Salsa Star Rubén Blades on Acting, Politics, and the Power of Music
Ruben Blades, a legendary figure in salsa music, reflects on his 50-year career as a musician, activist, and actor, discussing how his art has consistently centered on human struggles, social justice, and cultural identity without becoming political propaganda. His journey—from Panama to
Sign up to read the full summary
Free AI-powered recaps of every episode, delivered to your inbox.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Guest
Ruben Blades
narrative on The New Yorker Radio Hour
Mentions
Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.
People
Books
Products & Tools
Topics
Listen to This Episode
More from The New Yorker Radio Hour
Bonus: David Remnick Takes Calls on the Midterms and the Media
Colson Whitehead on His Harlem Trilogy
Alicia Keys’s New York Musical Goes on National Tour
Patti Smith on Her Memoir “Bread of Angels,” Fifty Years After Her Début Album, “Horses”
Noah Baumbach on “Jay Kelly,” His New Movie with George Clooney
Graham Platner Is Staying in the Race
Related episodes
From other shows on similar topics.
Hour 1: Holding Your Take With Tongs (feat. Pablo Torre)
The Dan Le Batard Show
Clarke Peters: From ‘The Wire’ to ‘The Boroughs’
Fresh Air
The U.S. is turning 250. These songs unexpectedly changed American history.
Apple News Today
The Dream
Shawn Stockman's On That Note
2025 Mixtape, Obituaries and Singles of the Year
Sound Opinions
Origins Vol. II
MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
Get summaries like this every morning.
Free AI-powered recaps of The New Yorker Radio Hour and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.