"In the late 90s (around 1998 or so), there was an underground movement of (conscious) emcees rising up throughout Latin America, specifically among Afro Latinos. They weren't focused on the materialism or misogyny of their American-born counterparts; they spoke about issues affecting them in their country(ies) of origin. They spoke to issues of racism that they faced in their home country, the dire poverty that affects their communities, and of oppression that they faced from their respective governments. There were several articles written about this movement in such periodicals as Stress Magazine, and Urban Latino Magazine. Apparently, this was also happening around the time of the so-called 'Latin Explosion' here in the United States. As I had stated in the article subtitled "Reflections of Me":
"....Afro Latinos were relegated to the status of persona non grata. You never saw us during the whole explosion, not unless you dug around really deep in the underground circles..."
Our voices went unheard, and our opinions were left unexpressed. So in that sense, we had to create our own voices, and find alternative ways for us to be heard. Inspired by the conscious artists here in the States, our brethren throughout Latin America decided to lift their voices, and put their thoughts to wax (or tape, or CDs, or any other means that were available to them).
...Hip Hop can be used as a tool to help instill social change in our communities. It can be a tool; not be considered an end all and be all. It can be used as a way to help politicized the youth of our communities, but cannot be seen as the only answer or ultimate solution."
Spanish People In Control (Remix)
[emcee collaboration]
Verse (Knowledge As Supreme)
Well, it don't matter...Boricua, Chicano, or whatever...
We just gotta cease the warring, and we gotta stick together...
Watch our backs, we gotta watch out for the racists,
Cause you know they're all around us wearing too many faces,
They hate this...
They see us all around, and get scared,
And they're always talking shit when their dirty laundry get aired,
They say we're all the same, and they say that it's legit,
But then they show their real faces, and try to feed us some bullshit...
Won't take this no more, you wanna act muy malo?
So come get in my face, I'll kick your ass with my zapatos...
S-P-I-C is Spanish People In Control...my main goal,
This ain't just how I'm livin', this how my squad rolls...
Raiding our countries, lootin' the land just like a felon,
But when I speak my own language, you wanna do Prop 187?
Listen here...that disrespectful bullshit ain't how we go,
And lettin' some punk ass honkey diss my people on the radio?
That showed no respect for any person that had died,
And then I would be wrong to beat the shit out your hide...
The time for tongues is reminiscent and dismissin',
So it's time to give punks like Howard Stern and ass wuppin' (Selena!)
The Aboriginals have suffered massive genocide,
And now we suffer tales of our lives that are falsified...
Unbelieveable myths of our nature are nationwide,
And some are proving it true by being out there on the homicide...
You have some out that fall to mis-education,
and commit assassinations just to gain a reputation...
You see the picture is much broader than the brush,
And yes, you do have some ills, but commit to judgements that rush...
I'm kickin' knowledge just so all you will know,
That this how we roll, with Spanish People In Control
The following excerpt can be found in Raise Your Brown Black Fist 2: MORE Political Shouts of an Angry Afro Latino. For copies of the book, please contact your local bookstore to order copies, or order it online through Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobles, or my publisher Outskirts Press website.
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