Hip-hop meets high school in soccer team song

Happy Birthday, hip-hop!

August marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop music and culture in the U.S. Celebrations have been going on all over the country, including Sarasota, where Ryan “Ryanito” Larrañaga recently released his "Paraiso/Paradise" project.

For those wondering about the birth of hip-hop, music historians have decided it all began in a rec room in the Bronx, where DJ Kool Herc and his sister, Cindy Campbell, had a party and started doing funny things with vinyl. The rest, as they say, is history.

Here in Sarasota, Ryanito is trying to make a little history of his own. When he set out to create a theme song for Sarasota's new USL League soccer team, the Paradise, he decided to experiment and make different versions of the song.

There are renditions of "Paraiso/Paradise" in Spanish and English as well as a house style version (hip-hop fans will understand) and a recording featuring an orchestra. There's even one with a high school marching band, none other than the Riverview High Kilties.

In an interview, Ryanito says he has been watching soccer all his life but it was his business partner, Marcel Bauduin, also known as DJ Cellus, who called his attention to the new game in the town that Ryanito has called home since 2009.

The Sarasota Paradise, a "pre-professional" soccer team, kicked off its first season against FC Miami City in June at Sarasota High School's stadium.

Yes, the team plays at Sarasota High, but chose Ryanito and Bauduin chose Riverview High for their collaboration. However, there are no hard feelings, according to Ryanito. 

Part of the reason the Kilties got the job is its band director. Not one for understatement, Ryanito and Bauduin said in a statement, "Ryanito reached out to band director Tamara Lewis and collaborated with the Riverview High School Kiltie Band, exemplifying the artist's commitment to engaging the local community and youth in the creative process. This collaboration underscores the powerful connection between music, sports, and the community."

Courtesy photo

A native of the Baltimore area, Ryanito understands the impact that the arts can have on children. He grew up singing in youth choirs at school and studied poetry. Like other kids of his generation, he listened to rappers such as KRS-One and Nas.

Ryanito is no stranger to mixing things up with unexpected collaborators and guest artists. Back in 2018, he performed music from his first LP with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe artist Michael Mendez and The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton and Sarasota.

Besides working with local artists, the rapper reaches across international boundaries. The original studio versions of "Paraiso/Paradise" were created by Mateo Merola from Uruguay, while Karl Roque from the Philippines produced the house music version.

A second-generation American, Ryanito is connected to Uruguay through his father, who grew up there and traces his ancestry to Spain's Basque region. 

The "Paraiso/Paradise" album also features artists from Mexico, Italy, Spain, Argentina and Venezuela. Like soccer, music is international. "With the internet and the ability to create your own lane, you can share your music worldwide," Ryanito says.

Ryanito has fans not just in Sarasota, but in Europe and Latin America. Featuring local artists is a way to appeal to local audiences in these regions. 

Asked what he's aiming for in the fragmented streaming world that dominates music today, Ryanito says he wants to: "Be a pioneer. Establish the roots. Bridge the gaps."

Later this month, Ryanito will release his children's book, "The Cosmic Kid." Available on Amazon, it tells the story of a boy named Rayo who dreams of becoming a successful rapper. He discovers a secret that helps him tap his inner creativity. 

Like others in Sarasota, Ryanito has been inspired to give back to his community. In recent years he has visited Sarasota County Schools where he has inspired students to learn and to embrace positivity through his Art, Rhymes & Kids program. 

If the Art and Rhymes part sounds familiar, it's because Ryanito and Bauduin have done an adult version of the show called Art, Rhymes & Beer at local taverns. 

As the artist likes to point out, rap is a style of music, but hip-hop is a lifestyle. And Ryanito is determined to live it to its fullest, but on a positive note.