Beyoncé’s ‘B’Day’ Reissue Samples Selena and Celia Cruz, But It’s Not Her First Latin Tribute

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Beyoncé’s ‘B’Day’ Reissue Samples Selena and Celia Cruz, But It’s Not Her First Latin Tribute

Rolling Stone · 8 hours ago

Beyoncé has released a 20th-anniversary reissue of her 2006 album B'Day, reworking it with a strong Latin music influence, including Spanish-language vocals, samples of Celia Cruz and Selena Quintanilla, and a new collaboration with Colombian star Maluma. The move highlights a long-running but often overlooked thread in Beyoncé's career, as she has engaged with Latin music and artists at several points since the mid-2000s, reflecting both her Houston upbringing and the growing crossover between Latin and mainstream pop.

The reissue's new track "Irreemplazable (Como La Flor)" interpolates Selena's 1992 hit "Como La Flor"; Beyoncé has said she grew up listening to Selena on the radio in Texas and once briefly met her at a Houston mall. This follows her 2007 Irreemplazable EP, largely recorded in Spanish with producer Rudy Pérez and featuring Alejandro Fernández, Voltio and her collaboration with Shakira on "Beautiful Liar". Her Latin ties continued with J Balvin's 2017 hit "Mi Gente" and a joint Coachella performance in 2018. On the new record, "Cuerpo (Tumbao)", co-written by Édgar Barrera, samples Celia Cruz's "La Negra Tiene Tumbao" and echoes a line from Cruz's 2002 Latin Grammys speech, while Maluma features on "Get You Bodied (Tumbao)".

  • Beyoncé reissues B'Day with Latin-inspired reworkings for its 20th anniversary
  • New tracks sample Selena and Celia Cruz, feature Maluma
  • Reissue builds on her long, lesser-known history with Latin music

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