Posted on 05/15/2009
Los Aldeanos seem to have achieved a freedom of expression many other artists have not – it’s the freedom to say what they feel, spit what they want and answer only to themselves. And it’s not because they were somehow lucky enough to have had this freedom given to them. Los Aldeanos have it because they decided to take it.

El Atropello, the latest release from one of Cuba’s most highly respected hip-hop groups, embodies the essence of rebellion. Known for their fiery lyrics, passionate delivery and critical standpoint, emcees El B and El Aldeano give listeners exactly what they’d expect from a uniquely Cuban perspective.

El Atropello documents an actual, daily struggle; lived experience in place of ideology. The heartfelt, “Niñito Cubano” gives listeners an idea of what it’s like for children enduring a special period in a special country. Earnest and warm, it’s dedicated the young carrying a weight too big for their shoulders.

On the other hand, “Mangos Bajitos” speaks to the millions of tourists who descend on Cuba - the land of easy opportunity. Highlighting how foreigners gain access to places the average Cuban can’t, and outlining the inequality of the visitor-resident relationship in general, “Mangos Bajitos” is an ironic song spiked with sarcasm and built on mockery.

El Atropello is undoubtedly the fruit of a hostile community – sometimes angry, often times defiant, but hardly monotonous. Even with limited resources Los Aldeanos have managed to combine varied beats, and pieces of an inspiring, complicated struggle, with finely tuned skill and intensity. Resistance music at its finest.

- Alison Isaac