CUBAN TRANSITIONS

As we considered Hip Hop in Cuba in class, I fell in love with the band Orishas.  Their rhythms were contagious, and soon I was creating entire playlists of their enchanting songs.  The music is distinctly Cuban, as the band members self describe themselves as a mix of traditional Cuban rhythms and hip hop.  The […]

Read Full Post »

In their text concerning Cuba and tourism, Joseph L. Scarpaci and Armando H. Portela venture to discover “the magnetism of Cuba for the international tourist, regardless of the merits and detriments of the communist government” (114). As the text proceeds to explain, in spite of Cuba’s controlling and repressive government, it nevertheless draws a large […]

Read Full Post »

The contrast between Mario Conde and Yoyi Pigeon in Leonardo Padura’s “Havana Fever” highlights the generational divide that arose with the onset of Cuba’s Special Period. Conde, who is almost 50 years-old, grew up at the height of the Revolution and was raised under the communist promise of a “shining future.” Pigeon, who is only […]

Read Full Post »

Scholar Sujatha Fernandes points out an interesting dichotomy between Cuban hip hop and the state. The lyrics of this popular local genre often criticize and challenge state policies and norms, yet the state recognizes the popularity of this musical movement and successfully uses hip hop as a way to reach out to a younger generation […]

Read Full Post »