Orishas (band)
Encyclopedia
Orishas was a Cuban hip hop
group The group was first called "Amenaza", "threat" or "menace" in Spanish, and appealed to the Cuban youth who were hungry for African-American culture consisting of hip hop and rap. Orishas delved into a realm of music that created a black identity to which some among the younger generations could relate. The group is based in France where they made a deal with a record company, although they visit Cuba frequently. In 1999 Fidel Castro
threw a party for them and had a meeting with all the musicians. It was the first time the Cuban government showed support for hip hop music.
The group was and still is popular in Europe (especially France, Spain and Portugal ) and Latin America. Yotuel Romero
and Ruzzo Medina, who moved from Havana
to Paris as part of an international studies program, joined Roldán González and Flaco-Pro to form the band in 1999. Their work is influenced by the hip hop movement as well as Cuban and other Latin rhythms. , they have produced a total of four studio albums and a greatest hits album; their latest album is Cosita Buena
(released June 17, 2008). In 2009 they participated in the concert Paz Sin Fronteras II
in Plaza de la Revolución
, Havana
, Cuba
The name "Orishas" refers to the set of deities worshipped in African-based religions in the Americas, like Santería
in Cuba and Candomblé
in Brazil, resulting from the relocation of Yoruba
slaves. These orisha
s each represent a natural element (such as the ocean or leaves) and exhibit a human characteristic (such as motherhood or love). The choice of this name for the hip hop group is a way of creating a direct link between this band and the African diaspora
. This link is evident in the group's lyrics, for example those of "Nací Orichas" and "Canto Para Elewa Y Changó". The group's success is a testament to both the international appeal of the group itself as well as the global popularity of Cuban culture.
, the band consists of three members: Yotuel, Ruzzo and Roldán. Flaco-Pro left the group in 2002 before the release of its second studio album, Emigrante
.
, the band members live in distributed locations in Europe (Roldán in Paris, Ruzzo in Milan
, and Yotuel in Madrid
). In total, after producing three albums, Orishas has sold more than 750,000 copies of its albums in Europe and has received two Grammys. In 2007, they collaborated with Puerto Rican
group Calle 13
on the song "Pa'l Norte" (from the album Residente o Visitante
). The song won a Latin Grammy for Best Urban Song.
Their first album, A Lo Cubano
, was released in Spain in May 1999 under the Orishas moniker. In the summer of 1999, Orishas began a two-year tour across Europe and the United States, which brought them international notice. In December 2000, Orishas returned to Cuba to perform two concerts, attracting tens-of-thousands of young Cubans. As one of Cuba's pioneer rap groups, Orishas garnered fame both at home and abroad.
In 2006 they guested on the Track "14Me" recorded in Cuba by occasional The Black Eyed Peas
producer Poet Name Life. The track was eventually released on the album "The Revolution Presents: Revolution", (Studio !K7
& Rapster Records) a Cuban dance crossover album which also featured Norman Cook a.k.a Fatboy Slim
, Roisin Murphy
and Rich File from UK Trip Hop pioneers Unkle
.
, the members of the trio currently live in different European cities (Madrid, Milan, Paris), with the band based in France. Their incorporation of traditional Cuban beats like salsa and rumba into their rapping is an angle that brings appeal to older Cubans, while simultaneously driving some aspiring Cuban rappers to "look at them with both awe and disappointment" for "selling out to commercial pressures to evoke Cuban nostalgia." Roldan himself has a tendency towards traditional Cuban music, and purposely distances his music from some of the stereotypical characteristics of hip-hop, such as the degrading treatment of women and "everything [else] you do in U.S. hip hop shows".
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group The group was first called "Amenaza", "threat" or "menace" in Spanish, and appealed to the Cuban youth who were hungry for African-American culture consisting of hip hop and rap. Orishas delved into a realm of music that created a black identity to which some among the younger generations could relate. The group is based in France where they made a deal with a record company, although they visit Cuba frequently. In 1999 Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
threw a party for them and had a meeting with all the musicians. It was the first time the Cuban government showed support for hip hop music.
The group was and still is popular in Europe (especially France, Spain and Portugal ) and Latin America. Yotuel Romero
Yotuel Romero
Yotuel Omar Manzanarez Romero is an singer, actor and musician current lead singer and co-writer of the 2003 Latin Grammy Award winner Platinum album selling rap group Orishas. Among other recordings, Emigrante won the 2003 Latin Grammy Award for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album...
and Ruzzo Medina, who moved from Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
to Paris as part of an international studies program, joined Roldán González and Flaco-Pro to form the band in 1999. Their work is influenced by the hip hop movement as well as Cuban and other Latin rhythms. , they have produced a total of four studio albums and a greatest hits album; their latest album is Cosita Buena
Cosita Buena
Cosita Buena is the fifth album by Orishas, a Cuban hip hop group based in France. It was released on June 9, 2008 on the Universal Latino Label.-Track listing :# "Cosita Buena" - 3:32# "Maní" - 3:42# "Bruja" - 3:39# "Camina" - 3:45# "Guajira" - 3:44...
(released June 17, 2008). In 2009 they participated in the concert Paz Sin Fronteras II
Paz Sin Fronteras II
Paz sin fronteras II was the second in a series of benefit concerts headlined by Juanes that occurred September 20, 2009, in Plaza de la Revolución, Havana, Cuba. More than 1.15 million people attended the all-star concert made up of many of the top Latin pop, rock and salsa stars from Latin...
in Plaza de la Revolución
Plaza de la Revolucion
Plaza de la Revolución is a municipality and a square in Havana, Cuba.The municipality stretches from the square down to the sea at the Malecón and includes the Vedado district.- Square :...
, Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
The name "Orishas" refers to the set of deities worshipped in African-based religions in the Americas, like Santería
Santería
Santería is a syncretic religion of West African and Caribbean origin influenced by Roman Catholic Christianity, also known as Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lucumi, or Lukumi. Its liturgical language, a dialect of Yoruba, is also known as Lucumi....
in Cuba and Candomblé
Candomblé
Candomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practised chiefly in Brazil by the "povo de santo" . It originated in the cities of Salvador, the capital of Bahia and Cachoeira, at the time one of the main commercial crossroads for the distribution of products and slave trade to...
in Brazil, resulting from the relocation of Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
slaves. These orisha
Orisha
An Orisha is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system....
s each represent a natural element (such as the ocean or leaves) and exhibit a human characteristic (such as motherhood or love). The choice of this name for the hip hop group is a way of creating a direct link between this band and the African diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
. This link is evident in the group's lyrics, for example those of "Nací Orichas" and "Canto Para Elewa Y Changó". The group's success is a testament to both the international appeal of the group itself as well as the global popularity of Cuban culture.
, the band consists of three members: Yotuel, Ruzzo and Roldán. Flaco-Pro left the group in 2002 before the release of its second studio album, Emigrante
Emigrante
Emigrante is the follow-up to the well-received début album, A Lo Cubano, by the Cuban hip hop band Orishas. The album was released on June 11, 2002, after Flaco-Pro left the band.-Track listing:#"¿Que Pasa?" - 3:41#"Mujer" - 3:49#"Guajiro" - 3:19...
.
, the band members live in distributed locations in Europe (Roldán in Paris, Ruzzo in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, and Yotuel in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
). In total, after producing three albums, Orishas has sold more than 750,000 copies of its albums in Europe and has received two Grammys. In 2007, they collaborated with Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
group Calle 13
Calle 13 (band)
Calle 13 is a band formed by stepbrothers René Pérez Joglar , who calls himself Residente and Eduardo José Cabra Martínez , who calls himself Visitante Calle 13 is a band formed by stepbrothers René Pérez Joglar (born February 23, 1978 in Hato Rey, a subsection of San Juan, Puerto Rico), who calls...
on the song "Pa'l Norte" (from the album Residente o Visitante
Residente o Visitante
Residente o Visitante is the second studio album by Puerto Rican Urban/hip hop duo Calle 13, released on April 24, 2007, by Sony BMG.-Background:...
). The song won a Latin Grammy for Best Urban Song.
Origins and rise of international popularity
Los Orishas began as Cuban rap group Amenaza in the early 1990s. Led by Joel Pando, Amenaza became the first rap group to address the issue of racial identity in Cuban society. In 1998, the members of Amenaza traveled to Paris to perform and accepted a record deal with a European label. The transition to Europe was critical in their musical career, as many rap groups in Cuba lacked the resources for professional recordings. In fact, of the hundreds of rappers in Cuba, Orishas is the only group that has achieved international acclaim .Their first album, A Lo Cubano
A Lo Cubano
A Lo Cubano is the debut album by Orishas, a Cuban hip hop group. It was originally released on October 3, 2000 on the Universal Latino label.-Track listing:#"Intro" – 1:57#"Represent" – 3:57...
, was released in Spain in May 1999 under the Orishas moniker. In the summer of 1999, Orishas began a two-year tour across Europe and the United States, which brought them international notice. In December 2000, Orishas returned to Cuba to perform two concerts, attracting tens-of-thousands of young Cubans. As one of Cuba's pioneer rap groups, Orishas garnered fame both at home and abroad.
In 2006 they guested on the Track "14Me" recorded in Cuba by occasional The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
producer Poet Name Life. The track was eventually released on the album "The Revolution Presents: Revolution", (Studio !K7
Studio !K7
Studio !K7 is an independent record label based in Berlin, Germany that focuses mostly on electronic music. The name is an abbreviation of the company's original Berlin address, Kaiserdamm 7 . !K7 has since opened branch offices in New York City, Hamburg, London, and Tokyo.It has four independent...
& Rapster Records) a Cuban dance crossover album which also featured Norman Cook a.k.a Fatboy Slim
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
, Roisin Murphy
Róisín Murphy
Róisín Marie Murphy is an Irish singer-songwriter and record producer, known for her electronic style.Murphy first came to note as part of the electronic music duo Moloko. Her partner in the band was then-boyfriend Mark Brydon. After the two ended their romantic relationship, Murphy released her...
and Rich File from UK Trip Hop pioneers Unkle
UNKLE
Unkle are a British musical outfit founded in 1994 by school friends James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy. Originally categorized as trip-hop, the group once included producer DJ Shadow and have employed a variety of guest artists and producers.-First incarnation :Lavelle and Goldsworthy were joined...
.
, the members of the trio currently live in different European cities (Madrid, Milan, Paris), with the band based in France. Their incorporation of traditional Cuban beats like salsa and rumba into their rapping is an angle that brings appeal to older Cubans, while simultaneously driving some aspiring Cuban rappers to "look at them with both awe and disappointment" for "selling out to commercial pressures to evoke Cuban nostalgia." Roldan himself has a tendency towards traditional Cuban music, and purposely distances his music from some of the stereotypical characteristics of hip-hop, such as the degrading treatment of women and "everything [else] you do in U.S. hip hop shows".
Studio albums
- A Lo CubanoA Lo CubanoA Lo Cubano is the debut album by Orishas, a Cuban hip hop group. It was originally released on October 3, 2000 on the Universal Latino label.-Track listing:#"Intro" – 1:57#"Represent" – 3:57...
(2000) - EmigranteEmigranteEmigrante is the follow-up to the well-received début album, A Lo Cubano, by the Cuban hip hop band Orishas. The album was released on June 11, 2002, after Flaco-Pro left the band.-Track listing:#"¿Que Pasa?" - 3:41#"Mujer" - 3:49#"Guajiro" - 3:19...
(2002) - El KiloEl KiloEl Kilo is the third album by Orishas, a Cuban hip hop group based in France. It was released on March 29, 2005, on the Universal Latino Label.-Track listing:#"Nací Orishas" - 4:53#"Distinto" - 4:04#"Elegante" - 3:59#"El Kilo" - 4:26...
(2005) - Cosita BuenaCosita BuenaCosita Buena is the fifth album by Orishas, a Cuban hip hop group based in France. It was released on June 9, 2008 on the Universal Latino Label.-Track listing :# "Cosita Buena" - 3:32# "Maní" - 3:42# "Bruja" - 3:39# "Camina" - 3:45# "Guajira" - 3:44...
(2008)
Singles
- "Atrevido" (A Lo Cubano)
- "Orishas Llegó" (A Lo Cubano)
- "Testimonio" (Emigrante)
- "Mujer" (Emigrante)
- "Guajiro" (Emigrante)
Film soundtracks
- El BennyEl BennyEl Benny is a Cuban film released in 2006, directed and co-written by Jorge Luis Sánchez, his first feature length film. It is a fictional story based on the life of the famous Cuban musician Benny Moré...
- song Soy Campesino - Dirty Dancing: Havana NightsDirty Dancing: Havana Nights# "Dance Like This" - Wyclef Jean featuring Claudette Ortiz # "Dirty Dancing" - The Black Eyed Peas# "Guajira " - Yerba Buena# "Can I Walk By" - Jazze Pha featuring Monica# "Satellite " - Santana featuring Jorge Moreno...
- song Represent - The Fast and the FuriousThe Fast and the Furious (2001 film)The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 street racing action film starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. Directed by Rob Cohen, The Fast and the Furious was the first mainstream film to feature the Asian automotive import scene in North America. It is the first film...
- song Atrevido - AntikillerAntikillerAntikiller is a 2002 Russian crime film directed by Egor Konchalovsky. It portrays a brutal war between obnoxious crime gangs and a one man vigilante, a former police officer. The movie is based on Daniil Koretsky’s novel of the same name, which has sold five million copies in the countries of the...
- songs Represent and Madre - Bad Boys 2 - song Atrevido (not featured on the CD release of the Bad Boys 2 Soundtrack)
- Along Came PollyAlong Came PollyAlong Came Polly is a 2004 American romantic comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg, starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston in the lead roles.-Plot:...
- song Represent
Current
- Roldán (Roldán González Rivero) - (1999–present)
- Ruzzo (Hiram Riverí Medina) - (1999–present)
- Yotuel (Yotuel Omar Romero Manzanares) - (1999–present)