The Tigres del Norte have been gold and platinum many times, but on Sunday the acclaimed group turned yellow for the first time.
The Grammy-winning band appeared in animated form on the latest episode of “The Simpsons,” which aired Sunday, and performed an original corrido about the adventures of Homer Simpson and Pedro Chespirito (aka Bumblebee Man).
The unexpected collaboration came with some anticipation as the long-running show promoted the group's Friday appearance on social media.
“A legendary band. An original song. A very Simpsons twist. @lostigresdelnorte presents “El Corrido de Pedro y Homero” this Sunday on FOX,” the show's official Instagram page wrote in a post alongside a couple of frames from the episode.
The “Golden Cage” artists appear only in the end credits and their song summarizes the bizarre adventures of Homer and Pedro in the episode. In the Simpsons-verse, Pedro Chespirito plays a beloved character on the Spanish-language comedy show “Channel Ocho.” The character is a tribute to the Mexican television icon Roberto Gómez Bolaños, better known as “Chespirito.” Bumblebee Man is a nod to “El Chapulín Colorado” and “Channel Ocho” is a reference to Gómez Bolaño's best-known character, El Chavo del Ocho.
“We are deeply grateful and very happy for this special moment in our history, being part of the universe of The Simpsons”said Los Tigres Del Norte rolling stone. “We are honored that our stories continue to cross borders, cultures and generations. When music tells stories, it can go anywhere… even Springfield.”
The episode's head writer, César Mazariegos, told Rolling Stone that the band's inclusion was a “sign of honor” to the show's considerable Latin American fandom, specifically its Mexican and Mexican-American fans.
“They are absolute legends worldwide. I mean, they were on tour when we approached them to ask them for a song. I figured they wouldn't have time,” Mazariegos said. “When we found out they were willing to play, I couldn't have been more excited.”
Mexican director and Oscar winner Alejandro González Iñárritu was also portrayed and voiced in Sunday's episode.
Los Tigres del Norte's guest spot is just the latest in a long line of musical legends to appear on “The Simpsons.” U2, Paul McCartney, Green Day, Ringo Starr, Sting and Dolly Parton have all appeared on the show.
Other Latin artists have also appeared in Springfield, including Tito Puente, Linda Ronstadt and Los Lobos. In 2021, Bad Bunny made a special appearance in the “The Simpsons” universe when he released a animated music video for his 2020 ballad “Te Deseo Lo Mejor,” which sees him dragged into the same universe as “The Simpsons.”
