Watch video – Latina filmmaker wins 2007 Acceleration Grant for Emerging Filmmakers

Posted by Elena del Valle on November 16, 2007

Watch video – U.S. premiere of Colombia hip hop documentary to show at Latino Film Festival

Posted by Elena del Valle on November 9, 2007

“Frekuensia Kolombiana” poster

Photos/video: Frekuensia Kolombiana, Choquib Town, Por Razones de Estado

The United States premiere of a 58-minute documentary film that explores traditional forms of Colombian music and their relationship to hip hop will be at this year’s International Latino Film Festival in the San Francisco Bay Area. Produced in Spanish with English subtitles, “Frekuensia Kolombiana” will be screened Saturday, November 17 at 8 pm at the Macla Castellano Playhouse in San Jose, California. Scroll down to watch the film trailer.

Promoters are planning a tour of the film for early 2008 with stops in Chicago, New York, Dallas, Austin, Miami, Los Angeles and Puerto Rico. Also in the works is a special fundraising event and screening in Chicago to raise funds for non profit hip hop organizations in Colombia.

Por Razones de Estado, producers of political lyrics of Colombian hip hop

According to promotional materials, the film uses interviews, events, situations and landscapes to uncover the voice of the street in Colombia and a youth that “constructs from exclusion a movement of hope and truth.” The documentary showcases Camajan Club, Por Razones de Estado, DJ Fresh, Fondo Blanco, Choc Quib Town, K Music, Por Razones de Estado, SMA, Kamahan Club, La HeroiK and Zona Marginal. 

Directed by Vanessa Gocksch and produced by Vanessa Gocksch and Walter Hernandez “Frekuensia Kolombiana” is the second documentary by Gocksch about this theme in Colombia. The first, “Testimonios Hip Hop Colombiano: Año 2000,” won Best Documentary Short  in the first edition of the H20 Film Festival  in New York City. In the United States, the film is represented by Tinta Roja Projects.

Afro-Colombian hip hop group Choquib Town from Quibdo on the Pacific coast of Colombia

Gocksch is based in Cartagena de Indias on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. She studied visual arts with an emphasis in sculpture at Florida International University, La Cambre and Universidad Autonoma de Mexico. She has worked with sculpture, etching, photography, installation, performance and video. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and festivals in Mexico, Colombia, United States, Canada, Finland and England. In 2000, she began working with multimedia. She performs as a video jockey under the name of Pata de Perro, and develops the communication project Intermundos.

Hernandez, a professor in a Bogota university, has been an active participant and creator of Colombian hip hop since 1989. He has produced events such as Rapkiya, one of the first hip hop events on the Caribbean coast of Colombia and hosted hip hop radio programs in Barranquilla and Bogotá, Colombia.

Fama Magazine recognizes Latino entertainers during awards event

Posted by Elena del Valle on November 7, 2007

Karyme Lozano, Valentino Lanus, Elizabeth Alvarez, and Carlos de la Mota, some of the  2007 Fama Magazine awards winners

Photo: Fama Magazine 

Miami based Fama Magazine recognized 17 Latino artists during this year’s Fama Awards. The honorees were selected by the magazine’s readers and had to be present to win. More than 700 party goers and 100 celebrities attended this year’s Fama Awards in South Beach, Florida. The Fama Awards are designed to “rescue the value and the idea of awarding in general, to honor achievement.”

“All the awards in the U.S. Hispanic market are for music and usually only for one network; Univision will not mention the Billboards Awards and Telemundo will do the same with Premio lo Nuestro. The award like Premios TVNovela is only for the novelas in Televisa,” said Al Vazquez, owner, Fama Magazine.

  Each Fama Award is cast in bronze and weighs six pounds

The most representative of TV’s continuing drama presentations, music, cinema and entertainment, according to Fama Magazine readers were: Cachao, Golden Lifetime Achievement; Christian Meier, Best Actor, TV Drama; Elizabeth Alvarez. The Best Actress, TV Drama; Elluz Peraza, “Toda una vida” Fama Award; Héctor Suárez, “Toda una vida” Fama Award; Karyme Lozano, The Best Actress TV Drama; Mauricio Zeilic, Outstanding Communicator Fama Award; María Elena Salinas, TV Journalist of the year Fama Award; Miguel Varoni, Best Actor Cinema Fama Award; Natalia Streignard, Best Actress International TV Drama Fama Award.

Also recognized were Osvaldo Rios, Best Actor Fama Award; Sergio Sendel, Best Actor in the role of a villain Fama Award; Fama Recognition for Alfonso de Anda Best Presentor Special Events for TV; Fama Recognition for Arap Bethke for Best young actor; Fama Recognition for Candela Ferro, Best Presenter TV; Fama Recognition for Carlos de la Mota; Fama Recognition for Felipe Viel; and Fama Recognition for Marger.

“Segmentation by Level of Acculturation” audio recording

Presenter Miguel Gomez Winebrenner

Discusses

• Assimilation versus acculturation
• Factors that affect Latino acculturation
• How to know if someone is acculturated
• Number of years necessary for acculturation
• Effects of immigration debate on acculturation
• Three main ways of segmenting Latinos

Click here for details about “Segmentation by Level of Acculturation”

Previous Fama Awards recipients include Celia Cruz, Don Francisco, La India, José José, Kate del Castillo, Guy Eckerd, Vico C, Adamaris López, Ariel López Padilla, Marlene Favela, Walter Mercado, Itatí Cantoral, Gabriela Spanic, Mario Cimarro, and Charytín Goyco.Fama Magazine was first published in 1997 under the title Osmus. 

In 1991, the magazine was restructured and renamed to Fama (Spanish for fame). About 70 percent of the magazine’s readers are women with a median age of 34. According to a company spokesperson, Fama Magazine has a national verified circulation of 150,000 with half sold to subscribers and the remainder sold at newsstands. The online edition has two million page hits per months.

“Emotional Branding: How to capture the heart and mind of the Hispanic consumer” audio recording

“Emotional Branding” was recorded January 2007 during the Strategic Research Institute 13th Annual Blockbuster Marketing to U.S. Hispanic and Latin America conference in Miami, Florida. Receive a free downloadable copy by completing our Visitor Survey.

Click here for your free copy of Emotional Branding

Listen to song – Santa Monica DJ to release Latin electronic/funk mixtape style album

Posted by Elena del Valle on November 5, 2007

“Loteria Beats Mixtape, Vol. 1” album cover

Photo, song: Nacional Records

Raul Campos, host of “Nocturna” show on Santa Monica public radio station KCRW, just released “Loteria Beats Mixtape, Vol. 1,” one of the first of its kind in this genre with the flow of a mixtape; well known electronic acts like Nortec Collective (Tijuana), The Pinker Tones (Barcelona), Pacha Massive (The Bronx) and Mexican Institute of Sound (Mexico City); rare remixes of the work of Thievery Corporation, David Byrne and Sergio Mendes; and up-and-comers Cuarto Poder, Los Rumbers, and Choc Quib Town.  

The new album tracks include DJ Bitman, Shine; Nortec Collective, Olvidela Compa (Rosco Remix);Los Rumbers, Como Mi Ritmo No Hay Dos; Pacha Massive, Don’t Let Go; Cuarto Poder, Arenita Playita; Papashanty, Roots; Choc Quib Town, Somos Pacificos; Brothers Behind the Light with SBL, If You Wanna Be Yourself (ESJK Remix); Thievery Corporation, Exilio (Rewound by Thievery Corporation); Stolen Identity, Playa De Musica; David Byrne, Like Humans Do (Los Amigos Invisibles Remix); Sergio Mendes feat. Black Eyed Peas, Mas Que Nada (Masters at Work Remix); The Pinker Tones, Aonido Total (The Million Guitar Remix); Digi & Gabo, Color; Mexican Institute of Sound, Cha Cha Cha; and Territorio Comanche, Cumbian Dub.

Listen to Cesar Melgoza discuss 

“Changing Latino Landscape” audio recording

Presenter Cesar Melgoza, managing director, Latin Force Group

Find out about

• How demographic, social, political and economic factors affect Latinos
• Number of Hispanics in U.S.
• Hispanics as a percent of the mainstream population
• Number of Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico
• Hispanics, including Puerto Rico, as a percent of U.S. mainstream
• Number of Asians and African Americans
• Estimated size of Hispanic market by 2012
• Percentage growth of new Hispanics per year
• Number of counties where Latinos are majority
• Areas of significant Latino growth
• Area of U.S. with a 950 percent Latino growth
• Role of acculturation
• Hispanicity segmentation

Click here for information on the Changing Latino Landscape

Campos, a native Angelino, is a tastemaker DJ and host of the annual Latin Alternative Music Conference for the second year in a row. He also hosts Saturday night’s mega-mixes for Power Tools on Power 106 FM, one of the longest running underground mix shows in Los Angeles. Campos has also opened for musical acts including Stevie Wonder, Martin Gore of Depeche Mode, Sheila E, Supreme Beings of Leisure and Lionel Richie.

To listen to the single “Olvidela Compa” (Rosco Remix) by Nortec Collective from the Raul Campos “Loteria Beats Mixtape Vol. 1″ album click on the play button below. 

Yahoo! Telemundo celebrates Hispanic Heritage with mini sites

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 23, 2007

Marlene Urbay

Photos:  Yahoo! Telemundo

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Yahoo! Telemundo created two mini-sites to honor the successes and contributions of their picks of Latinos. The sites, Mosaico Hispano and Battle of the Bands, were designed to celebrate the personal and professional achievements and musical talents, respectively, of Hispanics from across the United States. The sites will be live from September 17 through October 31, 2007.

A tribute site to 10 individuals, Mosaico Hispano features video profiles of Hispanics whose successes and triumphs Yahoo! Telemundo representatives believe have left an imprint on their communities and are a source of inspiration.

Among the stories featured are those of New York City’s Tats Cru, a group that has elevated graffiti to an art form; Concha Rodriguez, a Chicago funeral director who visits schools and community centers to talk about the dangers of gang violence; and Juan Diaz, a Mexican immigrant who is a boxer and law student. Information about Yolanda Aguilar, Carlos Mejia, Hugo Ortega, Annette Taddeo, John Trasviña and Marlene Urbay also appears on the website.

“Segmentation by Level of Acculturation” audio recording

Presenter Miguel Gomez Winebrenner

Discusses

• Assimilation versus acculturation
• Factors that affect Latino acculturation
• How to know if someone is acculturated
• Number of years necessary for acculturation
• Effects of immigration debate on acculturation
• Three main ways of segmenting Latinos

Click here for details about “Segmentation by Level of Acculturation”

Battle of the Bands showcases the artistry and musical talents of 10 up-and-coming U.S. Hispanic bands battling it out for instant online fame. The site features videos of the bands performing one song and interviews with band members and fans. Website visitors are invited to vote for a fan favorite.

We found no criteria for inclusion on the mini websites or promotional materials. A planning team of Yahoo! producers, and marketing and public relations executives worked together with Hardee Productions, a productions company, to select individuals and bands for inclusion. Several music festival producers also shared input for the battle of the bands selections. Website representatives declined to share budget numbers or impressions. “We can’t discuss budget specifics, but it was a project that was months in the planning and included filming, production in five major Hispanic markets,” said a company spokesperson.

“Each year, Yahoo! Telemundo honors our Hispanic Heritage by paying tribute to the richness and diversity of the U.S. Hispanic market,” said Jose Rivera Font, general manager, Yahoo! Hispanic Americas. “Mosaico Hispano and Battle of the Bands are, however, more than showcases of success and talent; they are also online venues that allow our users to interact and engage with the U.S. Hispanic community at large.”

Juan Diaz and Hugo Ortega

The websites are promoted online throughout the Yahoo! network of sites, via a news release, in the case of Battle of the Bands on band fan pages and promotional event materials. The sites were also promoted on the Telemundo television network.

“These sites have been designed to complement Yahoo! Telemundo’s broad offering for the U.S. Hispanic market while giving our users more of what they yearn for, the chance to discover hidden gems within their community and share in that discovery with others,” said Peter Blacker, senior vice president, Digital Media, Telemundo Network Group.

Mosaico Hispano and Battle of the Bands feature Yahoo! Telemundo Respuestas, which allows users to ask and answer questions related to any topic of interest, as well as  forums, voting and polls. Yahoo! Telemundo is a commercial venture between Telemundo Communications Group, Inc., a unit GE’s NBC Universal, and Yahoo! Inc.

Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations Understanding and Targeting America’s Largest Minority book

“A must resource for practitioners/professionals expecting to reach US Hispanics; also valuable for college programs in marketing, public relations and communications. Highly recommended.”

 Choice magazine

 Click here for information on the Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations books

Film focuses on bitter aspects of sugar industry

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 19, 2007

The Sugar Babies film poster (click on image to enlarge)

Photos: Joe Serrano, Amy Serrano 

A recent 99 minute documentary, directed by Miami filmmaker Amy Serrano, outlines the plight of the children who work in the sugar cane fields and their families. “The Sugar Babies: The Plight of the Children of Agricultural Workers in the Sugar Industry of the Dominican Republic,” zooms in on the “disturbing remnants of colonial slavery” carefully hidden in paradise on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The documentary is in Spanish, Creole, French and English. Two versions are available, one with English subtitles; another with French subtitles. 

According to promotional materials, the film explores the lives of the descendants of the first Africans brought to the island of Hispaniola to work in the sugar cane fields. Sugar was at one time a highly valuable commodity.  The poor and disenfranchised who remain on the island, now shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the film makers argue, continue to be trafficked to work in the production of sugar under circumstances they describe as modern day slavery.

The documentary was recently featured in the Montreal International Haitian Film Festival.  The next showing will be in November 8, 2007 at the Denver, Colorado National Hispana Leadership Institute annual conference.

Child on border that separates Haiti from the Dominican Republic

“The Sugar Babies” examines the moral price of sugar from the perspective of the conditions surrounding the children of sugar cane cutters of Haitian ancestry in the Dominican Republic, and the denial of their basic human rights. 
 
The film showcases field testimonies and hidden camera footage obtained during 18 months of documentation. There are also interviews with experts and diplomats: Haiti’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Raymond Joseph; the U.S. Department of States’ Ambassador John Miller from the Office of Human Trafficking; Sidney Mintz, an anthropologist and sugar historian; Carol Pier from Human Rights Watch; and Bill Quigley and Greg Schell, public interest attorneys.

The film makers included interviews with local activists: Noemi Mendez, a Dominican human rights lawyer; Colette Lespinase of G.A.R.R. Haiti, the Organization for Refugees and the Repatriated; Batey Activist Jhonny Belizaire; Television Journalist Huchi Lora, and missionaries Pierre Ruquoy and Father Christopher Hartley.

Amy Serrano, producer and director, The Sugar Babies

Narrated by author Edwidge Danticat, the film features original music by composer Bill Cruz including the songs “Branded” and “The Devil’s Work.” There is also music of Bola de Nieve, Alberto Beltran, Kenny Rankin, Solomon Burke, the Blind Boys of Alabama and original field recordings by The Sugar Babies. 

“The Sugar Babies” was produced by Miami based Siren Studios  in association with The Hope, Courage and Justice Project ofNew Orleans and The Human RIghts Foundation of New York.  Others involved in the production were Jason A. Ocasio,  editor and art director; Salvador Longoria, production associate and legal counsel; Thor Halvorssen, associate producer;  Constance Haqq, co-producer; and Claudia Chiesi, executive producer.
 
Serrano wrote, shot, produced and directed the film. The Sugar Babies was made possible by The Crowley Children’s Fund, Tico Pujals, Cindy Nord, and The Fund for a Just Society.   

“Emotional Branding: How to capture the heart and mind of the Hispanic consumer” audio recording

“Emotional Branding” was recorded January 2007 during the Strategic Research Institute 13th Annual Blockbuster Marketing to U.S. Hispanic and Latin America conference in Miami, Florida. Receive a free downloadable copy by completing our Visitor Survey.

Click here for your free copy of Emotional Branding

DC theater caters to diverse Latino tastes

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 12, 2007

Hugo Medrano and Gabriela Fernandez-Coffey 

Photo: GALA Hispanic Theatre

For the last 32 years theater lovers in Washington D.C. have been able to attend performances at the GALA (Grupo de Artistas Latino Americanos) Theater at Tivoli Square. For the 2007-08 season the theater will receive support from Target, American Airlines, Starbucks Coffee Company, Telemundo Washington, DC and Viva 900 am; and partner with, to name a few, Embassy of Spain, The San Francisco International Arts Festival, La Peña Cultural Center, Mexican Cultural Institute, New Performing Arts Center, National Endowment for the Arts, National Performance Network, Program for Cultural Cooperation between Spain’s Ministry of Culture and U.S. Universities, and Washington Performing Arts Society.

“As one of the leading Latino theaters in the nation, GALA is proud to be at the heart of DC’s dynamic and diverse cultural landscape,” said Hugo Medrano, founder and producing artistic director of the theater. “At GALA culture is never a barrier but always a bridge, uniting us across boundaries and awakening our identity, pride, and endless passion.”

GALA’s 2007-08 season features works by and about some of masters of the Spanish language, such as Jorge Luis Borges and Federico García Lorca. The season also embraces Latino authors and performers whose language is forging a new chapter in Latino culture. There are works by spoken word poets and hip-hop performance artists like Chicano-Cubano Paul Flores, Nuyorican La Bruja, and DC’s Quique Aviles, and a new play by Venezuelan Gustavo Ott. The theater will also hold its annual flamenco festival and showcase the work of Mexican composer-poet Agustin Lara.

Some of the performances this year, in Spanish with English subtitles, include “Cita a ciegas” (Blind Date) by Argentinean Mario Diament, directed by José Carrasquillo and starring Hugo Medrano from September 20- October 14, 2007; the U.S. premiere of “Tu ternura Molotov” (Your Molotov Kisses) by Venezuelan Gustavo Ott and directed by Abel López from January 31-February 24, 2008; “Bodas de sangre” (Blood Wedding) by Spaniard Federico García, directed by Hugo Medrano and with guest artist Mel Rocher, April 3-27, 2008; and the world premiere of “Boleros & Blues, The Legacy of Lara,” a musical by Abel López with pianist Mari Paz and mezzo-soprano Anamer Castrello, June 5–29, 2008.

Over the past 15 years GALA and the Washington Performing Arts Society partnered to commission over 20 new works of theater, music, dance and spoken word and presented hundreds of established and emerging artists such as Tito Puente, Guillermo Gómez Peña, and Gilberto Gil.

GALA is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization supported in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs, private foundations, corporations and individuals. GALA is a member of the League of Washington Theaters, the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington, the Theatre Communication Group, the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, the National Performance Network, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, and the Latino Federation of Greater Washington.

Target Latinos effectively by anticipating changes in the market with

“Hispanic Projections with 2007-08 update” audio recording

Presenter Roger Selbert, Ph.D.

Find out

• About Latino buying power growth in the future
• How Latino market growth compares with other markets in the U.S.
• What drives the rise of Latino economic clout
• Who should target the Latino market
• What is the size of the Hispanic affluent market
• If the luxury Latino market is growing 

Stay ahead of your competion with “Hispanic Projections”

Listen to song – Latin rock band releases first album

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 8, 2007

DeSoL’s “On My Way” album

Photo: DeSoL

Latin Rockers deSoL’s recently released album “On My Way” blends English and Spanish rock and Latin rhythms. The new CD from Asbury Park’s deSoL is described in promotional materials as “a spiritually charged musical journey that reverberates the confidence of a band that knows exactly where they are going and has just what it takes to get them there.” DeSoL was released through saZon Records/Two22 Music with distribution through ADA.

Over the course of their six years together, deSoL has toured extensively and shared marquees with R.E.M., The Legendary Wailers, Los Lonely Boys, Blues Traveler, Particle and Widespread Panic at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits.

deSoL

The band’s first single, “Karma,” released in 2005, became a Top 5 hit on the AAA radio format. DeSol has Puerto Rican, Salvadorian, and Mexican influences and the band members’ musical heroes include Fania All Stars, Tito Puente, Buena Vista Social Club, Los Lobos, and Santana.

Just before going into the studio to record “On My Way,” deSoL spent a month in the Middle East under contract by the Department of Defense’s Armed Forces Entertainment program. They entertained the men and women of the U.S. troops stationed in Bahrain, Qatar, Djibouti, and Kuwait.

“We’ve been together for more than six years now and the musical and spiritual bonds between the band members just keeps growing stronger all the time,” said Albie Monterrosa, vocalist and guitarist of deSol.

“A Snapshot of the U.S. Hispanic Market” audio recording

Presenter Michele Valdovinos, Phoenix Cultural Access Group

Click here for information on “A Snapshot of the U.S. Hispanic Market”

 Click the button to hear the song Sing It All Night Long:

RBD, MTV Tr3s, Roptus launch Tour Celestial 2007 in U.S.

Posted by Elena del Valle on September 28, 2007

RBD is Anahi, Dulce, Maite, Alfonso, Christian and Christopher

Photo: Terra

Latin pop band RBD, MTV Tr3s and Roptus joined efforts to promote the band’s “Tour Celestial 2007” in the United States. RBD’s U.S. tour, produced by Roptus, kicked off September 15, 2007 in San Juan, Puerto Rico and will end November 10 in Miami. After Puerto Rico it’s scheduled to stop in Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Los Angeles, and San Diego before closing in Miami.    

On September 20, RBD was scheduled to perform its single “Besame Sin Miedo” and a surprise track during a special appearance on “Mi TRL.” On October 9, they will appear in “Tour-ismo,” sharing with fans an intimate side of RBD as the group members explore New Mexico, shop for vintage clothing, meet with Native Americans who explain the city’s celestial spirit, and ride low-riders before performing in concert. 

“We are thrilled to bring MTV Tr3s viewers these unique connections to RBD,” said Michael Galbe, vice president, Music and Talent, MTV Tr3s. “Our sponsorship of RBD’s ‘Tour Celestial 2007’ connects MTV Tr3s viewers with one of the biggest selling Latin acts of the past several years and gives our viewers unique and exclusive access to RBD from exciting new programming to texting to live mega events.”

“Emotional Branding: How to capture the heart and mind of the Hispanic consumer” audio recording

“Emotional Branding” was recorded January 2007 during the Strategic Research Institute 13th Annual Blockbuster Marketing to U.S. Hispanic and Latin America conference in Miami, Florida. Receive a free downloadable copy by completing our Visitor Survey.

Click here for your free copy of Emotional Branding

RBD is Anahi, Dulce, Maite, Alfonso, Christian and Christopher. The group was born in 2004 from Mexican soap opera “Rebelde.” According to promotional materials, before arriving in the U.S., “Tour Celestial 2007” sold out venues in Brazil, Ecuador, Spain, Romania and Japan.

MTV Tr3s is a television network dedicated to bicultural Latino youth with a fusion of American and Latino music, cultures, lifestyles and languages. Music programming is at the core of MTV Tr3s and the channel features popular performers, emerging artists and new sounds. In addition to music programming, MTV Tr3s also features lifestyle series, news, and documentaries.

Roptus is an international marketing and concert production company that specializes in live entertainment marketing events for the Latin market. Roptus operates in 14 countries. Properties include the RBD 2006 and 2007 world tours, and active divisions in soccer and theater events in Los Angeles and Hollywood, California.

Listen to song – Hip Hop Hoodios to donate portion of new album profits to Amnesty International

Posted by Elena del Valle on September 17, 2007

“Viva la Guantanamera” cover

Photo: Nacional Records

Self described Latino-Jewish urban collective Hip Hop Hoodíos recently released a new five-song digital-only extended play recording, “Viva la Guantanamera EP” on Nacional Records. The Hip Hop Hoodios is Josh Norek and Abraham Velez. The duo will donate 18 percent of net profits from digital sales of the “Viva la Guantanamera” single to Amnesty International earmarked toward efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay Prison and encourage the full restoration of due process.

“Music has an infectious quality, particularly a song as joyous and entertaining as ‘Viva la Guantanamera.’ It is our hope that this song will inspire action against the continued  human rights abuses carried out at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, where for more than five years now, individuals have been held without charge, without trial and without end,” said Larry Cox, executive director, Amnesty International USA.

Produced by Wildog of Ozomatli, “Viva la Guantanamera” track guests include Wildog, Frank London and Lorin Sklamberg of The Klezmatics, Kemo the Blaxican of Latin hip hop pioneers Delinquent Habits, and instrumentalists Walter Miranda and Chris Washburne.

“Hip Hop Hoodios wanted to bring attention to the need for due process at Guantanamo Bay Prison, and are willing to put their money where their mouths are,” said Norek, band co-founder. “Our group is concerned about America’s place in the world – how can we lead the ‘war on terrorism’ and claim to be about ‘freedom’ when we are keeping people locked up indefinitely without trials or presenting evidence?”

“Hip Hop Hoodios is of course against terrorism, but feels America’s policies are quite contradictory at times,” said Velez. “Amnesty International’s efforts to close Guantanamo Bay Prison were a good fit for us, and we are honored to be working with them.”

Amnesty International plans to include the Hip Hop Hoodíos track on multiple Amnesty and Amnesty-related websites including AmnestyUSA.org, MusicForHumanRights.org, and TearItDown.org, and amnestyusa.org/espanol.

The “Viva la Guantanamera EP” includes remixes of tracks from the Hip Hop Hoodios previous album “Agua pa’ La Gente.” DJ Niño of Barcelona-based electronic duo The Pinker Tones put a dancefloor-friendly spin on the track “Agua pa’ la Gente”, while Hector Coulon a.k.a Leo Sidran (producer of Jorge Drexler’s Oscar-winning “Al Otro Lado del Rio”) recast “1492” with jazz bass. 

Also included on the mini-album is a new mix of “Havana Nagila” from the forthcoming V2 France release “Nu Jewish Musique.” The iTunes edition of the EP includes two bonus tracks, a live Hip Hop Hoodíos performance of “Ocho Kandelikas” on LATV and “Tu Margarita.”

Nonprofit Amnesty International, a 1977 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, is represented by more than 2.2 million human rights activists worldwide. Amnesty International investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public and strives to transform societies to create a safer, more just world. 

“Best in Class Hispanic  Strategies” audio recording

Presenters Carlos Santiago and Derene Allen

• Find out what makes 25 percent of the top 500 Hispanic market advertisers out perform the remaining companies
• Discover what questions to ask and what steps to be a Best in Class companies

Click here to learn about “Best in Class Hispanic Strategies” audio recording

To listen to the single “Viva la Guantanamera” from the “Viva la Guantanamera EP” album click on the play button below.