Cuba Rebelión: Underground Music in Havana

Abstract

Cuba Rebelion: Underground Music in Havana (2008) is billed as a documentary about the musical underground of Cuba, and their struggle against the present regime. The trailer describes underground scene of young musicians who, despite their creative suppression and censorship, have the courage to make a statement. This article questions this characterization of contemporary underground music in Havana, analyzing the relationship between Cuban underground musicians and the state, with a focus on hip hop, rock, and reggaeton. It sheds light on media censorship, but also illustrates opportunities provided to underground musicians by state cultural institutions and digital technology. Censorship is an important trope, but in reality most musicians are free to record, distribute, and perform their music. It is arguably in the underground music economy that greater contestation lies. Resumen: Cuba Rebelion: Underground Music in Havana (2008) es anunciado como un documental sobre el underground musical de Cuba y su lucha contra el regimen actual. El trailer describe una escena underground de musicos jovenes quienes, a pesar de su represion creativa y de censura, tienen el valor de prestar declaracion. Este articulo cuestiona esta caracterizacion de la musica underground contemporanea en La Habana. En el se analiza la relacion entre los musicos underground cubanos y el estado, centrandose en el hip hop, el rock y el reggaeton. Asi mismo, se ilumina el tema de la censura en los medios de comunicacion, pero tambien se ilustra las oportunidades que les ofrece a los musicos underground las instituciones culturales estatales y la tecnologia digital. La censura es un tropo importante, pero en realidad a la gran mayoria de los musicos se les permite grabar, distribuir y cantar su musica. Podria decirse que es en la economia musical underground donde se presentan las mayores controversias.

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