Contributed by Hans Hsu

It’s been four years since the Afropop team visited the Forbidden Island of Cuba.  This week’s show takes a look back at what Afropop considers to be the best of the best from our travels in Cuba.  Cuba has always been a point of convergence of peoples and their cultures.  This allows for the nourishment of many hybrid musical styles, creating a constantly changing musical landscape in Cuba.  So, what is happening now in Cuba?

Relations between the U.S. and Cuba have not improved since the issuance of the embargo.  Travel to and from Cuba is highly scrutinized by the government.  Cuban musicians are not granted visas to travel and perform in the states.  Despite these restrictions, cultural exchange still manages to occur.  This cultural exchange manifests itself in new styles that combine mambo, conga, and cha-cha-cha with jazz and rock.

Hip-Hop and reggaeton, however, are the rapidly emerging genre of the youth.  These genres are often viewed by the older generation as a form of musical tyranny, evidence of North American imperialism.  The youth rally around these genres and, like most music that reaches Cuba’s shores, infuse it with inherent Cuban qualities.  A country steeped in a history of rebellion and revolution, it is no surprise that Hip-Hop has become a vehicle of social change.  The majority of criticism falls on Fidel Castro’s communist government.  A great film that portrays hip-hop vs. Castro is “Guerilla Radio: The Hip-Hop Struggle Under Castro”.

            Reggaeton is currently the most popular genre among the youth of Cuba.  This is probably because the music is tailored for a younger club scene and addresses issues relevant to the youth.  The most popular reggaeton group is Eddy-K.  To listen to clips from their debut album click here. 

The youth of Cuba still enjoy other forms of music, such as jazz, salsa and its new form, timba.  Timba is considered more aggressive than salsa and utilizes Afro-Cuban rhythms.  The lyrics of timba often make references to the Cuban Yoruba religious practice.  Timba draws inspiration more from funk or soul than from salsa. 

Read more about timba here!

More on the Cuban reggaeton movement here!

The Digital Magazine of Cuban Arts and Culture

Afropop Reports from Cuba:

Cuba Dispatch 1
Cuba Dispatch 2
Cuba Dispatch 3

Oriente in eastern Cuba is the birthplace of the son, that traveled to Havana and grew into the worldwide salsa movement. Oriente also received some of the exodus of the Haitian Revolution 200 years ago, and Oriente today reflects that lively mix of Franco-Haitian, African and Spanish sources. This features highlights from the 2003 Afropop visit to Oriente Cuba. Visit places where musicians gather in Santiago de Cuba, Baracoa, Holguin, and Guantanamo to play traditional son, changui, and trova. Take in the sights of a rare rural society of tumba francesa, brought to Cuba at the end of the 18th Century.

APWW Seminar: THE CUBAN CONNECTION-Oriente
Sean Barlow reports from Havana, Cuba 2003

First published: www.afropop.org