For anyone looking to expand your world of music, listening to some of the best Cuban songs will do it.
You’ll find Afro-Cuban jazz, Cuban hip-hop, classic jazz, Latin dance, and much more among the greatest numbers, each coming from incredible musicians who proudly represent their country in the music they’ve created.
So, whether you’re of Cuban descent and just looking for who you’ve been missing in your playlist or among the folks new to the music sphere, you’ll find these are the best of the best and well worth adding to your playlist.
The following tunes are considered protest songs and were written and recorded by Cubans who were fed up with the Communist regime.
‘Patria y Vida’: A Cuban protest anthem.
Nominated for song of the year, the track became an anthem for a burgeoning movement of young people in Cuba demanding an end to political oppression and economic misery.
To the recent climate of popular protests led by artists and independent civil society groups comes a newly released song titled “Homeland and Life (Patria y Vida).” It is living proof that a new generation in Cuba has taken an unequivocal stance in defense of their liberties and fundamental human rights. The powerful and inspiring lyrics performed by renowned artists such as Yotuel, Gente de Zona, December Bueno, Maykel Osorbo, and Funky have become the “anthem” for people in Cuba.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPoDKmvMD8o
X Alfonso is a hip-hop artist and Afro-Cuban musician who played with Audioslave at a concert in Havana. Besides music, he is known for his video editing skills.
He wrote the song ‘¿Cambiará?’ which means will it change?” The song itself is a political song about how easy it is to see the ideal world but the extreme difficulty found in trying to reach the ideal due to the corruption of politics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=172&v=3SsOCZJ38iY&embeds_re…
The next song says a change is coming and it was written and recorded by Willy Chirino. It became a Cuban exile favorite. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-rxWpyg7o8&t=16s
Last but not least is the song that Celia Cruz sand about wanting to return to her birthplace before she dies. A wish that was never granted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u548DVdZe9k
As the anniversary of the revolution approaches, it is timely to present this for your consideration
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-66098774
CUBA Unplugged