Orishas
Orishas is an internationally successful Cuban hip-hop band that initially existed from 1999 to 2009 and made its comeback in 2016.
biography
The idea of founding a music group that combines modern hip-hop and rap elements with Cuban folk music such as Son and Bolero came to the well-known producer “DJ Niko” and the Cuban émigré Livan “Flaco Pro”. The idea was well received by the big record companies and the Cuban music scene, whereupon the two Yotuel “Guerrero” Manzanares, Hiram “Ruzzo” Riveri and Roldan Rivero got into the studio. They called themselves "Orishas", after the gods of the same name of the Santería faith, which is a mixture between Catholicism and African religions in Cuba. Her first album was released in 1999. A lo Cubano made the Orishas stars of Spanish-language hip-hop with 25,000 CDs sold. Thanks to this success, they were able to release their debut in other countries. In 2004 they received the Latin Grammy for best hip-hop band. They were received by Fidel Castro along with other musicians. This was the first time the government publicly endorsed hip hop.
In December 2009 the band announced their breakup after ten years of existence. The last concert took place on December 12th, 2009 in Zurich.
Band members
Livan "Flaco Pro"
Livan started the band with the help of producer DJ Niko, but has since left the band.
Today the band has only three members: Roldán Gonzalez Rivero, Yotuel Romero Manzanares and Hiram Riveri.
Roldán González Rivero
Roldan is the one in the band who rounds off the hip-hop and rap songs with his soft vocals.
Roldan worked in Cuba as a professor of classical guitar, was a son singer and tres player. He emigrated to France to look for more musical inspiration. There he met producer DJ Niko, who immediately wanted him for his new project. He lives in Paris.
Yotuel Omar Romero Manzanares
Yotuel is one of the band's two rappers.
For Yotuel, an immigrant from Cuba who has lived in Italy, Spain, and France, rapping was nothing new when he came to Orishas. He was a member of Cuba's most famous hip hop group to date, Amenaza . He lives in Madrid.
Hiram Riverí Medina
Hiram (aka Ruzzo) is one of the band's two rappers.
Hiram also comes from Cuba, but emigrated to France. He raped with Yotuel in the Cuban band Amenaza. Today he lives in Milan.
Discography
- 1999: A lo Cubano
- 2002: emigrant
- 2005: El Kilo (CH:
) - 2007: Antidiótico
- 2008: Cosita buena
- 2015: Emigrant
- 2018: Gourmet
Texts
Most of the Orishas' lyrics refer to what is happening in Cuba, such as the problems and joys of the Cubans. The band wants to distract from the peaceful holiday island and show the listener the world behind the white sandy beaches and thematize, among other things, (child) prostitution ( Reina de la calle ), emancipation ( Mujer ) and racism ( Tumbando y dando ). The treatment of political issues also led to the censorship of their publications. However, the group also deals with topics such as love , longing and friendship . A quote: “I don't sing to sing; I sing so as not to cry. "( No canto por cantar, canto por no llorar. )
Awards for music sales
-
Spain
- 2000: for the album A lo Cubano
- 2002: for the album Emigrante
- 2005: for the album El Kilo
| Country / Region |
gold |
 platinum
|
Sales | swell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards for music sales (country / region, awards, sales, sources) |
||||
 Switzerland (IFPI)
|
gold1
|
- | 20,000 | hitparade.ch |
|
Spain (Promusicae)
|
3 × gold3
|
- | 140,000 | promusicae.es ES2 |
| All in all |
4 × gold4th
|
- | ||
See also
swell
- ↑ Stephen Foehr: Dancing with Fidel, p. 39
- ↑ Orisha's Biography . From the band's official website, accessed September 20, 2013 (Spanish)
- ↑ song ¿qué pasa? last lines under: - ( Memento of the original from February 26, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
Web links
- http://cubanbeats.com/?lang=de ( Former members of Orishas )