Los de Abajo can’t be kept down

The founding members of Los de Abajo met nearly two decades ago when they were attending secondary school in Mexico City. In 1992 they played their first show together at the National Autonomous University of Mexico for the country’s Sept. 16 Independence Day celebration.

“We began to play music as a friendly game, but now has become our way of life,” said singer and saxophonist Mauricio “Osito” Diaz. “We realized that we made ourselves feel good, and we can do the same for others.”

Diaz said he and his fellow band members had no problem getting started at such a young age because their parents were very supportive. The real trouble, he said, is making a living out of playing music.

“In Mexico, making do with what’s available is difficult – unless you’re a politician or a narco kingpin,” Diaz said.

Finding a market in Mexico for their debut release, which came out in 1998, was especially difficult because record labels didn’t know what genre to list their diverse style as – a style Diaz described as being “like a spicy Mexican sauce, with many ingredients.”

“They noticed that we can’t be cumbia because we also play ska. We can’t be salsa because we also play hip-hop,” Diaz said.

Los de Abajo started to look outside Mexico for a label receptive to their ska/punk/salsa/hip-hop blend, and they eventually found a home on Luaka Bop, the label started by former Talking Heads front man David Byrne. Signing with Luaka Bop got their name into Europe and the U.S., and they were recognized by the BBC’s Awards for World Music in 2003.

Despite their world-wide acclaim, Los De Abajo haven’t forgotten their roots, and they make sure to let commentary on Mexico’s social and political problems come through in their lyrics.

“Our country is ruled by gangsters,” Diaz said, “And part of our cultural thesis is the demanding lyrics in the music.”