Predikador: Pavement Pounding Soul Man
Victor Delgado (a.k.a. “Predikador”) is on the verge of something big. On his website, a voice with steady beats in the background intones the short history of the 28-year-old reggae producer from Panama. Speaking in an eerily prescient voice, Delgado describes himself as “a producer who many people follow, many imitate, a leader who is going to change the history of music in the world.”
The nickname “Predikador” (the preacher) comes from the time in his life when he was forced to do odd jobs to make money, before his rise to fame as one of the best reggae producers in the business. One of those jobs was selling Bibles on the street dressed in a suit and tie. When he showed up to a meeting with musicians, they thought he looked like a preacher. The name stuck.
Hard at work in his studio in Panama, Predikador, who has worked with artists such as Daddy Yankee, Eddie Lover, and Baby Ranks, is producing the new album by Ivy Queen. Always looking for new ways to contribute his talents, he is currently interested in infusing the Colombian folk tradition of vallenato with his contemporary touch. He also plans to launch his own label, Predikador Presenta, to release projects of various artists under his own name. This hands-on approach has resulted in some of the most critically acclaimed albums in the Latin urban genre. He collaborated with the Dominican production duo Luney Tunes on the compilation album Mas Flow, featuring many of reggaeton’s biggest names, and is currently at work on the next installment Mas Flow 3.
When asked why artists want to work with him, Predikador points to his dedicated immersion in the process of making music. “More than just a producer, I am a composer as well, adding melodies, lyrics, and harmonizing together with the artist,” he says. “I am a fanatic about music.”
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