After six months of research, interviews and production, Yo Soy Cuba is finally live for you to watch! Feel free to send your feedback or say hi, and you can find us over on Twitter and Facebook. Continue reading Watch the documentary!
Alina Guzman on the life of a woman within the Cuban hip-hop movement: “The life of a woman in the hip-hop movement is a bit difficult at the start. The problem is a the same time the sexism, is that they see you as weak, like you won’t be able to do things that supposedly one has to do. For instance, on the production side, … Continue reading What is it like being a woman in the Cuban hip-hop movement?
Living under a repressive regime who has effectively censored most of its rappers can make the creative process a little difficult for Cuban hip-hop artists. While some, like Soandry Del Rio, have chosen to stay and carry on releasing tracks known for their social content, others have understandably fled for more welcoming lands. Ironically, Cuba’s age-old enemy, the U.S., is also the biggest refuge for … Continue reading Cuban rappers in exile: where are they now?
My first experience of the Cuban way of life happened while looking for a way to make a phone call. Following advice from a receptionist at the majestic Hotel Parque Central, I walk towards the Etecsa building, the government’s telecommunications company. I find the place: so far, everything seems to be going smoothly. As I enter the building, I find myself walking towards a counter … Continue reading Diaries from Havana: Stay in line
First realisation: it is impossible to find my way around the Habana Vieja district, or Havana in general. In this famous and crowded area, I get caught in between tourists, catcalling Cubans and endless waves of dust. My level of Spanish certainly allows me to ask locals for directions – and all of them are kind, trying to help in any way, asking around if … Continue reading Diaries from Havana: Day 1
Happy new year to all of you! Now that I am back from Cuba and over with the stress (and slight fear of getting arrested), I have more time to write about the trip to the island itself, which was at least as telling as the interviews I conducted. Weeks and months before the week of filming in December, I started planning; half because I … Continue reading Diaries from Havana: How to plan a reporting trip
With hip-hop and rap being historically music genres of protest, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that communist island Cuba has produced generations of rappers, mobilising the Cuban youth through a sharp critic of the regime since the 1980s. From internationally-acclaimed artists to underground MCs, Cuba has a variety of artists whose beats are most definitely worth a listen. Protesto Protesto resulted from a … Continue reading The 10 Cuban hip-hop tracks you need to listen to now
Yo Soy Cuba Documentary 