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.
La Vacuna
Orishas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que paso con el flow
Me entere que había rabia
Y aquí la vacuna soy yo
Además de ti ¿Quien más especulo?
Si es cuestión de rabia
Hay que ponerle control
Que paso con el flow
Me entere que había rabia
Y aquí la vacuna soy yo
Además de ti ¿Quien más especulo?
Si es cuestión de rabia
Hay que ponerle control
Yo, ya me canse de que se trate de opacar
La voz de mi generación
Que para muchos es vital
Y mi canción como un ritual
De mi garganta a tus oídos
Viajan notas con el filo de un cristal
Ya no tiren esta callado, esta anulado
En un rincón todas tus dudas
Por el temor a ese verdugo
Que te sigue nube oscura
En sus dos manos como emblema
Trae de hacha la censura
Veras en la primera brecha mis palabras
Como flechas se lo llevan a la tumba si yo
El que te hiere nunca muere no
Orishas represent Cuba Hip Hop
[Estribillo]
Así que suéltate, relájate, a lo visto visto
A lo hecho pecho, bien directo al hecho, hecho
Sin censura nene, si es lo que tu quieres
No te me aceleres
No cambio de rumbo, asere no
No me importa si bien te caigo
Y no debo pero, protesto
Con el beat a tu cuello a degüello
Así que esto, que que que
Que te crees tu? que?, por supuesto
Que yo no voy a cantar? que?
Que te crees tu? que no me pasa na
Soy como el jake mate
Color chocolate sangre Guamá,
Y eso que esto empieza ahora
Súbete a la cola, vente aquí en mi tren
Que esto es 100%
Sigue caminando al mando
Orishas sien vengo retumbando
Pa´ todos esos negros
Que me están escuchando
Vengo pa´ la cola
[Estribillo]
Hoy la varilla se ha puesto tan alta
Que aquel que la salta lo tiene que hacer como va
Con lo que lleva dejando la huella
Del genio y un ying de humildad
Los que son no están, los que están no son
De la loma ni cantan en llano
En la claridad se ve mucho más
Que en la oscuridad del piano
Se acabaron los mangos bajitos
Súbete a la mata que están maduritos
Se acabaron los mangos baratos
Súbete a la mata no sean tan berraco
Se acabaron los mangos bajitos
Súbete a la mata que están maduritos
Se acabaron los mangos baratos
Súbete a la mata no sean tan berraco
[Estribillo]
El viento se llevó lo poco que quedo
Con un suspiro vano y una nube negra
Que bien la estoy pasando, prosigo
El bueno se ha perdido como aquel mendigo
Que se despidió con un adiós de piedra
Hace ya muchos años, que digo
By Berman (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
The lyrics of Orishas's song La Vacuna talk about taking control and becoming the vaccine for the outbreaks of rage that seems to be afflicting society. The song starts by asking what has happened to the flow and how the vaccine for the rage is here. The lyrics also point out that there are speculators, and the control of this rage is necessary. Orishas then talks about how tired they are of the voice of their generation being silenced and how their songs are vital to many. The lyrics mention how their songs are like a ritual that travels from their throat to our ears with the sharpness of a crystal. They urge people not to be silent but to express themselves and not be afraid of the censors.
The song urges people to let themselves go and relax and deal with the fact that our flaws make us unique. Orishas mentions that they will not change who they are and will continue to protest. They also mention that they are like the chocolate colored blood of the warrior, Guamá. The lyrics go on to say how those who are supposed to be and those who are here are not. It talks about how in the clarity of light, much more is seen than in the darkness of the piano. The song ends by talking about how there is nothing left, and the wind has taken everything, but they continue to go on and enjoy themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Que ha pasado aquí?
What has happened here?
Que paso con el flow
What happened with the flow?
Me entere que había rabia
I heard there was rage
Y aquí la vacuna soy yo
And I am the vaccine here
Además de ti ¿Quien más especulo?
Besides you, who else speculated?
Si es cuestión de rabia
If it's a matter of rage
Hay que ponerle control
We need to control it
Yo, ya me canse de que se trate de opacar
I'm tired of trying to suppress
La voz de mi generación
The voice of my generation
Que para muchos es vital
That is vital for many
Y mi canción como un ritual
And my song is like a ritual
De mi garganta a tus oídos
From my throat to your ears
Viajan notas con el filo de un cristal
Notes travel with the edge of a glass
Ya no tiren esta callado, esta anulado
Don't keep me silenced, don't nullify me
En un rincón todas tus dudas
All your doubts in one corner
Por el temor a ese verdugo
Because of fear of that hangman
Que te sigue nube oscura
That follows you like a dark cloud
En sus dos manos como emblema
In his two hands like a symbol
Trae de hacha la censura
Brings censorship like an axe
Veras en la primera brecha mis palabras
You will see my words in the first gap
Como flechas se lo llevan a la tumba si yo
As arrows, they carry it to the grave if I
El que te hiere nunca muere no
He who hurts you never dies, no
Orishas represent Cuba Hip Hop
Orishas represent Cuba Hip Hop
[Estribillo]
[Chorus]
Así que suéltate, relájate, a lo visto visto
So let go, relax, what's done is done
A lo hecho pecho, bien directo al hecho, hecho
What's done, is done, straight to the point
Sin censura nene, si es lo que tu quieres
Without censorship, baby, if that's what you want
No te me aceleres
Don't rush
No cambio de rumbo, asere no
I don't change course, asere no
No me importa si bien te caigo
I don't care if you like me
Y no debo pero, protesto
And even though I shouldn't, I protest
Con el beat a tu cuello a degüello
With the beat at your neck like a slaughter
Así que esto, que que que
So this, what what what
Que te crees tu? que?, por supuesto
What do you think? Of course
Que yo no voy a cantar? que?
I'm not going to sing? What?
Que te crees tu? que no me pasa na
What do you think? That nothing affects me?
Soy como el jake mate
I'm like the checkmate
Color chocolate sangre Guamá,
Chocolate color, Guamá blood
Y eso que esto empieza ahora
And this is just beginning now
Súbete a la cola, vente aquí en mi tren
Get in line, come here on my train
Que esto es 100%
Because this is 100%
Sigue caminando al mando
Keep walking in charge
Orishas sien vengo retumbando
Orishas, I come rumbling
Pa´ todos esos negros
For all those black people
Que me están escuchando
Who are listening to me
Vengo pa´ la cola
I'm coming for the line
Hoy la varilla se ha puesto tan alta
Today's bar has been set so high
Que aquel que la salta lo tiene que hacer como va
That whoever jumps it must do it his way
Con lo que lleva dejando la huella
With what he's been leaving behind as a mark
Del genio y un ying de humildad
Of the genius and a Yin of humility
Los que son no están, los que están no son
Those who are, aren't here; those who are here, aren't
De la loma ni cantan en llano
From the hill, they don't sing on the plain
En la claridad se ve mucho más
In clarity, you see much more
Que en la oscuridad del piano
Than in the darkness of the piano
Se acabaron los mangos bajitos
The low-hanging mangoes are gone
Súbete a la mata que están maduritos
Climb the tree, they're ripe
Se acabaron los mangos baratos
The cheap mangoes are gone
Súbete a la mata no sean tan berraco
Climb the tree, don't be stubborn
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, EMI Music Publishing/La Chapelle
Written by: HIRAM RIVERI MEDINA, ROLDAN GONZALEZ RIVERO, YOTUEL ROMERO MANZANARES, NICOLAS VINCENT NOCCHI, JEROME RIFFAUT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind