Cuban Hip-Hop

Black Cubans between 1990 and 1993 were heavily influenced by hip-hop and they saw Hip-Hop as a voice to the neglected black population. Black Cubans felt that they did not have a voice in the community, so they used hip-hop to express their concerns in their black communities. The Cuban government accepted hip-hop even though it was a very racial orientated. Black Cubans used hip-hop to voice out the problem of their black community, which was often neglected.

The purpose of the Cuban hip-hop movement was to give a voice to the black Cubans and to show their pride. Black Cubans are not mentioned in textbooks; So Cubans relied on stories passed down by their ancestors to preserve their history. The Cuban community was proud of their heritage and they made sure their kids were too. Saunders says that (2012), “Black parents taught their children that their dark skin and African hair were beautiful” (P.48). This meant that kids were taught to embrace their Afro traits and assured sure that they grew up proud of their heritage. Cubans through hip-hop expressed their inquietude on the way that black people were treated and the lack of opportunities that they were given. “The Message” by Grandmaster flash is a famous song that came with a video with visuals of poor Black people who were treated badly. “The Message” inspired the Cuban artist Randeee Acozta to write a song called “Jodido Protragonista” (You Tube). Acozta included a video with kids holding up justice signs for black people. He also makes a statement about his “African” hair, which is “bad hair” in Cuba by having it braided.

The government surprisingly is one of the main supporters of hip-hop in the country. In fact The Cuban government didn’t always support hip hop and according to the New york times, “Initially, the government criticized the “racially divisive” culture of rap, but seeing how popular it was among the youth, the state soon came around…”(New York Times). The Cuban government saw hip-hop as the best way to advertise their political views to the youth, even though this government put ethnicity before race and hip-hop didn’t. The Cuban group Las Krudas made songs about the empowerment of the black women. Armstead says (2007)“ Las Krudas” “lyrics encourage black women to reject the racism and sexism.” (P .110) in other words this group is speaking for the black women who don’t have a voice due to their race and gender.

            Black Cubans did not have a voice and the influence of hip hop in the island in the early 90s made it possible for these black communities to have voice. The Cubans used hip-hop to show pride as well as empower their race. Artist Randeee Acozta used hip-hop to show pride and address social issues, while Las Krudas empowered the black Cuban women. Black Cubans used hip-hop to voice out the problems of their black community, which was often neglected.

A mural by graffiti artist NONO in Cuba (Saunders)

Work Cited

1.     Saunders. T. 2012. Black Thoughts, Black Activism: Cuban Underground Hip-hop and Afro-Latino Countercultures of Modernity. Latin American Perspectives, 39(2), 42-60. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23238994.

2.     Armstead, R. 2007. 'Growing the Size of the Black Woman': Feminist Activism in Havana Hip Hop. NWSA Journal, 19(1), 106-117. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4317233