Ruben Rada | |
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.jpg) Rada in 2015 | |
| Born | Omar Ruben Rada Silva (1943-07-16)16 July 1943 (age 82) Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Children | |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, percussion,tamboriles |
| Years active | 1955–present |
Musical artist | |
| Website | www |
Omar Ruben Rada Silva (born 16 July 1943, Montevideo, Uruguay) is an Uruguayan musician, singer, songwriter, percussionist, and actor. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Uruguayan popular music, he is known for blending Afro-Uruguayan traditions—particularlycandombe—with rock, soul, jazz, and funk.[1]
Rada began his career in the 1960s and co-founded the bandEl Kinto withEduardo Mateo. The group is recognized for pioneeringcandombe beat[2] and for being among the first South American rock bands to sing in Spanish while incorporating Latin percussion into a rock format. In the early 1970s, he formedTotem, noted for its fusion of Afro-Uruguayan rhythms with rock influences. Rada later collaborated with Hugo and Osvaldo Fattoruso in the United States–based jazz fusion groupOpa, contributing significantly to the albumMagic Time (1977).[3]
In the 1980s, Rada relocated to Buenos Aires, where he led an ensemble featuring both Uruguayan and Argentine musicians. The group produced a series of recordings that combinedcandombe, jazz, and rock, a period often considered among the most significant in his career.
During the 1990s, he lived in Mexico, working as a sideman with various artists, includingTania Libertad. He also recorded three albums in the United States during this period:Montevideo (1996),Montevideo II (1999), andRada Factory (unreleased).
Rada returned to Uruguay at the end of the decade, entering a period of broad recognition and commercial success throughout the 2000s in Uruguay, Argentina, and other parts of Latin America.
In 2011, he received theLatin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his influential career and his contributions to the fusion ofcandombe with jazz, funk, soul, and other genres.[4]
In 2013 Rada received Berklee’s Master of Latin Music award from theBerkleeCollege of Music.[5]
In 2020, his song “El Ómnibus” was sampled byFreddie Gibbs andThe Alchemist in the track1985.[6]
In 1965, he andEduardo Mateo formed the bandEl Kinto Conjunto [es]. This was the first group in Uruguay to create the beat genre in Spanish and to fuse rock with Latin American musical styles. In 1969 the success of his Candombe song "Las Manzanas" ("The Apples") led to his first solo album and participation in the Festival of Popular Music in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.A year later he formed the bandTótem. He has recorded more than thirty albums.
In 1977, he traveled to the United States after an invitation by the Fattoruso Brothers to play with the groupOPA. Over the next year, he performed withTom Scott,Ray Barretto,Hermeto Pascoal, andFlora Purim.
Between 1991 and 1994, he settled in Mexico, where he worked as a composer and arranger for local musicians such as Mijares, Eugenia León,Stephanie Salas, andTania Libertad. In 1994 he shared the spotlight withSting andUB40 at the Palacio de Deportes in Mexico City.
Rada has achieved renown outside the country and recorded under international labels, includingEMI Latin andUniversal Records. His songs are played worldwide and have been recorded byMilton Nascimento,Herb Alpert, andLani Hall. He was invited byJon Anderson andJoan Manuel Serrat to appear on their albumsDeseo andUtopía, respectively. British singerPaul McCartney and Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento are among his admirers.
His albumsMontevideo (1996) andMontevideo II (1999) were recorded in New York City withHiram Bullock,Anton Fig,José Pedro Beledo,Hugo Fattoruso,Bakithi Kumalo, and Ringo Thielmann.Montevideo reached platinum sales in Uruguay
He voiced the part of Lucius Best/Frozone in the 2004 Argentinian dubbing ofThe Incredibles. He has directed radio and TV shows, such asRadar (radio) andEl Teléfono (TV). Beginning in October 2007, he starred in the television sitcomLa Oveja Negra (The Black Sheep).
In April 2010, the third round of the seriesLifeLines at theHaus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin paid tribute to Rubén Rada. Three days of concerts and discussions took place about his life and career as part of the Bicentenario, focusing on 200 years of independence movements in Latin America.
Also in 2010, Rada recorded a show in the Argentine programEncuentro en El Estudio, which is run by that country's Ministry of Education.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | The Return of Martín Fierro | ||
| 1983 | Buenos Aires Rock | Himself | Concert film |
| 1997 | 24 horas (Algo está por explotar) | Cook | |
| 1999 | The Life Jacket Is Under Your Seat | Sancucho | |
| 2004 | The Incredibles | Lucius Best/Frozone (voice) | Rioplatense Spanish dubbing |
| 2014 | Por un puñado de pelos | Machaco | |
| 2019 | Cara Sucia, con la magia de la naturaleza | Mono Vivaldi (voice) | Animated film |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Gasoleros | Liber | Supporting role |
| 1999 | Telecataplúm | Sketch actor | |
| 2000–2008 | El show del mediodía | ||
| 2000 | El teléfono | Himself – Host | |
| 2007 | La oveja negra | Omar Pereyra | Main cast |
| 2010 | Porque te quiero así | Nelson | Main cast |
| 2012 | Décadas | Himself – Host | |
| 2017 | Es tu sentido | Himself – Co-host | |
| 2022–present | La Voz Uruguay | Himself – Coach | |
| 2023–present | La Voz Kids Uruguay | Himself – Coach |
Rada, anAfro-Uruguayan, is of partial Brazilian descent through his mother.[7]
My mother and aunt, who came from Brazil, said that I did not learn because the teacher was racist
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