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The Immigrant Experience in Music: 25 Heartfelt Songs to Reflect on This Fourth of July

By Leila Cobo
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Perhaps never in recent memory has the angst of the immigrant in the United States felt as acute as it does today, in the middle of President Trump’s often brutal immigration crackdown.  

While the vicissitudes of the immigrant experience have always been a constant in history, across time and lands, they are permanently front of mind in the U.S., which since the 1970s has been the main destination for international migrants, according to the World Migrant Report. Today, more than 50 million immigrants live in the country, with the biggest population coming from Mexico, the big neighbor to the South.

No wonder then that music in Spanish has long served as a vehicle for immigrant stories, of every stripe. As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, Independence Day in the U.S., we dove into those immigrant songs that have spoken to us through the years, but particularly now, at a time when we – Billboard’s Latin music crew — are taking stock of our personal immigrant experiences.

We listened to favorites like Los Tigres Del Norte’s “De Paisano a Paisano,” which was released in 2000, but narrates in chilling detail the scorn and rejection suffered by the working immigrant today; and Ricardo Arjona’s “Mojado,” the ode to the everyday undocumented immigrant worker, who “Isn’t from here because his name isn’t registered, nor from there, because he left (no es de aquí porque su nombre no aparece en los archivos,Ni es de allá porque se fue).”

There’s the cheeky, sardonic “Frijolero” by Mexican alt rockers Molotov from 2003 (‘Don’t call me gringo, you f—in’ beaner, Stay on your side of that goddamn river”), and Residente’s angry “This Is Not America,” which, with words, reclaims the land taken.

And then, there’s those songs that yearn for the home and country lost, like Celia Cruz’s “Por Si Acaso No Regreso.”

For years, we have collected songs of patriotism for Fourth of July. This year, our list of songs reflect frustration, anger, angst, resignation, but also, a sliver of hope.

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Ice Spice Appears on Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign’s ‘New Body,’ New Report Says

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By Alexander Cole
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If you are a hip-hop listener who keeps up with leaks and unreleased records, you have likely come across Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s “New Body.” The track has been floating around since 2018 and also includes a feature from Nicki Minaj. Despite ongoing requests over the years, Nicki has continued to decline clearance for its official release.

For a long time, Ye and Ty have held onto the record, hoping the circumstances would eventually align for it to drop. Years have passed since it first surfaced, and many fans have already accepted that it may never see an official release in its original form. In recent developments, Ty Dolla $ign briefly gave listeners some renewed optimism during a livestream. In the clip being shared online, he plays the track before quickly cutting it once an unidentified female verse comes in. The voice stands out immediately, and it is clearly not Nicki Minaj. Instead, many listeners believe it sounds similar to Ice Spice.

While some people might interpret this as a replacement of Nicki Minaj, it is worth remembering that she has repeatedly made it clear she does not want her verse released. Because of that, it would not be surprising if Ye and Ty explored other options to complete the record. Bringing in a newer viral artist would be a natural alternative given the situation.

Did Ice Spice Replace Nicki Minaj?

Even though the situation may look like a subtle shift away from Nicki, it is important to note that her contribution was never cleared for release. That leaves room for the possibility that a new verse could be used instead. The idea of tapping someone like Ice Spice would also fit the current trend of collaborating with rising artists who have strong online momentum.

At this point, it is still unclear when or even if this updated version of the song was recorded. There is also no confirmation on whether it will ever be officially released. If it does eventually drop, it would likely spark major discussion among fans who have been following the track’s long and complicated history.

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