La Mafia Singer Says "F_ck You" To Organizers Of The Go Tejano Day Livestock And Rodeo Show

The lead singer of La Mafia Tejano band lashed out on Saturday at organizers of the Houston "Go Tejano Day Livestock And Rodeo Show" for not allowing Tejano music at the major arena event.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

February 18, 2015

Houston, Texas - On Saturday, Oscar de la Rosa, the lead singer of La Mafia finally spoke out and told the organizers (the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) Board/Executive Committee) of the Go Tejano Day Livestock And Rodeo Show to "F_ck You" for not allowing Tejano music at this year's major arena event. The HLSR event starts March 3 thru 22, 2015.

De la Rosa in a video that circulated on social networks during Saturday's St. Valentine's Dance at the El Dorado Club in front of a packed house said, "I feel that there is some f_cking asshole there that is so anti-Tejano, you know what I'm saying...I only have one thing to say, F_ck Them. I don't give a f_ck, if I never do the rodeo, F_ck Them, F_ck Them. You know why, because if I don't do the rodeo, that's not going to change my f_cking life, I'm still going to do what I do. To the people of the rodeo livestock, F_ck You, kiss my mother f_cking Mexican ass or would that be, kiss my Tejano f_cking ass. I'm serious...I just have to let that out and to express myself. I'm so tired, I'm so tired of people expressing themselves and we never say anything, as Latinos we never say nothing and keep our mouths shut, it's time for us to speak out and time for us to stand our ground and say what we feel."

The organizers of the HLSR event have phased out Tejano music in the last three to four years and has ignited protests from Tejano music enthusiasts and an online petition has even been started. The Tejano petition says, "...The HLSR board claims that it's mission is to serve all ethnic groups that make up the Houston area but when it comes to Tejanos they seem to ignore them, although we make up a large portion of Houston's area population. This change can make an positive impact on any child to defend the values, culture, and education. Please join, support and help us bring Tejano music back to The Major arena so it could continue to be an American tradition." More than 3,000 have signed the petition.

The organizers of the event say that they still used the "GO Tejano Day" theme and included other Hispanic music except the dominant Tejano (Tex-Mex) style of music heard throughout Texas.

The Go Tejano Day organizers released the following statement, "The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo proudly celebrates the Hispanic heritage of Texas in all of its many facets on Go Tejano Day. "Go Tejano" has never been specific to one genre of music-it's a play on our popular "Go Texan" slogan which was created in the 1950s..."

De la Rosa including many Tejano style fans disagree and believe that they're being discriminated, people should speak up and send e-mails to the Go Tejano Day organizers for them to reconsider and add a Tejano music venue as well. De la Rosa indicated that it's okay for Tejanos to participate at the rodeo event, but Tejano music is not allowed at the major arena.
Grupo Fuerte in the petition comments to bring back Tejano music to the major arena made the following statement that could boycott and trigger an economic impact for the HLSR, " Everyone is looking at boycotting the Rodeo Concert. Truth be told our biggest support right now is in the Houston Rodeo Cook-Off. Tejano cooking teams are some of the biggest supporters of the Rodeo Cook-Off. If we can have all the cooking teams that are True Tejanos come together to Boycott the Cook-Off then you'll truly hit them where it hurts and maybe open their eyes to how much support Tejanos bring to the Houston Rodeo. I know a lot of these cooking teams work hard all year long to get to The Houston Rodeo Cook-Off but why support an organization that doesn't give any support back to us Tejanos? Cooking Teams, make your voices heard and help bring Tejano Music back to The Rodeo!"
Jose Vega from Houston announced on the "Houston Rodeo Protest" Facebook page that a major protest against the HLSR decision not to include Tejano music at their major arena will take place on Saturday, February 28, at 9:30 a.m. at the City Hall Refection Pond. More than 359 people and students around the city are planning to attend. Support for the HLSR protest and march is spreading throughout the tri-county area and attendence is expected to increase.

HLSR contact e-mail:
questions@rodeohouston.com, lyons@rodeohouston.com or 832-667-1000

HLSR Chairman of the Board

● Jack A. Lyons

Executive Committee

● Jim Bloodworth

● Brady F. Carruth

● Wayne Hollis

● J.P. "Hap" Hunnicutt

● Don D. Jordan

● Ed McMahon

● Chris Richardson

● Charles R. "Butch" Robinson

● Paul G. Somerville

● R.H. "Steve" Stevens Jr.

● P. Michael Wells

● James A. "Jim" Winne III

Chief Executive Officer/President

● Joel Cowley 

Chief Operating Officer/Vice President

● Dan Cheney

There are between 190 to 350 HLSR Board members.

Online petition to restore Tejano music at event, link: http://alturl.com/t9urz

Video: Oscar de la Rosa from La Mafia said it and we all agree: http://youtu.be/LhG-CEsbk7c

Video of Houston's Fire Marshal shutting down La Mafia St. Valentine's Dance at El Dorado at link: http://youtu.be/jSn5NrGWh74

Houston's Fire Marshal shuts down La Mafia venue for over capacity.

HNNUSA Update: Oscar de la Rosa from La Mafia band was also upset that the Houston Fire Marshal closed down the venue at the El Dorado on Saturday night because it had over capacity and people were forced out from the venue due to a fire hazard. De la Rosa later released a statement saying that they had no control over the tickets sold and the Fire Marshal's decision to shut down the venue due to over crowding, including lines of people outside waiting to get into the dance.
Hundreds of fans waited outside, but due to a capacity limit, they were not allowed into La Mafia St. Valentine's Day dance. Univision 45 in Houston reported what De la Rosa had stated in the circulated video about the HLSR and how the event organizers said, that they are working with groups that can sell concert tickets, prompting one of the female commentators at the Univision broadcast to say, like Tejano music is no longer popular, como quien dice "La musica Tejana ya no pega." Well the commentators missed the crowd at the El Dorado indicating que Tejano music si pega (Tejano music is alive and kicking)!

Univision 45 video:  http://bit.ly/1JrVN1f

Editors note: The difference today between Tejano music and other music genres that the HLSR should consider in making their decision to keep Tejano music outside of the major arena lineup is that Tejano music doesn't proliferate on drugs, gangs, murders or drug cartels. Tejano music is about life experiences, love, culture, success, values, family and etc.