El General

Edgardo Armando Franco, known professionally as El General, was born on September 27, 1969, in Panama City, Panama. Of Jamaican descent, he began singing and composing at the age of 12 in Río Abajo, Panama. His early musical experiences included being part of a group called Renato and the Four Stars, where he earned his nickname “El General” for singing reggae in Spanish. Growing up amidst the rise of Spanish reggae in Panama, a genre characterized by the adaptation of Jamaican riddims with Spanish lyrics, Franco’s background positioned him at the forefront of a unique cultural and musical movement focused on resistance and identity for Panamanians of Caribbean descent.

Franco moved to the United States on a scholarship to study business administration, where he became a professional accountant. While studying, he also gained experience as an MC, opening for various dancehall and hip-hop acts in New York. This period was crucial for refining his sound and connecting with Black diasporic communities, which aided in the spread of his music across the Americas. His breakthrough came in the early 1990s with hits like “Tu Pum Pum” and “Te Ves Buena,” which achieved significant success in North America. These tracks, performed in a Spanish deejaying style, not only established his international presence but also paved the way for other Spanish-language dancehall reggae artists to enter the mainstream.

Over a 17-year career, El General’s albums achieved gold status 32 times and platinum 17 times. His significant contributions were recognized with an MTV award for Best Latin Video in 1992 for “Muévelo,” produced by Pablo “Pabanor” Ortiz and Erick “More” Morillo, and the Rap Artist of the Year Award at the Lo Nuestro Awards in 1993. His music, characterized by its infectious “dembow riddim,” fused elements of reggae, dancehall, salsa, and merengue, creating a distinct style that resonated across Latin America. His work is widely recognized for influencing the “Underground” scene in Puerto Rico, which eventually evolved into what is known today as reggaeton. In 2004, El General announced his retirement from music to focus on producing, and later, he fully disengaged from the music industry to dedicate himself to his faith as a Jehovah’s Witness.