Oscar De La Mafia's Influence On American Culture

American Southwest or borderland music has been indubitably morphed two distinct cultures and their respective sounds to create a popular music genre that continues to thrive. Tex-Mex or Tejano music originated in Texas and combines influences especially from Mexico, however, other Latin American countries have also shaped this genre. Tejano music was particularly more popular in the 1990’s with bands such as, La Mafia, gaining substantial recognition and receiving various Grammy Awards for their work. Perhaps, the most well-known Tejano artist is Selena Quintanilla who graciously combined her American culture with her Mexican roots. This is the essence of borderland music as it unites these cultures and the elements of polka, pop, rock, R&B

La Mafia was one of the first Mexican-American bands to perform in Mexico, they brought their unique style to Mexico during the late 1980’s. By expanding their horizons into Mexico, the band is in a way driven by a political movement that demonstrates that combining two cultures is acceptable and in fact even better. Over the years, the band has had many members, however, the lead vocalist, Oscar De La Rosa, has been the frontman and face of the band since the beginning. Currently there are seven members in the band and each performing with instruments that include: the accordion, guitar, drums, congas, and six-bass percussions. Over the last 37 years that band has produced Tejano music, they released 37 albums among the more popular ones: The Magnificent 7 which was released in 1982, Neon Static (1985), Estas Tocando Fuego (1991), and Ahora y Siempre (1992). “Nuestra Canción” which was part of the 1991 Estas Tocando Fuego album, became an instant hit and has been one of the band’s greatest creation which aided in their success. “Me Estoy Enamorando” which was in the 1992 album, Ahora y Siempre, has also been of the band’s greatest hits. In fact, Estas Tocando Fuego and Ahora y Siempre were million selling records and were perhaps the band’s best selling albums yet. La Mafia had been working under the Sony Music Latin label since 1980, but have

Margaret Dorsey, author of the journal article, Borderland Music as Symbolic Forms of Nationalisms: The Best of the Texas Tornados, Partners, and ¡Viva Luckenbach!, has described the origin of borderland music, in this case, Tejano music as, “Borderland music is an expressive form affiliated with Anglo and Mexicano on both sides of the U.S. border” (Dorsey, 23). In other words, Dorsey asserts that Tejano music is much more complex than simply saying that it combines American and Mexican culture into one and makes it music. “I explore borderland music as a nexus for interpreting issues of Mexicano and Anglo identity formation” (23). Rather she is saying that it combines the ethnicities and the musical characteristics of each to make a statement about identities. Dorsey, happens to be a feminist, thus, viewing Tejano music through a feminist perspective and declaring that there is a complexity when combining national identity from different cultures into a music genre. In this light, Tejano music is much more complicated and profound than previously explored, once again, supporting the argument that this music genre is a political