Hip hop has been long regarded as the lyrical gateway to ultimate success, achieving fame and fortune beyond one’s wildest imagination. However, in an era where hip hop is seemingly nothing more than a ploy to show off daring video vixens and a sensational life far from concrete jungles, one aspiring writer uses his urban poetic license to fuse cultures, revealing the impact Latinos have long had in this often misunderstood genre. In 2008, “el flaquito de Puerto Rico,” also known as Sami Cultura, left behind his native homeland to battle in Red Bull Batalla de los Gallos, the first international MC freestyle competition in the world for hundreds of Latino hip hop artists to express their life experiences through rhymes. In front of 400 viewers, Cultura earned the U.S. Championship, proving that not only Latinos had something to say, but that they were ready to be heard across the country.
Cultura, who considers Spanish painter Pablo Picasso as one of his greatest influences, continues to develop a collage of music that unites hip hop with traditional Latin musical traditions, including bachata and salsa. Cultura chats with nocheLatina about winning Red Bull Batalla de los Gallos, what his “canvases” are truly all about, and whether the world is ready for Latin hip hop to take over.
nocheLatina: How did you get started in music?
Sami Cultura: I started songwriting for an R&B group back in ‘97-’98. I then started writing for several people until I eventually wrote for myself. I really loved what I was doing, so I just kept pursuing it.
nocheLatina: How would you describe your music?
Sami Cultura: I make music that will awaken you, push buttons, and hit your emotions. I write about the things that go on in life, whether it’s that memory of falling in love for the first time, breaking someone’s heart, or going back to your homeland. It’s all about memories.
nocheLatina: What was it like winning the Red Bull Batalla de los Gallos competition?
Sami Cultura: It was really surprising. I had to battle several artists in Los Angeles. When I came to New York, I honestly wasn’t expecting to win. I knew that New York is one of the top cities to find the best artists in hip hop, so I didn’t think I had much of a chance. At that point, I wasn’t even focused on winning. Instead, I was focused on staying alive and surviving. I was defending my style and my music while hoping that nobody would slaughter me. It was a good feeling to be nominated as number one here in the United States.
nocheLatina: What do you believe made you stand out from all the other contestants?
Sami Cultura: I was what you would call generic. I wasn’t too Puerto Rican, or too Dominican, or too Cuban. Whether you’re Spanish, Colombian, Panamanian, or wherever, you would understand where I’m coming from and relate to that. I was different from everybody else. I didn’t sing about the streets, blood, money, women, cribs, or gangs. If you have something to say about it, fine. But everyone else is doing that. I wanted to offer something different.
nocheLatina: What were some of the themes you touched upon in your music?
Sami Cultura: Things happening in the Latin culture and economics. Immigration was a big topic for me. Some people think that just because you’re from Puerto Rico you don’t suffer the same barriers of racism that someone like, say, the Dominican Republic or Cuba would go through. Some people assume that if you’re Puerto Rican you don’t go through issues involving immigration. That’s not true. You come here from Puerto Rico and you don’t speak the language and you don’t look white. People quickly put that stamp on your forehead and mark you as just another Latino.
nocheLatina: I’ve read that you consider Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, and the Fania All Stars as your major inspirations. How did they affect your music?
Sami Cultura: These were writers that not only lit up on stage, but through their words. Their metaphors were so deep that you would get lost. Lavoe had a way of revealing what he was going through in his music and you still had a good time listening to them. Anything he was going through was felt in his lyrics even if he didn’t flat out say it. Of course, you have artists like Gilberto Santa Rosa and Victor Manuelle following on that same tradition, especially Manuelle, I love his music. You even feel that in bachata. However, there’s pop bachata and then there’s traditional bachata straight from Dominican Republic that I’m very passionate about. Bachata has this certain art when it comes to expressing one’s emotions, which I really admire.
nocheLatina: What’s the story behind your single, ‘Si Fuera Ella?’
Sami Cultura: Let’s face it, men are known to be dogs. By default, men are known to be the liars, cheaters, the ones that would mess around behind a woman’s back. In ‘Si Fuera Ella,’ I put myself in the mediator position and explain to guys out there what it would be like if it was your girl doing the lying, cheating, and sneaking around behind your back. You just never know because girls are better liars than guys. Guys will tell lies and you’ll find out soon enough. When a girl tells a lie, you won’t find out the truth until years later. Women know how to cover their tracks better. Sure, they don’t lie as much, but they’ll do it too. In ‘Si Fuera Ella,’ I talk about how a guy would really feel if it was a girl causing all of that. It spins everything around and the results are surprising. I have another single called ‘Amigo Mio’ that’s getting a lot of airplay right now. That song talks about two guys falling for the same woman. I did that song with El Roockie from Panama and trust me, when you hear ‘Amigo Mio,’ you’re going to like it. Everyone will relate to it.
nocheLatina: The story behind ‘Amigo Mio’ sounds like something out of a novela.
Sami Cultura: Definitely, but Latinos aren’t afraid to be dramatic when it comes down to our feelings. Our lives are very much like novelas. There’s always something going on involving romance and drama.
nocheLatina: Latin hip hop isn’t as widely known in the states as in Latin America. In your opinion, why is this the case?
Sami Cultura: People have had a misunderstanding of hip hop’s roots within the Latin community. Latin hip hop is known in places like Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic because we recognize it as a voice to express frustration, complaints, things that are going on in our everyday lives, whether it’s economically or not. Is hip hop always used for that? Of course not. But, if you look at the beginnings of hip hop in New York City from the late ‘60s and ‘70s, it was a form of music that spoke about everyday issues in the neighborhood. Hip hop has become so popular that it’s now commercialized and no longer touches on those topics. No one has found a way to commercialize Latin hip hop. Some people don’t think hip hop should be commercialized because it’s for and about the people. However, hip hop has always been a form of entertainment, there’s no denying that. Hip hop made people break dance and inspired graffiti artists to make art. When the Latino community decides to remove those divisions from Latin hip hop, such as labeling it ‘Dominican hip hop,’ ‘Puerto Rican hip-hop,’ ‘Mexican hip-hop,’ or whatever, that’s when everyone else will see that Latin hip hop can be just as fun and entertaining. In the end, there’s nothing wrong going commercial because you’ll reach a larger audience. The more people that hear you, the more will know how you feel.
nocheLatina: Do you see Latin hip hop becoming more commercial?
Sami Cultura: It is becoming more commercial, just slowly. I’m working on that by bringing more harmony and melody to it. I’m all about making it more ear-friendly. Let’s face it, when it’s 5 o’clock and I’m out of work, I don’t want to hear about drama. I want to hit the clubs, hang out with my boys, dance, and meet my future baby mama. I don’t mind making feel-good Latin hip hop and I definitely wouldn’t mind collaborating with other musicians, such as a bachata artist, to make that happen. I might even collaborate with someone who sings merengue. I’m all about creating fusions, something unique, but good enough to make you dance. I can definitely see Latin hip hop growing, but the process isn’t going to happen right away…and that’s not a bad thing.
nocheLatina: Hip hop has always had these negative connotations. You don’t see that affecting you in any way?
Sami Cultura: No. My music is all about what I have to say, what I’ve been through, and where I’m headed. Many people use hip hop as a gangster language because that’s what they’ve decided to do with it. That’s not my choice. While everyone else is singing about drugs, sex, and money, I’m talking about how good you look on the dance floor. Why follow the same path when you could be singing about something that nobody else is talking about? Music is entertainment. People want to be entertained and that’s what I’m ready to do.
For more info on Sami Cultura, click here.
