by John Oseid

Pop Quiz: What's the hottest address in Puerto Rico these days?
Answer: Calle 13.

Sure, Calle 13 means Thirteenth Street. But it's also the nom d'artiste of two half-brothers known as Residente (singer) and Visitante (producer, multi-instrumentalist). Three years ago the San Juan duo exploded onto the Latin music scene with original eclectic beats and droll lyrics that swing from politically sophisticated to rude. Their crafty Spanglish wordplay and shrewd pop culture references have helped them win a handful of Grammys.

The brothers' tongue-in-cheek wit shows in the above video to their first big hit, "Atrévete Te-Te" (Dare to), a tune built on a clarinet and Colombian cumbia rhythms.

Last week the duo put on an insanely frenetic show at the Nokia Theater in Times Square, backed by a 12-member band and vocals by their younger sister dubbed "PG-13." For good measure, Visitante threw in a melodica and a theremin to the charivari of sounds.

Due out next week, their latest album, Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo (Those Left Behind Come with Me), is another madcap mix of music genres. This time, Balkan brass meets electronica, with hints of tango, country, Dixieland jazz, and movie soundtrack themes. Mexican experimental rock band Café Tacuba collaborates on "No Hay Nadie Como Tú" (There's No One Like You), making the single a hit already. Famed Panamanian actor and salsa singer Rubén Blades raps on "La Perla," a tribute to Old San Juan's famous waterfront barrio. Song titles alone--"Gringo Latin Funk," "Fiesta de Locos," and "John the Schizophrenic"--give a hint of Calle's brilliant nonsense that follows.

More music:
* From L.A. to Miami, Calle 13 has several more concerts coming up in MTV Tr3's Tr3spass Concert Series. The music channel Web site has a complete bio on the duo with the show dates listed. Videos uploaded on the site include the acclaimed song "Pal' Norte" (Going North), a paean to immigrants performed with the Cuban hip-hop group Orishas.
* Calle 13 albums come in explicit and clean versions. Lyrics Mania has translations for many of their songs.