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.
Que Quede Claro
Orishas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tantas bocas, tantos ojos
Tantas puertas, muchas mentes ante un
Acto xenofóbico sin precedentes
Presidentes, ministros, cancilleres
Autoridades, responsables
Quien pagará el daño causado a familiares?
Hágase un lugar con la fuerza de la palabra y el don
Así dice mi texto, recuérdalo
Que la luz te dio, utilízalo con gracia y con amor
Así dice mi texto que quede claro
Nunca pude entender por su color era discriminado
Cuantos años han pasado, nada ha cambiado, todo sigue igual
La vida sigue, nunca ha parado el tiempo
En que vivimos, tiempo de reflexionar
Acabemos ya con esta plaga mundial antes de que sea tarde
Y nuestras calles se conviertan en ríos de sangre
Y nuestros niños no tengan donde jugar, donde jugar
Hágase un lugar con la fuerza de la palabra y el don
Así dice mi texto, recuérdalo
Que la luz te dio, utilízalo con gracia y con amor
Así dice mi texto que quede claro
Se alejó de aquel lugar donde su color era
Mucho más que su color, era su raza
Persiguiendo un sueño que desapareció
Que se fusionó y terminó en una pesadilla
Hágase un lugar con la fuerza de la palabra y el don
Así dice mi texto, recuérdalo
Que la luz te dio, utilízalo con gracia y con amor
Así dice mi texto que quede claro
Hágase un lugar con la fuerza de la palabra y el don
Así dice mi texto, recuérdalo
Que la luz te dio, utilízalo con gracia y con amor
Así dice mi texto que quede claro
Déjame que te cuente esta historia
Que sucedió en el metro de Barcelona
Cuando aquella mañana la injusticia
Y xenofobia se juntaron de la mano
Protagonizando una de las más feas escenas de racismo
En aquel vagón viajaba un ángel de color diferente
En su camino se interpuso aquel inconsciente
Que aún sabiendo lo que hacia
Seguía hablando con su gente
Le dio al ángel dos patadas en su cara
Se rió de ella sin cambiar la mirada
Y aún anda suelto, aún anda suelto
Hágase un lugar con la fuerza de la palabra y el don
Así dice mi texto, recuérdalo
Que la luz te dio, utilízalo con gracia y con amor
Así dice mi texto que quede claro
Hágase un lugar con la fuerza de la palabra y el don
Así dice mi texto, recuérdalo
Que la luz te dio, utilízalo con gracia y con amor
Así dice mi texto que quede claro
The lyrics of Orishas's song "Que Quede Claro" highlight the issue of xenophobia and racism in society. The opening lines discuss the closure of mouths, eyes, and doors in the face of an unprecedented act of xenophobia. The song then questions who will pay for the damage caused to families by the actions of a rude and disrespectful person. The lyrics suggest that we need to make room for the power of words and use them gracefully and lovingly. The song stresses the importance of education and self-reflection to overcome the plague of racism and xenophobia in our society.
The following verse discusses discrimination based on skin color and how it has been going on for years despite the passage of time. The singer urges us to reflect on the current times and put an end to this global plague before it's too late. The song's chorus repeats the need to create space for the power of words and love through the use of grace and light.
The third verse narrates a story of racism that happened on the Barcelona metro when an angel of different color was physically attacked and humiliated, and the perpetrator still walks free. The song ultimately urges the listener to realize that we must make a change and stop the spread of xenophobia and racism in our society by using the power of words and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Como es posible que se cierren
How is it possible for so many mouths, eyes, and doors to be closed and for so many minds to be against an unprecedented xenophobic act?
Tantas bocas, tantos ojos
So many mouths and eyes shut against the act.
Tantas puertas, muchas mentes ante un
So many doors and minds against an act.
Acto xenofóbico sin precedentes
This unprecedented xenophobic act.
Presidentes, ministros, cancilleres
Presidents, ministers, chancellors
Autoridades, responsables
Authorities and those responsible
Quien pagará el daño causado a familiares?
Who will pay for the damage caused to the families?
Por un loco del estrada sin modales
Because of a rude madman on the street.
Hágase un lugar con la fuerza de la palabra y el don
Make space with the power of language and talent.
Así dice mi texto, recuérdalo
So says my text, remember it.
Que la luz te dio, utilízalo con gracia y con amor
Use the light that was given to you with grace and love.
Así dice mi texto que quede claro
So says my text, let it be clear.
Nunca pude entender por su color era discriminado
I could never understand why someone was discriminated against because of their color.
Cuantos años han pasado, nada ha cambiado, todo sigue igual
So many years have passed, and nothing has changed, everything remains the same.
La vida sigue, nunca ha parado el tiempo
Life goes on, time never stops.
En que vivimos, tiempo de reflexionar
The time we live in, a time to reflect.
Acabemos ya con esta plaga mundial antes de que sea tarde
Let's end this global plague before it's too late.
Y nuestras calles se conviertan en ríos de sangre
And our streets become rivers of blood.
Y nuestros niños no tengan donde jugar, donde jugar
And our children have nowhere to play, nowhere to play.
Se alejó de aquel lugar donde su color era
They left that place where their color was more than just a color – it was their race.
Mucho más que su color, era su raza
Their race was much more than just their color.
Persiguiendo un sueño que desapareció
Chasing a dream that disappeared.
Que se fusionó y terminó en una pesadilla
That merged and ended in a nightmare.
Déjame que te cuente esta historia
Let me tell you this story.
Que sucedió en el metro de Barcelona
That happened on the Barcelona subway.
Cuando aquella mañana la injusticia
When that morning, injustice
Y xenofobia se juntaron de la mano
And xenophobia came hand in hand.
Protagonizando una de las más feas escenas de racismo
Starring in one of the ugliest scenes of racism.
En aquel vagón viajaba un ángel de color diferente
In that wagon, an angel of a different color was traveling.
En su camino se interpuso aquel inconsciente
On his way, that unconscious person got in the way.
Que aún sabiendo lo que hacia
Even though he knew what he was doing.
Seguía hablando con su gente
He kept talking to his people.
Le dio al ángel dos patadas en su cara
He gave the angel two kicks in the face.
Se rió de ella sin cambiar la mirada
He laughed at her without changing his gaze.
Y aún anda suelto, aún anda suelto
And he's still walking free, still walking free.
Contributed by Thomas G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.