Catimbang 1

Malaiya Catimbang

Ms. Mansel

Dance 1

11 November 2017

History of Cuban and Brazilian Music

In today’s day and age, Hip Hop rules over the music culture. However, what many don’t

know is the origins behind it. It all started with the Transatlantic Slave Trade. In the Americas, or

what was known as the New World then, the Europeans needed manual labor for much of their

crops. These Europeans looked towards Africa for these people to serve as their slaves. Though

moving to a completely different environment, much of these Africans still managed to keep

their culture intact. For example, these Africans still found a way to implement their music into

their lives. They would have tribal chants and plantation work songs in which they would

indirectly defy their white oppressors. With the relocation of these Africans, they influenced

much of the music we know now.

Through Hip Hop music and Cuban music, one can see the similarities in their origins.

Just like Hip Hop, Cuban music was also directly influenced by the African culture. Much of the

Cuban musical forms were due to cabildos, a form of social club among African slaves that was

brought to the island. Cabildos helped to preserve many of the African cultural traditions in

Cuba. Moreover, the origins of Hip Hop were the same. Hip Hop had its beginnings in the 1960s

during the Civil Rights Movement, but it officially began in the 1970s. Towards the end of the

Vietnam War, African Americans were negatively impacted because of the negative effects

brought onto them from the war. Drugs were rampant within the streets, families with their
 Catimbang 2

children overseas felt hopeless, and mental health issues arose due to trauma from the war.

People wanted a way out; this unity brought about naturally born artistic talents, thus Hip Hop

was born.

Though Hip Hop and Cuban music have descended from the African culture, they also

have some very distinct differences between the two. The difference between Hip Hop and

Cuban music is that Cuban music involves many religious aspects to it as well. In the

development of Cuban music, deities like Ogun and Oshun are just among the many deities in

wom they worship. Ogun is a god of the forest and iron whilst Oshun embodies the goddess of

love and fertility. With Hip Hop it was born not with much religious aspect to it, but within the

party scene almost. The founding father of Hip Hop, DJ Kool Herc did in fact produce his music

during his block parties.

The history of Hip Hop can be traced back to the very first Africans that arrived in the

Americas. Though there were many influences behind the birth of Hip Hop, what many

historians consider the birth of Hip Hop was with Clive Campbell, or better known as DJ Kool

Herc, the founding father of Hip Hop. He would develop a trick which he called the Merry Go-

Round, or what is known today as the “break beat”. DJ/MC/Crowd Pleaser Lovebug Starski

would then start referring to this culture as “hip-hop” as many kore DJs started getting in the

mix. After Campbell’s influence, a whole array of new Hip Hop artists arose. This included Dr.

Dre, a famous musician and businessman. He helped to make Gangsta Rap and G-Funk popular.

Also, he brought about two of the most famous rappers ever, Snoop Dogg and Eminem into the

mainstream. Now, rappers like them virtually rule the music industry of today.

In conclusion, African culture had a lot of influence on Hip Hop. The Transatlantic Slave

Trade was a key factor which helped to develop Hip Hop within the United States. If it wasn’t
 Catimbang 3

for the Africans keeping their culture within them, there would have never been the Hip Hop we

know and love today.