The Only-Spanish Language Album Selected In The Times’ Look At The Most Essential World Music Releases Of The Year, Antidiótico Boasts A Selection Of Orishas’ Most Vital Tracks & Three New Songs:
“ORISHAS “Antidiótico” (Universal Music Latino) The politics are complicated, but the music is a pleasure for Orishas, a tuneful hip-hop group of Cuban expatriates who now live in Paris, Milan and Madrid. On this compilation their singing and rapping styles are so diverse that they can sound like a different group on each track. Orishas often draws on old Cuban music — rumbas, sones, boleros — for songs (almost all in Spanish) about cultural pride and the country’s current hard times. Even earnest messages arrive with a grin.” –Jon Pareles, New York Times
They Are Widely Viewed As The Most Important Latin Hip-Hop Group In
The World, Having Already Sold Over A Million Copies Of Their First Three Albums and Having Influenced The Likes Of Daddy Yankee, Calle 13,
Pitbull And Many More. Now, Both The Standard (1-Disc) Or Special
Multi-Disc Version of Antidiótico Gives New Listeners A Chance To Find Out Why TIME Magazine Selected ORISHAS As One Of The
Ten Best Bands On The Planet
“A good band is hard to find. So, TIME listened to groups from around the world to create a definitive, highly opinionated… list of the top contemporary acts outside the U.S. Below are the 10 best bands on planet Earth: Orishas- Combines lyrical wizardry with traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms to make cutting-edge hip-hop … One of the first popular Cuban rap groups…. In a nation that has long moved to the pulse of son and salsa, the upstart group delivered the kind of musical shock that young Cubans may one day remember with the same fondness that American baby boomers feel when they recall first hearing Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode.” – TIME
“Orishas (named for the gods worshipped by Yoruba tribesmen), is solid evidence that finally labels are looking beyond their own borders for quality hip-hop …Orishas takes an approach that deals with issues like returning home, the struggle of Cuba, self-determination.. and the quest for freedom (both political and spiritual). But despite the heavy messages, Orishas is among the most musically refreshing quartets hip-hop has ever produced. With music every bit as sophisticated and catchy as the Buena Vista Social Club and three times as tough.. It's also a historical, sociological, and musicological lesson that can be partied to. What else can you ask for? … Orishas speaks with the tongue of the gods.” – ALL MUSIC GUIDE
“Sweet, gritty, proud—[a] pioneering group from Havana… In Cuba, rappers risked governmental wrath for performing what officials labeled "the music of the enemy." Among Havana's pioneers [is] Orishas, named for the gods of Afro- Cuban religion…its competitors have yet to surpass the bar they set with their soaring brand of Cuban hip-hop… an astonishingly rich repertoire. [a] gritty rap attack in a cascade of syncopated Spanish syllables [and] irresistible Afro-Cuban rhythms… The group hasn't lost its national, ethnic and racial identity while absorbing outside musical influences… they proudly exude that tropical Afro-Cuban swing -- derived from modern mambo and historic rumba -- that has for years made the world move like them…Since its heralded debut in 1999, this expatriate Cuban hip-hop trio has made remarkable artistic leaps, refining its unique fusion of traditional Cuban music with the most valued aspects ofrap, minus the misogyny and materialism…. The street elegance of Orishas' style is matched by the sophistication of its themes. … A silky, organic fusion that [is] uplifting for the soul and enticing for the feet.” – Los Angeles Times
"This is the music of the future Cuba...this is Orishas… Orishas has lorded over Latino hip-hop since their 1999 debut… Their Reputation rests on an invigorating alchemy of old and new Latin-American rhythms... Orishas go after the big boys: social injustice, world poverty… Orishas are masters of Cuba's written varied musical heritage, but what is more exciting is how they seamlessly graft hip-hop onto complex genres such as the stately rumba, the fast-paced guaguancó, and other frenetic rhythms of the Caribbean… Orishas bring joy out of even the darkest of situation” – NPR (Day to Day)
"[A] NEW CUBAN RHYTHM… [an] original blend of intoxicating Cuban music and incisive rap… a new kind of Cuban sound… But Orishas are about more than one country's culture. By rising powerfully and proudly from their Cuban roots, they take Latin hip-hop to a whole new level. And other artists know it…. Orishas [aren’t] like any other hip-hop act: no clichéd gestures and sullen attitude from a million videos of them… a classic Cuban celebration of sex and good times… And music. Orishas use their voices like instruments, in an intricate musical and rhythmic interplay… Music this good could inspire anyone” – Miami Herald
