FROM ANCESTRAL RHYTHMS TO GLOBAL SOUNDS: AN AFRO-LATINO CULTURE EVOLUTION
On August 17, 2023, prominent American radio personality Ebro Darden published a post on X, formerly Twitter, referencing a conversation where it was noted that “many major record labels have deprioritized signing rappers. The focus is now on African music and Latin Music”. Immediately going viral, the post set global digital cultural hubs aflame with reposts, blurbs, and fierce debates.
On September 10, 2016, seasoned event producer and creative director Oscar Merino helped reopen the newly renovated John Anson Ford Theater in Hollywood with a spectacular show titled, “AfroLatino - A Celebration of the African and Latino Diasporas”. The event was a grand feast for the senses that showcased live performances of music, dance, and art across the spectrum of vibrant Los Angeles and international Afro-Latin cultural scenes. Merino’s vision included a creative conversation between the traditional and the contemporary, the purist and the experimentalist. The unforgettable evening illustrated not only the fusion of Afro and Latin music traditions but also introduced the concept of its evolution across genres and arts disciplines. The evening also featured live narration by LA-based music and culture luminary Garth Trinidad, who acted as storyteller - weaving a verbal tapestry of Afro-Latin music and cultural connections from the roots of Salsa to the origins of Hip Hop.
RECAP VIDEO
AFROLATINO: EXTRA ANCESTRAL PART 1
PROMO VIDEO
