Sept. 20--Don Omar wasn't one of the 23.1 million viewers who watched the GOP presidential primary debate Wednesday on CNN. It's not that Puerto Rican reggaeton singer and "Fast and Furious" actor -- known best for his crossover hit "Danza Kuduro" -- was busy that night. He just has had his fill of Donald Trump.
Trump has drawn the ire of many Latinos like Omar after referring to undocumented Mexican immigrants as "rapists."
"I just can't see him," said Omar (real name: William Omar Landron) Thursday during an appearance at Macy's on State Street, part of the department store's Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. "I just can't see him. (His popularity) concerns me. It means a lot of people think like him. They're just walking the streets trying to avoid us. Deep inside, they see us as rapists and drug dealers and people who came here to steal. He's igniting things that people have had in their minds for decades. He's telling people it's OK to see us as (inferior), to treat us as dogs. That's my biggest concern, that he is just waking up a dangerous giant.
"This is an important moment for Latin Americans. We've been in this country for 50 years. We go to college and have become engineers, doctors, judges and mayors. I see our community trying to say enough is enough. We've kept quiet long enough."
(Macy's announced in July that it had cut ties with Trump and was phasing out his menswear clothing line after his "rapist" remark.)
Several Latin recording artists have spoken out against Trump, including Puerto Rican rapper and former John McCain endorser Daddy Yankee. He recently called Trump a racist in a freestyle rap on New York's 96.3 FM La X. Omar and Yankee -- once rivals who bad-mouthed each other in songs and in the press -- are scheduled to co-headline a tour beginning in December and release an album together. There is also talk of doing a movie and reality show together.
Does this mean Omar and Yankee are friends now?
"We're businessmen," said Omar. "It is business. But now with all the issues with Trump, we've got something in common. It's a good time to remind the community that united we stand."
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