13-year-old Carlos lives in the Barrio - a Nicaraguan shantytown. His greatest wish is to become a "coplero", the poet and lyricist in a Gigantona group. In the face of all resistance, Carlos founds his own Gigantona group, which makes its way to an old poet, in the attempt to get a foreign stipend for their work. As it becomes clear that there is no chance of a stipend Carlos is faced with his greatest challenge - responsibility.