Alfredo Rios a.k.a. El Komander has become one of the stars of the narcocorrido scene, playing sold-out concerts for ticket holders on tours in Mexico and the United States. His narcocorridos, or narco ballads, have deep roots dating back to the 1930s and chronicle the culture and lives of Mexican kingpins, often referring to real events and places in their explicit narratives about the violence amid the rise and fall of drug trafficking. The genre’s popularity has increased with the lyrically hardcore movimiento alterado, or altered movement, in much of the same way that gangsta rap has, with the appeal in the fast and furious lifestyles of its subjects. El Komander’s sound is rooted in the norteño folk corrido tradition, with his alluring voice floating over the accordion-driven polka sound bolstered by drums, guitar, trumpet, and tuba at a frenzied and danceable pace. He has released five albums in the last three years, including 2011’s Y Seguimos la Borrachera and 2013’s El Katch, whose self-titled single has received tremendous internet buzz and heavy radio play from Chicago to San Diego.
