It's been quite a journey since Orishas released their first album 'A Lo Cubano' in Spain in May 1999. Lauded by the press throughout Europe ever since it came out, the group launched into a marathon tour that started in summer 1999. From clubs to festivals, the European tour stretched out to just over two years with evening performances of their music catalogue at the Olympia, the Ancienne Belgique and the Royal Festival Hall in England. They were to play at the most prestigious festivals in Europe like the Lowlands (Holland), where they topped the bill along with groups like Deftones and Cypress Hill, and the Roskilde (Denmark), where they brewed up a storm alongside groups as disparate as Tool and Wyclef Jean. Orishas also performed in the year 2000 at festivals like the Paleo Nyon Festival, the La Rochelle Francofolies and Pop Kom.
The group gradually acquired international standing, and after conquering Europe they went on to win over the United States in November 2000, with the American press unanimous in its acclaim: articles and reviews in Time, Rolling Stone, The Source, Vibe ,... Little by little they became an essential live band, capable of sharing the stage with artists as diverse as Compay Segundo, Orquestra Aragon, Iggy Pop, Cypress Hill, Macy Gray and Marcus Miller. Orishas paid their dues on the road and left Europe to take part in various jazz festivals in Canada and South Africa, dropping in on Brazil and Mexico. Orishas left no doubt that their musical fusion, unique in its genre, enables them to break the frontiers of style and to be equally at home in front of a latino, hip hop, pop or rock audience.
December saw their triumphal return to Cuba, where they had occupied the top slots of the radio charts for months and where they gave two concerts that brought together tens of thousands of young Cubans. They had come full circle, because after touring the world Orishas' dream finally came true: playing in front of their families and the people of Cuba.
Collaborations came thick and fast, with Roldan Gonzalez appearing on various French rap albums (Kerry James) or international rap albums (Dari, Da Weasel / Portugal).
After more than 200 concerts worldwide, the group decided to get back to song writing in August 2001. It was only to be expected that they would start working together again with the French producer and composer Niko Noki, (Passi, Bisso Na Bisso), who along with Roldan Gonzalez had been responsible for the tracks on the first album. He in turn engaged the services of a young composer of the future, DJ Mig-One, who had two albums with his group Starflam under his belt. They strung several studio sessions together between Belgium and Paris to knock up no fewer than twenty tracks. In November 2001 the group was ready at last to go back into the studio proper to record the successor to A Lo Cubano. They opted for the EMI studio in Paris, where the cream of Cuban musicians gathered at the group's behest to immortalise the songs of the Emigrante album. The group had matured and learned a great deal from touring the world, the subjects are more profound and given a more international treatment. Having had their eyes opened by the big world has had a visible impact on their writing. As on the first album, Miko Niko is in charge of musical production and most of the tracks, DJ Mig One has penned 3 compositions that underpin the plurality of their influences. The album was mixed at the Polygone studio in Toulouse under the auspices of Mario Rodriguez (Notorious B.I.G., Public Enemy, Mobb Deep, Fonky Family, 113...). Once again the alchemy is perfect. The new album sees the return of two very talented artists and long-standing friends of the group: Passi on La Vida Passa and Yuri Buenaventura on 300 Kg de Rap.
The new album has a pan-European release on April 22, 2002 and is being promoted in a tour that takes in more than ten countries before being presented on the stages of the major European festivals this summer.
A Lo Cubano
Orishas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Botella'e ron tabaco habano
Chicas por doquier
Ponche en café guano
Aquí mi vida para los mareaos
A lo cubano
Botella'e ron tabaco habano
Ponche en café guano
Aquí mi vida para los mareaos
No no no no
A lo cubano
Directamente de panam
De paris pa ser exacto
De cheguan, donde están
Los de la nueva generación son
Y mira ponte en el fuego de la acción
Con presión de la lírica mística suchíca
La rumba ha comenzado con anga flaco pro
El negro yoruba, hijo'e eleggua candela
Escucha como suena no hay más na
Sonido fuerte, ardiente y pegajoso
Si te rozo te destrozo
Mi flow que calma sin fatiga a los nerviosos
Con mi conexión controlando bien mi lengua
Pegao hasta el techo quiero que lo entiendas.
A lo cubano
Botella'e ron tabaco habano
Chicas por doquier
Ponche en café guano
Aquí mi vida para los mareaos
A lo cubano
Botella'e ron tabaco habano
Chicas por doquier
Ponche en café guano
Aquí mi vida para los mareaos
No hay quien me pare
Aquí mira voy a seguir
Yo represento ron, mulata, cuba hasta el fin
Mi orishas como un imperio voy a construir
Yo te dejo mi tema como mi emblema cest fini
No no te vayas
Mi gente orishas, el mundo pa la valla
De oriente hasta occidente gritamos a la batalla
Mi gente en talla
Y todo el yack se te desmaya
Y te me callas
Ya te lo dijo el guerrero
Ruzzo, flaco pro y roldán
De panam a kivicán
Con un estilo rumbero
Hay que quitarse el sombrero
Frente a mi orishas a hip hop
Sal de la cueva conejo
Que llegó tu guaguancó
A lo cubano
Botella'e ron tabaco habano
Chicas por doquier
Ponche en café guano
Aquí mi vida para los mareaos
A lo cubano
Botella'e ron tabaco habano
Chicas por doquier
Ponche en café guano
Aquí mi vida para los mareaos
A la del cuello estoy
Y vengo dando tacazos
Ya se pa que cuerpazo el dj tira razo
El control de tu mente rebaso, paso, doy
Al momento preciso para los mariachis
Que escriben pa tirarlo al precipicio
Dejen ese oficio, te saque de quicio
El público la amenaza poniendo pa'lante el pico
Y ahora te lo disparo en chino
Voy a adelantal
La constitución
Del quinto mandamiento dice
En el saglado liblo de la métrica temática
Que guarda el señor tiempo y tu centro
Del cual yo soy honorable emperador
Y utilizo mi lengua como un tenedor
Para desceleblarte a ti so melón
Miko niko la amenaza
Bye bye flow
A lo cubano
Botella'e ron tabaco habano
Chicas por doquier
Ponche en café guano
Aquí mi vida para los mareaos
A lo cubano
Botella'e ron tabaco habano
Chicas por doquier
Ponche en café guano
Aquí mi vida para los mareaos
The song "A Lo Cubano" by Orishas celebrates the Cuban way of life, with its references to Cuban rum, cigars, and music. The lyrics pay homage to Cuba and the Cuban culture, including references to Panamanians and Parisians who have been influenced by Cuban music. The song's beats and rhythms, which are rooted in traditional Afro-Cuban music, create a lively and danceable experience, inviting listeners to rock to the rhythm and enjoy the party atmosphere.
The lyrics also touch on the power of music and its ability to move people. The rappers sing about the strength of their lyrics, which have the power to get people dancing and enjoying themselves, even while the lyrics critique the world's problems. The song's refrain, "A lo cubano," emphasizes the importance of maintaining respect for one's cultural heritage, even while incorporating outside influences.
Line by Line Meaning
A lo cubano
This is a Cuban style song
Botella'e ron tabaco habano
Drinking rum and smoking cigars, which are two of the most popular things in Cuba
Chicas por doquier
Girls are everywhere, showing the lively and fun culture of Cuba
Ponche en café guano
A mixture of punch and coffee, which is a popular drink in Cuba
Aquí mi vida para los mareaos
Here's my life for those who are dizzy, meaning they're having too much fun and excitement
Directamente de panam
The group is from Panama
De paris pa ser exacto
They came from Paris, to be exact
De cheguan, donde están
They came from Cheguan, where the new generation is
Los de la nueva generación son
They belong to the new generation
Y mira ponte en el fuego de la acción
Get yourself into the heat of the moment
Con presión de la lírica mística suchíca
With pressure from the mystical and rhythmic lyrics
La rumba ha comenzado con anga flaco pro
The party has started with great energy and skill
El negro yoruba, hijo'e eleggua candela
The Yoruba black man, son of the fire god Eleguá
Escucha como suena no hay más na
Listen to how it sounds, there's nothing better
Sonido fuerte, ardiente y pegajoso
Strong, fiery, and catchy sound
Si te rozo te destrozo
If I touch you, I'll destroy you
Mi flow que calma sin fatiga a los nerviosos
My flow can calm even the most anxious people
Con mi conexión controlando bien mi lengua
With my connection and well-controlled tongue
Pegao hasta el techo quiero que lo entiendas
Stuck to the roof, I want you to understand
No hay quien me pare
No one can stop me
Aquí mira voy a seguir
I'm going to keep going, watch me
Yo represento ron, mulata, cuba hasta el fin
I represent rum, mulattos, and Cuba to the end
Mi orishas como un imperio voy a construir
I'll build my Orishas like an empire
Yo te dejo mi tema como mi emblema cest fini
I leave my song as my emblem, that's final
No no te vayas
No, don't go
Mi gente orishas, el mundo pa la valla
My Orishas people, the world for the fence
De oriente hasta occidente gritamos a la batalla
From east to west we scream for battle
Mi gente en talla
My people are of great size and strength
Y todo el yack se te desmaya
And all the energy makes you faint
Y te me callas
And you keep quiet for me
Ya te lo dijo el guerrero
The warrior already told you
Ruzzo, flaco pro y roldán
Ruzzo, Flaco Pro, and Roldán
De panam a kivicán
From Panama to Kivicán
Con un estilo rumbero
With a rumba style
Hay que quitarse el sombrero
You have to take off your hat
Frente a mi orishas a hip hop
In front of my Orishas and hip hop style
Sal de la cueva conejo
Get out of the cave, rabbit
Que llegó tu guaguancó
Your guaguancó has arrived
A la del cuello estoy
I'm at your neck
Y vengo dando tacazos
And I'm coming with strong hits
Ya se pa que cuerpazo el dj tira razo
I know why the DJ plays this track, it's amazing
El control de tu mente rebaso, paso, doy
I surpass the control of your mind, I step over and give
Al momento preciso para los mariachis
At the precise moment for the mariachis
Que escriben pa tirarlo al precipicio
Who write to send it off the cliff
Dejen ese oficio, te saque de quicio
Leave that job, it annoys you
El público la amenaza poniendo pa'lante el pico
The public loves it, moving forward and peaking
Y ahora te lo disparo en chino
And now I shoot it in Chinese
Voy a adelantal
I'll move forward
La constitución
The constitution
Del quinto mandamiento dice
Says in the fifth commandment
En el saglado liblo de la métrica temática
In the sacred book of metric themes
Que guarda el señor tiempo y tu centro
That the Lord of Time and your center keep
Del cual yo soy honorable emperador
I'm the honorable emperor of that
Y utilizo mi lengua como un tenedor
And I use my tongue like a fork
Para desceleblarte a ti so melón
To slice you up, my friend
Miko niko la amenaza
Miko niko, the threat
Bye bye flow
Goodbye, flow
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ROLDAN GONZALEZ RIVERO, NICOLAS NOCCHI, LIVAN NUNEZ ALEMAN, JOEL PANDO HEREDIA DALEN, HIRAM RIVERI MEDINA, YOTUEL OMAR ROMERO MANZANARES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind