Residente (born René Pérez Joglar; February 23, 1978) is a Puerto Rican rapper, writer, producer and founder of the alternative rap group Calle 13. Along with the group, he has won 24 Latin Grammy awards in total; making him the Latin artist who has won the most gold-plated gramophones. He studied art for 8 years and has directed some of his own musical videos. His lyrics have earned him the respect of many music colleagues and critics and have even been studied as part of school and university courses. He has been recognized for his social contributions and serves as the face of campaigns for UNICEF and Amnesty International. He has consistently defended education in Latin America and the rights of the natives. In 2009 he referred to the governor of Puerto Rico as an "SOB" for laying off more than 30,000 public employees. In November 2015, Residente received a recognition award in Barcelona due to his commitment to social awareness and for promoting peace.