Residente Talks ‘In the Summers,’ Directing a Puerto Rican Western and the Importance of Sharing ‘Stories You Don’t Usually Tell’

It’s no stereotype to say Latinos have a long history of storytelling. Even a dinner table can be a stage for stand-up comedy or dramatic retellings of family folklore. And for Puerto Rican rapper and actor Residente, who has been inspired by music and the visual arts his entire life, his affinity for writing poetry and rap songs has made him a globe-trotting superstar.

With 27 Latin Grammys, he has the most wins for any artist as both a solo act and as the front-man of alternative hip-hop band Calle 13. His second solo album — the politically charged, 90-minute “Las Letras Ya No Importan” (“The Lyrics Don’t Matter Anymore”), in which he recites stories of the ongoing war in Gaza — will vie for album of the year against efforts from Karol G, Bad Bunny, Mon Laferte, Shakira and more, at the 25th Latin Grammy Awards.

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As the album shows, Residente’s messaging is constantly evolving. “I hate doing the same thing over and over,” he tells Variety. “With rap music, it’s easy to get caught telling the same story. With each day that passes, I’m finding myself moving away from what’s happening in rap music. Not in a bad way; I just don’t want to get stuck in a box. I don’t want to feel limited by whatever is expected of rappers or Latinos in entertainment.”

That’s why, in the midst of writing and producing “Las Letras,” he also found time to launch a tour and make his acting debut in the drama “In the Summers.” In it, Residente (born René Pérez Joglar) plays a divorced father of two named Vicente. The movie follows a pair of siblings who travel every summer to Las Cruces, N.M., to spend time with their father. As they grow older, their lives and relationships with one another grow more complex.

“I wasn’t sure about doing it,” he says of the film, noting that director Alessandra Lacorazza sought him out for the role. Though he’s directed his own music videos and personal documentaries — Calle 13’s original documentary, “Sin Mapa” (2009), for example — Residente has never attempted to portray anyone outside of himself. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted my first acting gig to look like … I respect actors, and deep down I always wanted to try it, but it felt like a leap. I said yes, still not believing it would ever happen.”

“In the Summers” went on to win the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and directing award in the U.S. dramatic competition. Although “In the Summers” features dialect in Spanish, the filmmakers intentionally omit any subtitles to accompany the scenes. “There’s something so authentic about that choice,” Residente adds. “I don’t think I fully [grasped] how well everything tied together until I watched it at Sundance — it’s a striking message and the film itself is so beautiful.”

While the world was introduced to René the actor, the 46 year-old artist began to directs films of his own under the 1868 Studios banner, a production company he co-founded with Sony Music Entertainment. He is currently working on an untitled project set in Puerto Rico in the mid-to-late 1800s that follows the development of a gang and its members. “It’s a really well-written Western about Puerto Rico, but it’s not obvious in any way. That’s what I liked about ‘In the Summers’ — it wasn’t an outwardly Latino or a queer project just because there were people from those communities in the film.”

Currently on tour, Residente starts every show with “René,” a song written at a time when he was struggling with thoughts of suicide, with complex admissions of depressive thoughts. “Starting with something so deep or complex makes me feel like I still have a point to prove,” he says. “I took a similar approach with the acting — harnessing that feeling I have when I first appear onstage. I put all my effort into being natural, even though I’m doing something scary — in this case, portraying someone else.”

Residente’s performances — from his acting debut, to his latest LP — have been widely praised and touted as proof of his ever-evolving and always intriguing messaging. Still, “I’m not really focused on the accolades,” he says. “For me, it’s important I build a space to put these ideas out to the world, ideas that have soul and spirit, stories that you don’t usually tell.”