The documentary ‘This is Raptor House, from Venezuela to the future, the underground sound of DJ Babatr’ pays homage to the story of DJ Babatr’s overcoming, creator of this cultural phenomenon, and reflects on the evolution of Venezuelan society, all through the power of electronic music.
In the late 90s and early 2000s, a new sound emerged in the popular neighborhoods of Caracas. Pedro Elías Corro, aka DJ Babatr, was the creator of the underground movement called Raptor House, part of the Venezuelan Matinés universe linked to the Changa genre. Two decades later, it has become a global musical phenomenon. His life is a journey through the history of electronic sound. A movement born from word of mouth, distributed by hand through cassettes, posters, and pirated CDs long before streaming and social networks existed.
The independent production company Morning Coffee wanted to pay tribute to the figure of DJ Babatr, who broke with all established norms, boldly reimagining electronic music. Unfortunately, his music was vilified, prohibited, and even censored for years, causing DJ Babatr to withdraw from music production and DJ work in 2008.
But this documentary tells a vibrant story of resurgence and how the passion for music allows dreams to come true. The rise of Bandcamp and social media turned Raptor into a viral phenomenon and brought DJ Babatr back to the forefront of the global music scene, playing at renowned techno meccas around the world like Tresor and Berghain in Berlin, Boiler Room at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, The Basement in Madrid, and major European stages; as well as sharing the stage with artists like Crystallmess, John K, Björk, and Arca.
With Latin roots and rhythms as a foundation, in this documentary piece Pedro Elías emphasizes the importance of diverse voices and influences to achieve a unique sound along with openness to a more diverse and inclusive panorama of the global scene.
“As a Venezuelan, when DJ Babatr released the remix of the song ‘ENAMORADODE’ by Chico Blanco in the summer of 2023, I experienced the same excitement I felt in my youth when discovering the Changa culture, and it revived the need to tell his story: that of the creator of Raptor House, a style of electronic music that founded a musical and cultural movement in Venezuela, which is now revolutionizing dance floors in Europe and Latin America. This documentary not only seeks to narrate Babatr’s trajectory but also to use his story as a window to understand the marked social differences in Venezuela. Through his music and personal experience, we can explore the realities of neighborhoods, inequalities, and the aspirations of a generation that found in Raptor House a form of expression and escape,” explains Buschbeck, director of the documentary and co-founder of the Morning Coffee production company.
Raptor House remains a powerful affirmation of the transformative power of music and authenticity, demonstrating that innovation and passion are the key driving forces behind any enduring musical movement.
DJ Babatr’s Agenda: Raptor Tour 2024
The Raptor House phenomenon is experiencing a true global boom and DJ Babatr will be present at the main electronic music events taking place this summer:
– Friday, Aug 02, 2024: Donostia
– Saturday, Aug 03, 2024: Nantes
– Friday, Aug 09, 2024: Razzmatazz, Barcelona
– Friday, Aug 16, 2024: Smekkbuxur 2024, Iceland
– Saturday, Aug 17, 2024: Meta Rave, Berlin
– Friday, Aug 30, 2024: Herresauna, The White Hotel, Manchester
– Friday, Sep 06, 2024: Draaimolen Festival 2024, Tilburg
– Saturday, Sep 07, 2024: Mala Junta x Bassiani 10 years celebration, Zenner, Berlin
About Morning Coffee
Morning Coffee is an independent audiovisual production company created by Roberto López Buschbeck and Augusto José Alvarado Domínguez. The agency, specializing in digital marketing and cultural content generation, makes the leap to audiovisual production with the documentary ‘This is Raptor House’, which will be released soon and whose trailer was launched this July.
Based in Madrid, Morning Coffee is made up of a young, multidisciplinary team passionate about urban culture. Together, they have positioned themselves in a short time as one of the leading agencies in the sector, with top-level brands like Amazon Music trusting in their work for three years.
About DJ Babatr
With DJ Babatr at the forefront, Raptor House has not only established itself as a musical genre but also as a social phenomenon that challenges and resists stigma. His sound, distinctive and iconic, is a celebration of life in Venezuelan neighborhoods, resonating at every party and dance as an act of resistance and cultural affirmation. DJ Babatr remains the pillar of this movement, bringing Caracas’ marginal sound to a global audience.
His impact has transcended borders, performing in countries like the Netherlands, Spain, France, Croatia, Germany, the UK, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. He has left his mark on clubs, festivals, and prominent events like Berghain, Tresor, Nitsa, Herrensauna, Unsound Festival, Primavera Sound, and Razzmatazz (where he had a one-month residency and will repeat in 2025), etc. Babatr’s skill earned him the title of Song of the Year 2022 by Resident Advisor and he has been recognized and acclaimed for his remix work for artists like Arca, Matias Aguayo, Chico Blanco, among others.
DJ Babatr’s influence goes beyond the dance floors. He has been featured in Crack Magazine and has performed on Boiler Room stages in Caracas and Boiler Room Primavera Sound Barcelona, sharing his dynamic sets with a global audience. For two consecutive years, he has maintained a monthly residency on NTS radio, further cementing his status as a key figure in the electronic music scene. His contributions were recognized by Mixmag, which included him among the 25 producers who defined the year 2023.
via: MiMub in Spanish
