Hip-Hop and Rap In Colombia?

utopiacowboy says on Aug 3, 2005, 17:57:

It's all reggaeton, man.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

spy1984 says on Aug 3, 2005, 19:47:

Rap Reggatone, whatever All from the same destructive ignorant civilization destroying culture..Silly to even debate. Just low class trash. All of it. Sad.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

spy1984 says on Aug 3, 2005, 19:48:

Gringos Keep that stuff up there and it will definfitely drive the few gringos there away.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

toneloc24 says on Aug 3, 2005, 19:56:

Spy1984 - Please include rock and Elvis Presley pop in that list. Just low class trash. As your parents and their parents probably said. Therefore, if you like either, you are "from the same destructive ignorant civilization destroying culture." Careful with your words.

I agree. Silly to debate.

Future_Expat - Not too sure about a hip-hop scene. As inferred by UC, reggaeton's taken over the youth (rich or poor) in pretty much every Latin American country, much more than hip-hop (rap). Quick litmus test: which version of Shakira's "La Tortura" gets played in bars and clubs?

Brasil has a much more vibrant hip-hop scene than anything I've seen or heard in Colombia. It's crazy hearing them flow in Portuguese.

"PBH is dead!!!!"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rubiazo says on Aug 3, 2005, 19:57:

From what I've seen People in Bogota seem to like American music a lot, but more 'white' American music, (rock, jazz etc, not that there really is such a thing as white American music but for lack of a better word!!!)

Unfortunately most of the best hip-hop never gets anywhere NEAR the radio. There are a lot of people out there true to the original spirit of the movement that are producing excellent stuff, but don't get heard.
I don't know of any hip hop in Colombia but I'd love to find out about something like that. I know the graffiti thing took off big time and there are very accomplished graf artists in just about every major city in the world now.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

spy1984 says on Aug 3, 2005, 20:24:

Your name gives you away Toneloc..haha. Real artist! I'm not even going to adress your comparison to Elvis. Where is the African board? Love to check out the enlightenment and culture there.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

spy1984 says on Aug 3, 2005, 20:29:

Graffiti? Oh ya, the politically correct word we gave vandals for vandalism. To make them FEEL important. Yes, great artists!. LOL. Destroying property. Great accomplishment. Let them use your building you live in for some GRAFFITI..See what it does to your property value.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rubiazo says on Aug 3, 2005, 20:30:

Begone bad troll!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Colombiche says on Aug 3, 2005, 20:43:

Great... It sounds like this guy is a reincarnation of Jags44, the KKK Nazi. Hello Jags, surprised to see you here again spewing you anti-black comments!

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombianoX says on Aug 3, 2005, 21:02:

"not that there really is such a thing as white American music but for lack of a better word!!!"

Rubiazo,

Then what would you call country music?


CX

ColombianoX 'Defensor de la Colombianidad'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rubiazo says on Aug 3, 2005, 21:15:

hmm I'd call it country music and leave it at that. All music from America is mixed European and African influence.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lucia Rojas says on Aug 3, 2005, 21:54:

Big Rap culture There is a huge rap culture in Colombia that usually takes place in really dangerous, poor areas.. so they try to express it through that kind of music. If you happen to be in Bogota for the ROck al Parque festival...you will see. Last year there was one whole day devoted to this sort of angry protest music... and it was the day with the most assistance. So it's there.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lucia Rojas says on Aug 3, 2005, 21:55:

And all music from Colombia is from african, european and indigenous roots too..so whatever.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lucia Rojas says on Aug 3, 2005, 21:59:

Spyblablabla So what is culture to you? better check out the definition in a dictionary. that is if you own one.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quindioman says on Aug 4, 2005, 05:08:

future_expatriate hip hop culture and music has become VERY popular among a lot of Colombian cities. I happen to hail from Armenia, which is a small city compared to its more well known counterparts, and even there I know a lot of people that like Hip Hop...I can go back to 94 from personal experience. That year saw an incredible rap movement 99.9% was a pathetic excuse for Rap/Hip Hop but the love was definately there. Actually they were much better at the b-boy culture which has also been fully embraced. I experienced this hip hop movement first hand and saw many kids from all over Armenia beat boxing ranging from cringeworthy to not bad at all. The field in which I was impressed the most was in the breakdancing/boddy-popping...here I know there was some modefoks that would be spinning, girating, contorting like them pros in NYC.
I have always liked hip-hop but I'm a bit of a purist...this 50-pence generic/fake gangsta stuff don't do much for me.When I went back home in 94 a lot of people saw i had a lot of hip hop music and they said they liked rap too, I would ask them who they liked and they would respond with Kriss-Kross and Vanilla Ice...ok. I thought these guys really didn't know about hip hop but how were they supposed to? I commended their interest in the genre though. There was very few people that actually knew about Hip Hop and there was only one person that in my opinion was Hip Hop (RIP Santi). This guy was originally from Medellin, Bello to be more precise. He was not only a connosseiur of fine Hip Hop he was also the 0.01% of tru genuine talent that existed in Armenia. He was a talented breakdancer, but in my opinion his true talent lay on the MIC....i have seen a lot of people flow on the mic and even the good ones would struggle improvising or doing a REAL freestyle, I knew this guy had a certain gift one night he took that mic and spit a verse about every single person in the room...the flow was spot on ..the delivery awesome and the best thing was you knew he could not have prethought those rhymes he dropped. Unfortunately he went back to Medellin and he was murdered in 97...Angel Santiago Rojas aka KINGO will never be forgotten by his friends in Armenia and Colombia. He said to me Mi casa es su Casa and his whole family was a delight.
It;s a shame...his demise has been echoed by the demise of Hip Hop in my city....but the people still listen to el golpe. I know for a fact that Bogota has a MASSIVE hip hop scene...and those cats do know their hip hop...but you will also find Hip Hop scenes in cities like Medellin, Barranquilla, Cali, Pereira...and those are the ones que me "constan"...there are probably more places....OF COURSE how could I forget CHOCO! those chocoanos do like hip hop as well.
The clothing is well prized by the ones that can afford it, things like the baseball/american football hats....baseball tops were popular back then but i dunno about now...the jewellery is a no-brainer either they can't afford it, won't wear it and the ones that do wear it are usually the dodgy modefoks you don't wanna fok with
I'm glad that the thug style is not that prevalent as well as that materialistic mentality which i completely deplore...that bling bling crap..there might be one or two but from my experience most of these guys rhyme about waht they see...so you'll hear a lot of shit about crime and stuff like that...as for the drug-entrepeneurism you see plenty of that in Colombia but not in Hip Hop in Colombia "NO DE VITRINA"
Future_expatriate if you ever find that documentary let me know where you found it.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rubiazo says on Aug 4, 2005, 09:41:

GIB you have to shoot me that address. That is a MUST SEE for me! A friend of mine who is visiting me down there was part of the original ciphers in the EARLY 70s, back when hip hip didn't even exist beyond uptown and the Bronx. He would go nuts to see something authentic and real like that!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

t25 says on Aug 4, 2005, 14:33:

to cockney_colombian and others interested in the dvd i finally found the name of the dvd, it is called "resistencia: hip-hop in colombia", produced by faction films

http://www.factionfilms.co.uk/films-c-s-america-r.html
http://www.factionfilms.co.uk/ (main website)

it looks like they don't have a online shopping centre, so i'll just e-mail or send a post to find out where i can order them,

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quindioman says on Aug 4, 2005, 14:56:

wicked these guys are based in London...plus they have a few other decent looking documentaries......thanks a lot future_expatriate

0 funny, 0 helpful.

spy1984 says on Aug 4, 2005, 21:01:

Colombiche What exactly did you disagree with?

Classy screen name.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lucia Rojas says on Aug 4, 2005, 21:04:

everything spy do you own a dictionary? Did you check culture?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

spy1984 says on Aug 4, 2005, 21:06:

Lucia Culture to me

Inventing

Civilization
The Wheel
Electricity
Airflight
Space flight
Automobile
Beethoven, Motzart, classical music
Trains, planes, cars, rockets, telescopes, tires, telephones, radios, television, electricity, atomic energy, computers, and fax machines

Never ending. The Internet you are tying to communicate with now.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lucia Rojas says on Aug 4, 2005, 21:17:

wow... very limited definition... plus it's not the correct one. really check it up...talk to anthroplogist...or sociologist..they might give you some insight... what you mentin is called technology.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lucia Rojas says on Aug 4, 2005, 21:19:

so there's no cultur in the world unless you have a space shuttle.? I would read a bit more if I were you...and not supermarket novels...

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quindioman says on Aug 4, 2005, 23:41:

i swear that spy is really jags"grand wizard"44

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lucia Rojas says on Aug 5, 2005, 06:13:

??????????????? don't know what that means

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quindioman says on Aug 5, 2005, 06:16:

lucia type in Grand Wizard into google and let your eyes marvel

0 funny, 0 helpful.

pepster says on Oct 5, 2005, 13:47:

This type of music... Rap...Reggaeton...Hip-hop= Crime and ignorance.

The less the better.

The Pepster ColombianBlog.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

SirTropical says on Oct 5, 2005, 19:33:

culture -subculture - etc AHA..

CULTURE = THA MAN MADE PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT

that defnition is almost a good excuse to go back to the books and confirm that the most common conflicts among HUMANS are culturally-biased (read supremacy-based)...

Viva la arepa !!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quindioman says on Oct 6, 2005, 00:01:

heh Pepster...how's your buddies jags & spy?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

pepster says on Oct 6, 2005, 08:43:

I have to agree SirTropical,

I agree with you...it's a culturally-biased world. I think people sometimes miss the point that it's not just skin color.

My comment about that type of music is my opinion and there are exceptions.

But, I find that people tend to be PC and don't really say what's obvious.

I find it extremely difficult to find anything redeeming in Hip Hop or Rap. It demeans women, glorifies violence and delinquency. It's a horrible form of expression that I wish would disappear. It's disgusting and tasteless.

The Pepster ColombianBlog.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rubiazo says on Oct 6, 2005, 09:26:

I think what you guys are railing against isn't really hip hop or regueton, it is commercialism in music in general. I have a hard time listening to the crap on the radio these days in ANY style, not just those two. But there is lots of hip hop and regueton out there that you almost dont have a chance in hell of hearing because the music business people arent interested in quality, they want something that will make a 12 year old girl's panties wet.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rubiazo says on Oct 6, 2005, 09:28:

BTW I found NO evidence of hip hop anywhere in Bogota. GIB you have to get that exact address off of your friends. Out of the scores of bars in Restrepo I saw rock, mariachis, death metal, vallenatos, salsa, regueton, but NO hip hop. Many people that i stopped along cra 17 s didn't even know what the hell it was.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Colombiche says on Oct 6, 2005, 09:30:

The big thing in Colombia right now is reggaeton. Everybody is listening to that gunk.

Does anybody watch Factor X? I got so into it while I was there. A lot of the people at the auditions thought they were reguetoneros, anybody remember the old nerd who was doing gasolina... yeah, gasolina, 1995.... si gasolina, what a laugh that was.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quindioman says on Oct 6, 2005, 09:38:

interesting "I find it extremely difficult to find anything redeeming in Hip Hop or Rap. It demeans women, glorifies violence and delinquency. It's a horrible form of expression that I wish would disappear. It's disgusting and tasteless." pepster

I can think of a plethora of countries, organisations and religions that demean women
glorifies violence? i would rather say i popped some bitch in the head (not that I would) rather than take orders from my superior and actually bomb innocent civilians...i suppose you haven't heard of Hollywood either...i would love to hear what you make of Quentin Tarantino movies

why don't you just say you can't stand this form of expression introduced by black people instead of trying to disguise your disgust by placing qualities seen in all aspects of western society in that particular genre?

p.s i think that 90% of hip hop is BS anyway.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

SirTropical says on Oct 6, 2005, 10:36:

keywords some useful keywords to understand to what extent hip-hop and rap are expressions of a worldwide culture:

- hip - hop acts as a glorification of the minories
- people's pride & honour anthems
- accustoming and insensibilty to violence
- youth unifying icon
- life rules of sub-society
- marked racism
- pledge to an elevated ethnic supremacy
- chauvinism and submission
- "cultural" form of imperialism
- Great industrial machinery fueled by the greed of monopolization of targetted markets.

perhaps there are many more symptoms that lead us to the cultural effects and causes of a particular movement, in this case it's good enough just to know that hip_hop and rap have evolved, developed and taken over millions worlwide and accounts as a lifestyle, mean of expression and unifying actor despite we like it or not.

I still love "jUmP ArOuNd" by House of pain & my arepa everyday!!!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

pepster says on Oct 6, 2005, 11:15:

I'm not disguising anything quindioman wrote:

"why don't you just say you can't stand this form of expression introduced by black people instead of trying to disguise your disgust by placing qualities seen in all aspects of western society in that particular genre?"

I'm not disguising anything. And to say I hate it because black people introduced it would be racist and ignorant. I'm a rock fanatic and that was introduced beautifully by the black culture. There would be no modern rock music without the founding black fathers.

Western society has all the aspects that hip hop represents but at least it's a by product. Hip hop like other violent junk media, glorifies it and it truly disguises itself as a voice of the down trodden and oppressed. That is utter bullshit.

The Pepster ColombianBlog.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quindioman says on Oct 6, 2005, 11:45:

no no no what happened was that corny no good rappers with a lot of radio airplay now seem to symbolise hip hop to people like you who fail to see what's below the surface and dismiss the whole genre using not very endearing adjectives. It's because the real voice of hip hop is drowned out by the ubiquitous bling-bling brigade trying to pursue that American dream Uncle Sam promised them when they went to pick them up from Africa, don't be hating these people.... if you in the business of hating then how about trying to hate the society which gave birth to them.
I could be just as ignorant as you are and say that all rock is the work of the devil, that you guys on some freaky deviant sex stuff...they all dress freaky...who were the Hell's Angels? don't tell me they just rode down route 66 in their Harley's.
I'm not hating rock by the way...just making an example of what a person that doesn't know much about rock might say........my particular gripe is with people blamimg music for social decay.....and hip hop takes the flack...don't say hip hop is bull****, say that wack rapper is b/s.
Hip Hop my friend....true hip hop.... is a beautiful thing. Through hip hop I have been blessed with the opportunity to meet lots of people and to this day, some of my closest friends, friends as far away as Armenia and friends I can count on were all established through our shared interest in this interesting art form that emerged in the inner cities of New York.
Do you know how hard the b-boys and breakers train to be that good? Do you have any idea of the skill and technique that's involved when a b-boy attemts to do something as relatively simple (by their standards) as a windmill? Do you know what a windmill is? Do you care? I thought not......my point is this...don't pass judgement on something you know very little about....someone taught me not to do that not too long ago.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Oct 6, 2005, 11:50:

Call me a slut but I like reggaeton.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

greenday says on Oct 6, 2005, 12:04:

Utopia yes, you are a slut, smoke like a chimney, and have tattoos...my kind of woman!!! jejeje

0 funny, 0 helpful.

pepster says on Oct 6, 2005, 12:30:

Let's get something straight... Quindioman,

I am not ignorant and I do not appreciate your characterization.

Since you seem to have brought up some history I'll give you some of mine. I grew up in the Queens, NYC area. I saw it born my friend. Sugar Hill Gang from Englewood NJ to Grand Master Flash, Doug E. Fresh and Run DMC. I know personally the guitar player that worked on the House of Rock record. I met Rick Rubin. My cousin was one of the first break dancers way back in 1981. I was an assistant engineer on a Queen Latifah record. I've hung out with the cats from De La Soul. So I have a little bit more creditbility on this subject.

Perhaps, I didn't make myself clear. Hip-Hop as it was called in the late 80's, trying to distance itself from the emerging hard core rap from the west coast, evolved into something not so pretty.

This ubiquitous and underground "hip-hop" you're talking about is the exception, which I aforementioned. In the end, the mass acceptance of this "art" form is the bling-bling stupid mysoginist crap. To deny it, is to deny how financially successful they are.

As far as Rock n'Roll, baby, it's well documented how far they've gone to change the world and stop a war and raise consciousness about the weak and hungry.

So before you try to school someone, make your point without personal connotations. That way, one will listen.

The Pepster ColombianBlog.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quindioman says on Oct 6, 2005, 15:01:

.... is this the same pepster that wrote..."Rap...Reggaeton...Hip-hop= Crime and ignorance"
and you talking about personal connotations?
i ain't gonna argue with your background but someone with your credibility i just can't see making the generalisation that was made there.
so what happened? did one of them de la cats shit on you or something?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

pepster says on Oct 6, 2005, 22:31:

I'm not arguing either... I have friends from all walks of life. I've told aspiring Rappers and alike that I find the art form non-sensical. We exchange stupid insults and break bread later.

Just because I don't dig the art form doesn't mean I don't dig the person.

Hip Hop in the hands of a culture that only sees it's truly worst aspects of it only get a hybrid of it's intention.

Like I said...it didn't start out that way. It became what it is today.

I hung with the De La Soul guys during a recording session at my school in NYC. Nice guys...stoned out of their minds. Didn't even start to get what they were about. But were real nice people.

The Pepster ColombianBlog.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quindioman says on Oct 7, 2005, 01:02:

you're more than welcome not to dig the art form pepster, but that whole "rap, reguetton, hiphop=crime and ignorance" comment betrays your background in this particular field.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

pepster says on Oct 7, 2005, 07:54:

quindioman Ok,

I'll stress this again. When HIP-HOP began, it had a total different outlook and message than what it evolved to.

This type of music if you will, Rap, Reggaeton etc, glorifies crime and ignorance. To deny this is to not be alive.

If there is an underground movement, it's really underground.

But like I said before, the sales and popularity of the former betray your positive statement of this "art form".

The Pepster ColombianBlog.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

scotty says on Oct 9, 2005, 14:48:

yea i didnt see much of the baggy pants, chains, piercing etc like i see in the states. thank god!

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

0 funny, 0 helpful.