Features : Frankie 5Ø3 puzzles a relationship out of delightful pop/hip-hop track “R0MP3 CAB3ZA”

From pieces of hip-hop, pop, Spanish and his life, Frankie 5Ø3 has created a lovely puzzle of a song called “R0MP3 CAB3ZA.”

In the code of his personal naming convention, that translates to “Rompe Cabeza,” and the translation of that to English is “puzzle.”

And talk about puzzles, this one comes from life.

“There was a girl, and I wanted a relationship with her, so I made a song out of, basically that I wanted a relationship with her,” he said. “I’m talking about how I kind of notice everything and how I’m acting toward her, but she doesn’t really seem to get the hint.”

One piece of the puzzle is that he and she have been friends since they were children. Their families know each other and have always interacted, but more so recently.

“And that’s why it was kind of a little bit of a puzzle, because I was trying to figure it out without it being all complicated and everything.”

“R0MP3 CAB3ZA” is Frankie’s voice, in the borderland between tenor and baritone, singing in Spanish to a chiming pop melody over a hip-hop beat. It is very different from his previous work, which he created out of his passion for urban Latin and reggaeton.

“I wanted to make something different than what I had made prior. I wanted a different sound, so I aimed for that pop sound that’s really popular now. I felt comfortable with it.”

He comes by pop and hip-hop legitimately.

“I listened to a lot of pop growing up. I’ve listened to a lot of hip-hop — 50 Cent, Young Thug, all those guys that were popular when I was growing up.”

Frankie was born in Lansdowne, Virginia, but his parents are from El Salvador (the 5Ø3 in his artist name is the phone code for El Salvador). Latin music and reggaeton, which originated in Central America, are in his blood.

“I still plan on making a lot of reggaeton, but I like the change of pace that this song brought, because I want to make more than just one or two genres. I want to explore every genre that I can make.”

Frankie’s ambition has always been to be huge in Central and South America, but his ambition has expanded since releasing his 13-track Latin/reggaeton album 3L NIÑ0 P03TA earlier this year.

He recently traveled to El Salvador and played and recorded some music. He also traveled to Japan, where he shot a video for “R0MP3 CAB3ZA,” which will be released in early to mid-October.

That was another piece of the puzzle for “R0MP3 CAB3ZA.” He wanted a sound, a neo vibe.

“And I thought that Tokyo, Japan, was a cool spot to record.”

“R0MP3 CAB3ZA” represents a turning point, not away from Latin and reggaeton, but toward the inclusion of pop and hip-hop. He also has played in an alt-rock band, but that has taken a back seat to his solo career.

“I like seeing where I can go with different genres of music. I don’t want to stick to just one thing.”

He is working on an EP, which will include “R0MPE CAB3ZA.”

“It will have sprinkles of what I’ve done before. I love reggaeton, I love Latin music, and it’s going to be in Spanish, but it will also have some little twists of hip-hop and other realms of music. My first album had a lot of reggaeton. That’s what I was aiming for, but I want to make sure that I express myself in every way I can. As long as it sounds good in the headphones, why not release it?”

As for the puzzle at the heart of “R0MP3 CAB3ZA,” the girl and the situation.

“It’s a song where a guy’s trying to show a girl that he’s interested but trying not to be too crazy direct about it. So I made a song,” he said.

“And I showed it to her. That’s kind of why I made it.”

She’s his girlfriend now.

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