Ocasional Talento
Ocasional Talento | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ocasional Talento in 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Hiroshi Claudio Ishida Ruiz |
| Also known as | Hiro Ishida |
| Born | 6 May 1996 La Paz, Bolivia |
| Died | 26 June 2025 (aged 29) La Paz, Bolivia |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2018–2025 |
Hiroshi Claudio Ishida Ruiz (6 May 1996 – 26 June 2025), known professionally as Ocasional Talento, was a Bolivian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and poet.[1] He was also part of the jazz and hip hop band Vinilo 54, where he played the role of songwriter and lead vocalist.[2][3]
Early life
[edit]Ishida was born in La Paz on 6 May 1996; he was of Japanese descent.[4][5] From an early age, he was drawn to music and the arts, an interest that began to consolidate during his school years, where music teachers encouraged his vocation from the age of seven.[1] During his adolescence, he practiced skateboarding and parkour, activities that led him to share different musical genres with his environment, from rock and punk to rap. Over time, he became primarily identified with hip hop and boom bap.[6]
Career
[edit]The character of Ocasional Talento emerged from a collection of poems Ishida worked on in 2018, the year he discovered hip hop and rap.[1] As he stated in interviews, he chose a pseudonym that functioned as a first and last name, with the intention of creating a distinct identity that would allow him to express aspects that, as Hiro, he did not feel comfortable expressing. He described this alter ego as a figure that appeared intermittently, in episodes of creative inspiration, which is why he chose the term "Occasional," while "Talent" alluded to the artistic capacity that emerged in those moments.[6]
In November 2021, Talento released his debut album titled "SÓLIDO," which includes eight songs that fuse samples and rhythms with influences of jazz, soul, and funk.[7] Along with the recording of this album, Talento formed the band Vinilo 54, made up of himself, Emilia Lanza, Eduardo Navarre, Bladimir Morales, and Diego Ballón, releasing their first single titled "You and I."[2]
Despite his presence on the scene since 2018, it was in 2022 that Talento's career achieved recognition, earning him a nomination for Best New Artist at the Bolivia Music Awards that year.[8] Thanks to his growing fame, he received an invitation to join the festival's lineup. Respira Vol II, sharing the stage with prominent local artists such as Bonny Lovy, Matamba, and Chila Jatun.[9]
In 2023, Talento received nominations for Best Urban Artist and Best Songwriter at the Bolivia Music Awards.[10] Additionally, that same year, he participated again in the Respira Bolivia event, this being the third edition, where he collaborated with 30 other local artists.[11]
In early 2025, after several nominations in previous editions, Talento won the award for Best Urban Artist at the Bolivia Music Awards 2024.[12] His last performance took place on 21 June 2025 at the Nuna Espacio Arte theater, where he shared the stage with his band Vinilo 54 and composer Rez-p.[13] Due to his death, he could not fulfill several scheduled performances, including a trip to Sucre scheduled for August and September of that same year.[6]
Besides his musical career, he stood out as a graphic designer by profession.[4][5]
Death
[edit]On 25 June 2025, Ishida made his last social media post, an image with a black background accompanied by the words "thank you." The following day, his younger brother, Raúl Naoki Ruiz Ishida, publicly confirmed his death through a statement released on social media, without providing information about the cause of his death.[14] That same day, the wake was held in La Paz, and the following day a Christian ceremony took place, after which he was buried in the Jardín Cemetery.[13]
Following the confirmation of Ishida's death, several national artists expressed their solidarity and highlighted his influence on the country's music scene. Bonny Lovy praised his talent and mentioned their plans for joint productions, while Luis Vega expressed his admiration and recalled their shared performances.[15]
On 27 June, the Bolivian Special Force to Fight Crime (FELCC), a unit of the Bolivian National Police, reported that Ishida died after falling from the fifth floor of his home in the Villa Fátima area of La Paz. The director of the institution, Gabriel Neme, confirmed that it was a case of violent death and that a posthumous letter addressed to his daughter was found at the scene.[16] According to initial investigations, authorities indicated that Ishida was experiencing emotional and family difficulties. According to the preliminary report, Ishida arrived home around 1:00 a.m. after consuming alcoholic beverages and had made final contact with his close circle before the incident.[16] He was 29.[17]
Discography
[edit]Credits taken from iTunes.[18]
EPs
[edit]- 2020: SÓLIDO
Singles
[edit]- 2020: El Escritor del Cuento
- 2021: En el medio
- 2021: Un último intento
- 2022: LIMBO (ft. Jotty Roots)
- 2022: Stereo Break
- 2023: Ya (ft. Lu de la Tower)
- 2023: Buen Tipo
- 2023: Todo lo contrario
- 2024: Sold Out
- 2024: La Prima (ft. Los Prana)
- 2024: La Danza del Fuego
- 2025: Cara o Cruz
- 2025: Cara o Cruz (Soul Version)
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Best New Artist | Himself | Nominated | [8] |
| 2023 | Best Songwriter | Nominated | [10] | |
| Best Urban Artist (male) | Nominated | |||
| 2024 | Won | [12] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Jeanette (22 May 2021). "Ocasional Talento". El Diario - Bolivia (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ a b Ritchter, María José (8 November 2021). "Vinilo 54 debutará en el Nuna Fest" (in Spanish). La Paz: La Razón. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ Jeanette (26 June 2022). "Vinilo 54". El Diario (in Spanish). Bolivia. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ a b Menacho, Naira (26 June 2025). "¿Quién era Hiroshi Ishida, el rapero conocido como 'Ocasional Talento'?" (in Spanish). Red Uno.
- ^ a b "¿Quién fue Hiroshi Ishida? El rapero y compositor boliviano que falleció en las últimas horas". Urgentebo (in Spanish). 26 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "La última entrevista con Ocasional Talento, impulsor del género urbano". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ Ocasional Talento y su esperado primer disco Sólido. El Diario. 20 November 2021. p. 3.
- ^ a b ""Bolivia Music Awards 2022" premió a los artistas destacados". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). 15 April 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ Jeanette (1 July 2022). ""Respira Vol.2" mostrará este 30 música y cultura en Santa Cruz". El Diario - Bolivia (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ a b ""Bolivia Music Awards 2023" premia el talento en la industria musical boliviana". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). 24 November 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ "Derroche de talento y moda en Respira Bolivia". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). 17 September 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ a b Aliaga, Rodolfo (31 March 2025). "Anuncian lista preliminar de artistas nominados para los Bolivia Music Awards".
- ^ a b Deber, El (27 June 2025). "Fallece 'Ocasional Talento', una de las voces más reconocidas del rap boliviano | El Deber". eldeber.com.bo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ "Luto en el rap boliviano: Fallece Hiro Ishida, conocido como "Ocasional Talento"". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ Sanchez, Silvia. "Se apaga una voz del hip hop boliviano: fallece Hiroshi Ishida, conocido como 'Ocasional Talento'". reduno.com.bo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Policía revela cómo murió Hiro Ishida: Dejó una carta póstuma a su hija". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ central, redacción (27 June 2025). ""Fue mucho más que un músico": Artistas lamentan la muerte de 'Ocasional Talento'". ABI. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ "Ocasional Talento on Apple Music". Apple Music.
