Rockdrigo González

Known interchangeably as "Rockdrigo" or "El profeta del nopal," Rockdrigo González was a Mexican folksinger who died at an early age, perishing in the Mexico City earthquake only two years after the release of his debut album. Born on December 25, 1950, in Tampico, Tamaulipas, he studied psychology as a college student in Xalapa before relocating to Mexico City in 1977. There, he began performing as a street busker while writing original songs like "Metro Balderas." By the early 1980s, Rockdrigo González had become a leader of Movimiento Rupestre, a folk scene dominated by Mexican musicians who mixed socially-progressive lyrics, street slang, and American influences into their own sound. He was also beloved by rock fans, despite his music's stripped-down combination of acoustic guitar, harmonica, and vocals. Released in 1983, the debut album Hurbanistorias was the only record to appear during Rockdrigo González's lifetime. It made him an icon of Mexican folk-rock, and he capitalized on that success by appearing in films like Sergio García Michel's Un toke de roc and Paul Leduc's ¿Cómo ves? during the first half of the decade. Tragically, his life was cut short by the earthquake that devastated Mexico City on September 19, 1985. Trapped in the wreckage of his apartment building, he died that morning and was survived by his daughter, Amandititita, who would later become a popular cumbia singer during the 2000s. After his passing, several collections of Rockdrigo's songs were posthumously released, including El profeta del nopal, No estoy loco, and Aventuras en el DF.

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