Jenni Rivera may be gone, but her music will continue to live on forever. One of the iconic Mexican-American singer's last songs ever, a duet with Edward James Olmos called "Hurts So Bad", premiered Friday to the delight of La Diva de la Banda fans the world over.
Click here to listen to the song
Billboard magazine exclusively debuted the new track written for Rivera's last and only film, "Filly Brown", which played at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Written by Rivera, Olmos, Arthur Dominguez, Mico Olmos, Chris Perez, Edward "E-Dub" Rios and David Salas, "Hurts So Bad" will be released on the film's soundtrack April 16, according to Billboard.
"That session was like Chicano heaven," said Lisa "Khool Aid" Rios of recording the song with Rivera. "We feel honored to have been part of history."
Produced independently by husband and wife team Lisa and Edward Rios who head up Silent Giant Entertainment, "Filly Brown," received a strong opening with generally positive reviews. The movie tells the story of the eponymous character, a Latino "street poet," who attempts to fix her broken family - ripped apart by drug abuse and crime - by becoming a famous rapper. Rivera plays the young heroin's conniving, incarcerated mother.
The filmmakers behind "Filly Brown" were reportedly initially skeptical Rivera would even consider taking the role because of her high profile. But they were blown away when she accepted the part, saying they were impressed by how her enthusiasm for the role, raw acting energy on set, and her "life experience" allowed her to truly inhabit the character.
Producers questioned whether or not "Filly Brown" should be released at all following the artist's untimely passing, but any trepidation seems to have vanished. "Filly Brown" now has an April 19 release date, according to Olmosperfect.com.
Among a cast of many notable stars, the film features other musicians such as Chingo Bling, Baby Bash, Dominator, Braxton Millz, MC Magic, Chrissie Fit, Ese Daz, Nikki Diaz, DamonReel, Jae Black, Fade Dogg, Carolyn Rodriguez, and Malik. Producers even included a special spoken dedication to Rivera delivered by Khool Aid: "Dear Jenni -- You've left us with an empty place in our heart. It's not just an ordinary empty place. It's an empty place that needs to be filled in all we do moving forward... know that you'll live on."
Rivera's legacy and music have experienced a surprising surge in popularity since her death in a December plane crash thanks her devoted fan base. Three of pop star's records recently scored the top three spots on the Billboard Latin charts, according to La Opinón. Rivera's album "La Misma Gran Señora" landed Billboard's number one spot this week, and her records "Joyas Prestadas: Pop" and "Joyas Prestadas: Banda" snagged the number two and three positions.
Rivera was also recently honored with five trophies - including Artist of the Year - in the General, Pop and Regional categories at the Premios Lo Nuestro award show, and the icon received 11 posthumous nominations for the upcoming Latin Grammys in April.
The singer's family also plans to finally release her memoir, "Unbreakable," in English and Spanish in July. Rivera had reportedly been working on the book for years, finishing the autobiography shortly before her death, said Paul Olsewski, spokesman for publisher Atria Books, Associated Press reported.
Rivera, four of her staff, and two pilots died Dec. 9 when the small private Learjet carrying them plummeted from 28,000 feet and crashed into a mountainous area 9,000 feet above sea level, according to Mexico's transportation secretary. The jet was flying them from the northern Mexican city of Monterrey to the central city of Toluca. According to CNN, the cause of the crash is under investigation. The accident report will not be ready for nine months to a year, the secretary of communications and transportation said.
The DEA has announced that it is currently investigating Starwood Management, the company that owns the luxury jet that crashed and killed Rivera and her crew. The agency seized two of its planes earlier this year as part of the ongoing probe, reported The Huffington Post.
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