Cuban hip hop
Hip -hop music reached Cuba through radio and TV broadcasts from Miami. During the 1980s, the Cuban hip-hop culture turned mainly to the breakdance. But with the 1990s, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the beginning of the Special Period studied young rapper for ways to express their disappointment.
Early days: Import
Initially, the hip-hop was examined with skepticism, not only by the government but also by the company. As long as rappers did it adopt the aggressive stance and text contents of U.S. rapper, hip-hop has been considered as another cultural engagement of the United States, brought the violence and problems of the ghetto with them.
This changed gradually, as the rapper began to implement their own reality and the traditional Cuban culture to use.
Both the change in the attitude to hip hop as well as the approach to a basal expression was partly facilitated by the participation of Nehanda Abiodun, an American activist of the Black Liberation Army in the Cuban exile.
Angered by what they saw as a blind imitation of the commercial American Rapkultur with her portrayal of gangster life, violence and misogyny, Abiodun began a collaboration with the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement in the U.S. and brought alternative hip- hop artist to Cuba. This led to the Black August benefit concerts in New York and Havana.
Further, the rock promoter Rodolfo Renzoli and Grupo Uno contributed to the perception of hip-hop as an authentic Cuban culture, a collective of a cultural center Osthavannas. With the help of the Asociación Hermanos Saíz ( AHS ), the state organization for young artists, they called 1995 jährlichea Hip-Hop Festival in Havana district of Alamar in life, which is considered by many to be the birthplace of Cuban hip -hop. Ariel Fernández of the AHS compares Cuban hip - hop with the Nueva Trova 1960 - a revolution during the revolution. In his words, " is the social role it plays very important. Cuban Rap criticized the shortcomings that exist in our society, but in a constructive way, the youth pictures and creates space for building a better society. "
Cuban hip-hop find in the context of Fidel Castro's maxim " within the revolution everything ", following which the critical debates are allowed as long as they are not considered as counter-revolutionary. Inevitably, many forms of Cuban hip-hop as a based on individual expression of everyday art form a limiting case for this distinction.
So rappers often harassed by the Cuban police, whose responsibility it is to track down the company before counterrevolutionary actions. However, what is counter-revolutionary and what is not, is a unique debate dar.
To illustrate the dynamics of the situation: during a case in which the police tried to stop a hip-hop concert because it was subversive, appeared the Culture Minister, and stressed that what took place there, important for the revolution would be and move on have.
Harry Belafonte is attributed to have Fidel Castro explains the hip- hop culture during a meal. Fidel was so impressed that he is " the vanguard of the revolution " called hip-hop and was even seen rapping next to the group Doble Filo at the opening of a baseball game.
2000 also began the official Cuban labels BIS and EGREM to publish hip-hop, starting with Obsesión, Triangulo Oscuro and Sin Palabras. Next would be made recently to name the rappers La Fres -k and Telmary Díaz ( before her solo member of Free Hole Negro), the alternative hip-hoppers Hoyo Colorao and reggaeton trio Bases Llenas.
Current Events
In 2002 the government established the Agencia Cubana de Rap with her own record label and hip-hop magazine to support the art form on the island. Weekly radio and TV shows have started.
With official sanction and aids the Alamar Rapfestival was formed in an annual International Hip- Hop Festival, which is held in August. The event has attracted many international artists, including of the United States Mos Def, Talib Kweli, The Roots, Common and Dead Prez. Workshops, film screenings and discussions will be held in connection with debates about culture and texts.
It is estimated that there are nearly 500 Hip- Hop is in Cuba groups. Anyway, while there was considerable interest from universities and the media, there have a few Cuban groups managed to be heard outside the island.
The first group, which made it internationally were Orishas who are now based in France.
In 2002, the album Cuban Hip Hop Allstars, produced by Pablo Herrera, released in the U.S., some of the best bands of the time including.
Another internationally, through Italy, published Clan group is 537, which came with " Quien Tiro La Tiza " fame.
Many other groups fled to the free internet to be heard by MP3.