By the end of the '90s, hip-hop-informed metal had not only become familiar, it had become the sound of disaffected teens, not only in America but throughout the world. Usually, American groups could be successful in other countries -- Europe, Latin America -- but the reverse was never true. That all changed with Molotov and their album, ¿Dónde Jugarán las Niñas? Picking up where Licensed to Ill left off, Molotov come across as a wilder Rage Against the Machine, with more affection for grooves and fun -- all of which makes their social commentary cut a bit deeper. Of course, many American audiences didn't understand the meaning of the lyrics -- they understood that the relentless rhythms swung the heavy guitars more nimbly than most homegrown rap-metal outfits, which makes the record simply sound better than most of its ilk. And make no mistake about it, it's the sound (along with the teen sex cover, which could be seen as very offensive by many observers, both conservative and liberal) that will sell them in the U.S., and for good reason -- they're better than most of their peers. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
¿Dónde Jugarán las Niñas? is a 1997 album by the Mexican rock band Molotov. On a superficial reading, its title, which translates literally as "Where Will The Girls Play?" parodies the album ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? ("Where Will The Children Play?") by Maná. There are different layers of meaning to Molotov's title, however since, in this particular context, "niñas" may be understood as "prostitutes". To underscore this aspect, the cover features a young woman's legs seductively displayed in school uniform. Indeed, the cover resulted in a lawsuit from a Catholic school who claimed that the school uniform worn by the woman on the cover was an exact match to their own uniform, but it's the exact model for Mexican official State Schools Uniform, which means the girl is represented to be up to 18 years old.
Rapping in both Spanish and English, the band puts together a blend of turntable scratches, bass lines, and flamenco guitar riffs. Initially misinterpreted as a slur against homosexuals, "Puto (used to call gay men)" actually makes fun of anyone not willing to stand up for himself.
