Cuban Hip Hop Festival Opens in Havana

11/03/2004 10:17AM

(Prensa Latina) Havana, Cuba - The 10th Habana Hip Hop Festival opened November 4, at its cradle in Cuba, the Amphitheater of Alamar, eastern Havana, to bring back the spearheaded rhythm of a music revolution.

Sponsored by the Hermanos Saiz Association and the Cuban Rap Agency, the festival, through November 7, includes performances by 25 local bands. The list of acts includes the winners of three preceding territorial contests: Tolerancia, Soldado Raso and De la Calle (eastern zone), Imagen Hip Hop, Bajo Fianza and El Patriota (central zone) and Escuadron Patriota and Dos Veces Yo (western zone).

The biggest challenge for the current edition of this annual event will be meeting the quality standards, to keep Cuban hip hop away from commercial concessions and capable of sending out an original message compromised with Cuban reality, Hermanos Saiz Association President Alpidio Alonso stated.

Flaring up the event, the main venues Benny Moré Pink Ballroom and the Amphitheater of Alamar will also present shows by international guests Luta de Estilo and Racionais Mc's (Brazil), and Spin (Canada).

Meanwhile, an art exhibit and the screening of the film "Beat Street" were included in the opening schedule, but took place hours before the opening concert.

The festival also includes a workshop at the Martinez Villena Hall, at the Cuban Writers and Artists Union (UNEAC) to present relevant papers about
hip-hop.

World Music Central
http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/200411141017182