Calle 13 (album)

Calle 13 is the debut studio album by Puerto Rican urban/hip hop band Calle 13, released on November 29, 2005, by White Lion Records. The album was recorded in the wake of the group's online success with the song "Querido FBI". The album received positive reviews, with critics praising Residente's lyrical style and the musical diversity displayed on the record. The lead single "Atrévete te te" peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and is now considered to be one of the group's signature songs. At the 2006 Latin Grammy Awards, Calle 13 won three Latin Grammy Awards including Best Urban Music Album, Best New Artist, and Best Short Form Music Video for their first single "Atrévete te te".

Calle 13 was formed when step brothers Residente (real name René Pérez Joglar) and Visitante (real name Eduardo José Cabra Martínez) began creating music together in 2004. Before forming the group, Residente obtained a master's degree in art from the Savannah College of Art and Design while Visitante had studied music at the University of Puerto Rico. Residente returned to Puerto Rico in 2003. The step brothers hosted their music on a website, and began searching for a record label in order to release their music commercially. Shortly after, the duo collaborated with Julio Voltio on the single "Chulin Culin Chunfly", which reached number eight on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, creating more buzz for the group. According to Residente, the lack of critical recognition and fame gave the rapper to express himself freely on the record.

The album was mostly known for its new sound in reggaeton, where most of the tracks were composed of different rhythms and lyrics, without use of the dem bow beat. The album is a blend of reggaeton and hip hop, all with a humorous and sarcastic feel to it in subject matter. Anthony Colombo of Billboard noted that the album contains influences "that range from formal conservatory training to street music, animation, and Dadaism". The album additionally contains elements of salsa, funk, and electronica. With Calle 13, the group started to be labeled as reggaeton, a genre that the duo wished to distance itself from. Residente's self deprecating, crass, and sarcastic lyrical style garnered comparisons to American rapper Eminem. The first interlude, "Intel lú Ayala", humorously discusses "residents" and "visitors" to Puerto Rico, using the stage names of the two band members to deride colonialism from Spain and the United States on the island. "La Jirafa" contains Brazilian influenced percussion and combined with the theme music from the 2001 French romantic comedy Amélie. Residente described "La Jirafa" as "a pretty song, a love song for a woman, but it’s about Puerto Rico too." The song "Pi Di Di Di" mocks rapper P. Diddy, who had come to Puerto Rico earlier to scout out new musicians, and Residente felt that he was exploiting the island. "Sin Coro" pokes fun at "conscious" rappers who claim to be anti commercial and then "going to the mall to buy a pair of Nikes".

Although the album was not a huge success on the Billboard 200, only peaking at number 189, and at number six on the US Latin Tropical Airplay chart. By the end of 2006, the album had sold more than 150,000 copies in the United States alone.