Los Aldeanos

Los Aldeanos began as one of many underground Rap Cubano groups based in Havana, Cuba. Dubbed as "underground rappers", Los Aldeanos became a group in 2003, composed of El Aldeano and El B, both of whom are MC's. Los Aldeanos describe themselves as not being the pioneer of Rap Cubano, but credit themselves with producing "real" Rap Cubano, giving to the followers of "real" Rap Cubano and "real" Hip Hop lyrics that not only instill a sense of understanding of the social, political, and economical problems that aggravate Cuban society today, but also with a sense of urgency.[1] The lyrics of Los Aldeanos are largely anti-status quo and as a result express sentiments that are critical of the government of Cuba. Such an example can be found in their song "Libertad de Expresion". With such claims to authenticity and explicit discontent with the status quo, Los Aldeanos are just one among many underground rap bands that oppose the rising popularity of Reggaeton in Cuba. Groups like Los Aldeanos have come to openly disagree with and condemn Reggaeton, calling it unconscious and negative music that detracts Cuban society from the ailments that continue to afflict society and instead focuses attention on the pleasurable acts of self-indulgence and dance. Friends Bian Oscar Rodríguez Gala (El B) and Aldo Roberto Rodríguez Baquero (El Aldeano) held their first public performance at 5 Palmas in La Lisa on February 27, 2003 – there weren’t more than five people present. Later that same year they performed at Park Almendares inaugurating their rap duo as “Los Aldeanos.” In their inaugural year, they received the Rap Plaza award for their song Aveces Sueño. Los Aldeanos is a Cuban rap group whose repertoire is recognized for being Revolutionary, yet critical of regimen bureaucracies and corruption. They recorded their debut album Censurado together in 2003 and soon after Poesía Esposada in 2004. Meanwhile El Aldeano recorded his first independent project titled Entre T las Musas. The following year Los Aldeanos took part in the final annual Habana Hip-Hop rap festival and the second annual Hip-Hop Symposium. On their third anniversary together in 2006, El B recorded his debut solo album titled Mi Filosofía and they released Abajo Como Hace 3 Febreros. Los Aldeanos received international recognition at the end of 2006 with a feature on the front cover of the entertainment section of the New York Times in the article titled “Cuba's Rap Vanguard Reaches Beyond the Party Line.” Soon after, a spotlight on Univision titled them "revolutionaries of the Revolution." The attention from US audiences propelled a newfound global curiosity for the Cuban rap group. Shortly after, in 2007 Los Aldeanos joined the collective of over 40 emcees called “La Comision Depuradora” alongside Explosión Suprema, Maykelxtremo, El Adversario, Hermanos de Causa, and Mano Armada amongst others, contributing to the self-titled double CD album of the collective produced by 26 Musas and Real 70. That same year Los Aldeanos recorded their fourth album together titled Poesía y Corazón, for which they received the ‘best rap group’ award from the television program Cuerda Viva. In 2008 each has published their own independent albums, El Aldeano with Miseria Humana and Mantenimiento al Alma, and El B presented his double CD album Dr. Jekill y Mr. Hyde, while together Los Aldenaos released El Atropello. In this last year Los Aldeanos have recorded with Puerto Rican rap duo Intifada, El B won the national Red Bull freestyle competition “La Batalla de los Gallos” for a second year in a row, and they were labeled the Cuban folk singers of the new generation when they shared the stage with Pablo Milanes in the Anti-Imperialist Grandstand. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.