Latin Hip Hop as a New Poetry

Latin hip hop artists are advancing the poetic traditions of their countries in unique ways. Ana Tijoux from Chile was raised on protest songs and Pablo Neruda; Residente from Calle 13, Puerto Rico spits out rhymes as carefully crafted as any poet’s; Niña Dioz from Mexico reads dictionaries to find the precise words to fit her ideas and rhymes; Xiutehzcatl from Boulder, Colorado rhymes in three languages: Spanish, English and Nahuatl–an ancient indigenous language. Nevertheless, academia and poetic circles have surprisingly not embraced and celebrated these artists as poets.

This program, with video and lyric examples, will make a case for hip hop as the new poetry with a focus on Latinos in the U.S. and the Americas. The presentation, paired with slides and a rich set of musical videos, is lively, light and fun, and focused on participation, discussion, and musical enjoyment!