US infiltrated Cuba's underground rap to foment anti-Castro sentiment (regime, Brown, cost)

[X14Freak]

US co-opted Cuba's hip-hop scene to spark change

This is an article from the AP about how USAID tried to recruit rappers to spark an anti-Castro movement. The US failed and Cuba is now cracking down on underground hip hop. After reading this, I don't think Russian suspicions of Western infiltration of the Ukrainian Euromaidan movement are unfounded. I also don't think the Chinese suspicions of Western infiltration of the HK protests are unfounded. This isn't to say that a significant number of people in those countries (HK, Cuba, and Ukraine) don't have pro-Western sentiment but I don't think the sentiments are as strong as the media has led people to believe.

[desertdetroiter]

The Castro government has been extremely suspicious of hip hop music right from the beginning. They routinely break up rap shows.

That said, it's the most popular music with the youth on the island. That train already left the station.

[no1brownsfan]

Originally Posted by desertdetroiter

The Castro government has been extremely suspicious of hip hop music right from the beginning. They routinely break up rap shows.

That said, it's the most popular music with the youth on the island. That train already left the station.

I would imagine hip hop and reggaetone are indeed quite popular in Cuba. It certainly was in The Bahamas. BTW isn't Pit Bull, part Cuban?

[desertdetroiter]

Originally Posted by no1brownsfan

I would imagine hip hop and reggaetone are indeed quite popular in Cuba. It certainly was in The Bahamas. BTW isn't Pit Bull, part Cuban?

He's full Cuban.

And oh yeah, the Cuban regime is quite aware of how subversive hip hop has been to their regime. There are some videos about it on Youtube.

[no1brownsfan]

Originally Posted by desertdetroiter

He's full Cuban.

And oh yeah, the Cuban regime is quite aware of how subversive hip hop has been to their regime. There are some videos about it on Youtube.

I'll have to check that out. Hip hop has always had a rebellious nature to it. Well at least some of the older stuff, which is probably why I liked it. Used to love old NWA, Ice Cube, Eazy E..ect... The new stuff, eh... not so much.

Short story for you. Back when I was a club DJ, and his first hit Culo came out I was probably one of the first DJ's in northeast Ohio to break it out in the club! A week or so later it was being played exclusively on the top 40 station! I used to start the mix with Nina Sky "Move Your Body," to Elephant Man "Jook Gal" to Pit Bull "Culo." Someone eventually did do a remix compiling all of those songs (I have a copy of it), and I wish I could say it was me, but I think most DJs if they're any good at their craft know that some songs just mix well together.

[djacques]

Nice idea, but if the U.S. government is running it, the raps will suck and cost ten times as much.

[uggabugga]

seems like a weird task for USAID to be doing. I thought they handed out bags of rice and stuff

[Frank DeForrest]

Why should we care about the Castro regime?

[desertdetroiter]

Originally Posted by Frank DeForrest

Why should we care about the Castro regime?

We shouldn't. They've never done anything to this country.