Guzman's escape inspires drug ballads

Mexico

Mexican drug baron Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman had barely vanished from prison when the first rhymes hit the Internet -- his second spectacular jailbreak has already inspired "narcocorridos," controversial drug ballads.

The genre is a big part of the "narco cultura" that is especially prevalent in the north of the country, where many films and the music glorifying the exploits of drug lords are produced.

It did not take long for Guzman's Saturday night escape from a maximum-security prison outside Mexico City to inspire several new narcocorridos, which are famous for their polka-like beat featuring guitar, accordion, tuba, drums and violence-laced lyrics.

In a music video posted online that had more than 1,300 views, Daniel Reyes sings as he drives his pick-up truck: "Saturday, July 11, I start singing about the most famous escape of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman/He fled (President Enrique) Pena Nieto, he got away from the prison." 

Reyes fixes his sombrero before continuing with the next verse: "I wasn't born a prisoner/I didn't grow up in a prison/I was born for business, so let me work/If the government tries to tie me up, I'll flee again."

The powerful Sinaloa drug cartel leader's escape from prison was Hollywood-worthy: He went down a shaft dug under his cell's shower and fled through a 1.5-kilometer (one-mile) tunnel to freedom.

In 2001, he escaped hidden in a laundry cart from another prison. He was recaptured by marines in his home state of Sinaloa in February 2014.

Lupillo Rivera, who has recorded more than 20 albums and is the brother of the late diva Jenni Rivera, starts his song with a sound bite from a newscast about Guzman's latest caper.

"The news is hot/But I'm not surprised/To capture 'El Chapo' was a scandal/Well-combed hair, and through the bath the man escaped again," sings Rivera.