Guest highlights Cuban hip-hop

    On Sept. 28, Dr. Michelle Reid gave a lecture about Cuban hip hop in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.
    Reid is a professor at Georgia State University specializing in Atlantic World History. Her teaching and research specialties include Cuba, 19th century Caribbean and Latin America, the Spanish-Atlantic World, and the African Diaspora in Latin America.
    As a graduate student, she traveled to Cuba six times, and during her third visit, she was introduced to Cuban hip-hop. She lived with a Cuban family and that is when she first heard the music.
    “I could hear obvious American rap influence (in the music),” Reid said. “(It was) unique, refreshing, and infectious.”
    After hearing the group, she developed an interest in the history of the music.
    Reid said the people really enriched her stay in Cuba.
    “They really confirmed this is a place I could do my work. I felt I was at home there.”
    Allia Carter, director of Multicultural Affairs, was introduced to Reid by Dr. Beauty Bragg, an English professor. She said she wanted to do a hip-hop theme because the music is current.
    She thought that program would be good for GCSU students.
    “It was an opportunity to introduce students to a different viewpoint,” Carter said.
    Reid had to change parts of her presentation since there were technical issues in the venue.
    Marcus Greene, a freshman accounting major, thought Reid did well in spite of the technical problems.
    “I think the speaker was very informed on the topic,” Greene said. “However, due to the technical difficulties, she had a hard time trying to get the full effect she had originally planned.”
    Throughout the program, Reid showed pictures of different Cuban hip-hop rap artists on her laptop and described how rap music is different there because of the different instrumentals they use.
    “(They) take a different approach than their American cousin,” Reid said.
    Reid also talked about where Cuban hip hop came from and how it has progressed.
    She said it began in the mid 1980’s as Cubans gained access to rap music from Miami. Cuban youth began imitating their American counterparts. However, it was underground because the government did not approve of the music.
    Things changed in the 1990’s after the USSR fell, and Cuba began experiencing economic hardships.
    “Rap music became the voice of people who needed their voices heard,” Reid said.
    It was in the 1990s that Cuban hip-hop was recognized by the government as authentic Cuban expression. The music was played on the radio, showed on television and even given a festival and magazine.
    Reid also spoke of the hardships faced by many of the rappers because they make so little, and how they keep on doing what they love.
    “Despite the struggles, Cuban hip-hop is more popular and more vibrant than ever,” said Reid.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 6 2006. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry