interview that are more commonly associated with native Spanish speakers. Please enjoy with that in mind)