Known as one of the most successful Panamanian musicians ever, Rubén Blades is a master of the salsa and Latin jazz genres. The singer-songwriter is also a social activist, an actor, and a politician. Though he studied law initially, he continued making music throughout his university days. His studies were interrupted by the Panamanian political unrest, and he and his family were forced to move to the US. Many of his songs had social and political themes. His albums such as Mundo, Salsa Big Band, and Tangos won him both the Grammy and the Latin Grammy. He also appeared as an actor in movies such as Crossover Dreams and The Milagro Beanfield War. He later launched the populist political party Papa Egoro (Mother Earth) and ran for president, though unsuccessfully. From 2004 to 2009, he was the Panamanian Minister of Tourism under President Martín Torrijos.
