We say what you know, but we know how to speak: identity, canon and alterity in “We are sudamerican rockers” by Los Prisioneros

This article explores the song “We are sudamerican rockers” by the Chilean band Los Prisioneros, as a musical manifesto against the predominance of English and related forms of cultural hegemony in the music industry. The song uses an intentionally incorrect English title, “Sudamerican” instead of “South American”, to underscore a critical awareness of the position of Latin American artists in comparison to the dominant music markets of the United States and England. Through a combination of sarcasm, self-parody and an eclectic mix of music genres, Los Prisioneros reclaim their South American identity and consciously position themselves outside the musical canon established by influential publications such as the magazine Rolling Stone and the channel MTV. The article also analyzes the notion of resentment as a creative impulse, in contrast to its common negative interpretation. The argument is that Los Prisioneros, using irony and sarcasm, confront and redefine imported musical codes, transforming them into genuine expressions of South American reality.