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DVD Review: Cuban Hip Hop All Stars
Reviewer: DJ Jose Luis
In 1999 Wim Wenders showed the world a group of very old Cuban musicians along with blues legend Ry Cooder, performing
beautiful music and touring all over the world. The project was called Buena Vista Social Club, and no matter what music
you were into, you bought the album. Buena Vista became the “sound” of Cuba thanks to Wenders’ film, which is revealed as
something rather detached from reality
by this project. The music of Compay, Ruben, Omara, and pals sounded great, but it wasn’t what Cubans were listening to;
they were listening to hip hop.
Cuban Hip Hop All Stars is a documentary that tells the story of the first hip hop album to be performed and
produced by an all-Cuban ensemble. In 2001, aided by government funding, Cuba's very best MCs got together to record said
album (and this DVD), and then went on tour to New York, in so doing bolstering the development of hip hop on the island.
The quality of the documentary is okay; it’s a little messy in terms of structure (you never know what’s going on) and then
there are the very daft episodes where the rappers perform out their lyrics, with cringe-worthy results (think cheap
South American soap opera).
But the music and the rappers are good. And the contrast found here between the Cuban rappers and their high bling-bling, high attitude quotient Yanqui cousins is very refreshing. In Cuba what counts is what you have to say, not what you’re wearing. Subjects like racism, poverty, and the chronic lack of resources are discussed and rapped about, and most of the protagonists demonstrate a great deal of talent.
On the whole, Cuban Hip Hop All Stars is a good film and, what’s more, it’s a great insight into the life of young (and
mostly black) Cubans struggling to show the world what they are capable of and to be listened to.
RELATED LINKS:
Buy Cuban Hip Hop All Stars at Amazon
UK
| US
RELEASE DATE: Tuesday 24 February 2004 (US) / Monday 22 March 2004 (UK)
PUBLISHED: Sunday 24 April 2004
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::: RELATED LINKS
Buy Cuban Hip Hop All Stars at Amazon
UK
| US
More Reviews
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