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Hosted by Gabriel San Roman and Vanessa Diaz

GUEST: Sujatha Fernandes, author of Cuba Represent: Cuban Arts, State Power and the Making of New Revolutionary Cultures, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Queens College, City University of New York

Whereas there has been much academic and scholarly attention paid to the Cuban Hip Hop movement, few hip hop artists and groups have had the opportunity to be heard outside the island. Indeed, unbeknownst to many Americans, Hip Hop has rapidly become one of the preferred forms of expression and youth culture on the island nation of Cuba. Despite the imposition of a decades long embargo, Afro-Cuban youth have been deeply influenced by U.S. rappers in developing their own hip hop culture. The history of this cultural development is outlined in Vanessa and Larissa Diaz’s documentary Cuban Hip Hop: Desde el Principio. Vanessa Diaz traveled to Cuba on research grants to document the unique musical movement taking place there. Vanessa’s sister, Larissa Diaz, edited the numerous tapes of interviews and performances to produce Desde el Principio. Confirming as well as challenging preconceived notions of Cuban Hip Hop, the documentary examines artists dealing poetically with racism, poverty and self-censorship. Desde el Principio, which is bilingual, features in depth and exclusive interviews with important Cuban Hip Hop artists and producers, exclusive performance footage, and interviews of U.S. rappers such as Common and M1 from Dead Prez.

Hour one of Cuban Hip Hop: By Any Means Necessary featured the music of:

* 100% Original
* Hermanazos
* Obsesion
* Hermanos De Causa
* Magia MC of Obsesion
* Las Krudas
* Los Paisanos

For more information about my co-host, Vanessa Diaz’s documentary, Cuban Hip Hop: Desde el Principio, email cubanhiphop@gmail.com