GuacaMusic: Songs about Immigration
posted in: Features • Latin • Reviews & Playlists
It is not possible to write a blog about Latin music without discussing one of its main themes: Immigration and the struggles of undocumented workers in the United States.
What is most fascinating about immigration songs is that they transcend genres, rhythms and even nationalities. Therefore, it is not uncommon to find similar concepts in many of their lyrics”such as frustration, fear, anonymity, being homesick, escaping the law and performing difficult jobs for little money.
From Juan Luis Guerra’s Visa para un Sueño (translation is “Visa for a Dream”) to Manu Chao’s “Clandestino”, artists have always been passionate about expressing their feelings towards immigration, and OurStage artists are no exception. Let’s take Ben Conga, for example, with Inmigrante,” a reggae flavored track that talks about some of the struggles faced by immigrants from different countries. Ben is a Latin fusion producer/artist from Los Angeles that is currently working with Yordamis Megret, a former member of the Cuban group Bamboleo, who herself struggled to come to the USA from Cuba.
And what about El Inmigrante by Dj Prietoblack/Grupo Kalcomania? This song really makes you want to get up and dance, but that isn’t the point. El Inmigrante conveys a strong message of optimism to all immigrants from Spanish speaking countries living and working in the United States. Check out the last line of the song: ¡Si se puede! which in English means Yes you can!”cheering for all of those who are struggling to make a living in a foreign land.
Why is it that both of these songs sound so different and yet feel so similar? Could it be that immigration is so deeply rooted in Latin culture that it naturally finds its way into la música?
Keep listening to our Latin Channel and let us know what you else you can hear.
¡Provecho!