Hispanic Music Unit:
Que Dificil es hablar español
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LjDe4sLER0
List some singers that have had success in both English and Spanish:
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Type of Music
Salsa
Rumba
Rap
Describing
Factors
People
dance to it.
Born in
Cuba
Has piano,
bongos and
trumpets as
the main
instruments.
Afro-Cuban
beat, faster
than salsa
Famous Examples
‘Yo No Sé Mañana’ (I don’t know Tomorrow) – Luis
Enrique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yebp0NqnLhE
‘Callejón de los Rumberos’ (Alley of the Rumberos) –
Yoruba Andabo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuUwtQO2Hls
Choose a Calle 13 song that you like:
Find another example:
Flamenco
Latin Hip Hop
Latin Pop
‘100%’ – Puro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzkAQ_TkXPQ
‘Bailando’ (Dancing) – Enrique Iglesias
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUsoVlDFqZg
Other example:
Countries it’s
found in
Cuba, Puerto
Rico
The Guardian ‘How Latin American Women are Changing Hip Hop’
Read the article below and consider the following questions:
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/aug/09/how-latin-american-women-arechanging-hip-hip
1. What are some of the challenges women in the Latin American world face today?
2. What is #NiUnaMenos and what started it?
3. Andry Funk says they come from a very ‘Machista’ culture. What does she mean by
that? Use Google.
4. What is the name of the rap group they have formed (in español and in English)?
5. What context does rap come from according to Lane?
6. What does Funk mean when she says ‘Hip Hop isn’t dead – it’s just been learning
Spanish’?
Lyrics to ‘Bandera Negra’ (Black Flag) by Rebeca Lane.
Watch the video and listen along to the lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HbsZhzRBfg
Español
mi única virtud y defecto es ser imperfecta
mi lengua cuchillo doble filo en tu oreja
en esta vida y en la anterior soy guerrillera
me matan pero vuelvo a nacer en esta tierra
vengo a vengar con palabras a todos los
muertos
prefiero cantar una canción en los entierros
viene a manchar tu pared con mi grito de
esperanza
calladas gargantas yo cortaré de una tajada
mi rap no es femenino sólo feminista
no busco el poder porque yo soy una anarquista
no quiero dominarte soy una artista
te embrujan mis palabras porque soy espiritista
la magia de la música la traigo en las venas
mi pecho un tambor mi pulso una canción sin
pena
las alas de mi mente me llevan a donde quiera
soy luz y oscuridad pero mi bandera es negra
mi rap no es bueno porque sea femenino
no le pongan a mi arte esos malditos prejuicios
en tarima con tacones no es porque sea culito
me gusta verme guapa cuando canto en el
micro
Inglés
My only virtue and failing is being imperfect
my tongue like a double-edged knife in
your ear
in this life and in the previous I'm a
guerrilla
They kill me but I am reborn in this land
I come with words to avenge the dead
I prefer to sing a song at funerals
I come to smear your wall with my cry of
hope
From silenced throats I cut a slice
my rap is not feminine only feminist
I do not seek power because I am an
anarchist
I do not want to dominate I am an artist
My words haunt you because I'm a
spiritualist
the magic of music I bring in my veins
my chest a drum my pulse a song without
pain
the wings of my mind take me wherever
I am light and darkness but my flag is black
my rap is not good because it is female
para ser ruda no preciso más testosterona
peligro que mi estrógeno anda machucando
bolas
tengo millones de huevos en cada ovario
no me hace más mujer ni a vos te hace menos
macho
no quiero tu respeto nada más por traer falda
no me insultes porque nunca he sido una dama
reconoce una poeta cuando la escuches
no me juzguen nada más por mi bonito estuche
do not put on my art those damn
prejudices
on stage in heels it is not because it's hot
I like to look beautiful when singing into the
mic
no need to be rude more testosterone
danger that my oestrogen goes bruising
balls
I have millions of eggs in each ovary
woman does not make me more or you
makes you less macho
I do not want your respect any more for
wearing a skirt
Do not insult me because I've never been a
lady
You recognize a poet when you listen to
them
Do not judge me for anything other than
my awesome case
1. What kind of guerrilla do you think Lane is referring to?
2. Drawing on the Guardian article, what do you think the statement ‘My rap is not
feminine only feminist’ means? Why is Lane so keen to make the distinction? What
do you think most Latin American women would think about it?
3. Why are the female Hip Hop community so angry with the present situation? What
issues exist within the community?
Other stars to look up if you’re interested in female Latina hip hop stars:
 BIA – ‘La Tirana’
 Zuzuka Poderosa – ‘Seda’
 Nani Castle
 Snow Tha Product
 Danay Suárez – ‘Yo Aprendí’
Machismo Description of Machismo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH4QX48Vymw - don’t have
to watch the whole thing, just until you feel you understand the concepts.
Traditional Latina roles dictate that females are
supposed to live as a martyr in order to satisfy
the needs of their family. This cultural trait is
also traced to the Hispanic religious background
that is heavily rooted in Catholicism. Some
have referred to this tendency of self-sacrifice
as Marianismo (after the Virgin
Mary). Marianismo is considered the female
counterpart to Machismo.
I remember my father telling me as a child
not to cry because “men do not cry.”
José Raul
What are the key differences between the
experiences and expectations of young boys and girls in Machismo culture?
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Compare your upbringing and perceptions of gender with those of Machismo culture.
Similarities with Australian Culture
Differences with Australian Culture
eg. Men are often seen as the breadwinners Eg. School is seen as equally important for
for the family.
boys and girls in Australia whereas in Latin
America sometimes people consider it more
important for boys.
What is your opinion of Machismo? Do you find it shocking, or does it align with what you
believe in? Do you think that there is anything about it that should be changed? (There are
no right or wrong answers, just as long as you argue your point of view).
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Creative Task:
As your final big project for Spanish, you are to come up with a Spanish song or Spanishrelated song and make a music video for it. Examples of a song could be:
Rap
Song parody
Pop
Cover a song
Mixture of
English/Spanish
Writing a rap about the challenges of machismo
Choosing a Latin-American song of whatever style (salsa, rumba,
flamenco) and teaching people Spanish words that we’ve learnt over
the term
Write a song about one of the festivals we’ve studied or any other
cultural norms (eg. Quinceañera, Día de los Muertos, San Fermín)
Choose a Spanish song and learn the words to do a high quality cover
Write a song in a mixture of Spanish and English to tell a story (eg.
Could be of your year, of a made-up story of someone from a Hispanic
country or a true story of someone famous from Latin America)
Or it can be something else!!
Write the song first, and then you can start planning your music video.
For more Latin American inspiration, check out these songs:
La Tortura – Shakira
Candela – Buena Vista Social Club
Bailando – Enrique Iglesias
LA Vuelta Al Mundo – Calle 13
Latinoamérica – Calle 13
Chevere – Kevin Roldan
Clandestino – Manu Chao
Me gustas tu – Manu Chao
Darte un Beso – Prince Royal
Contigo – Juan Magán
El Perdón – Nicky Jam
Que te Den – Amparanoia
Una Vaina Loca – Fuego
El No te Da – Dasoul
El Tiburón – Henry Mendez
Cumbia Sobre El Río – Celso Piña
El Poromponero – Manolo Escobar
Taboo – Don Omar