Unblock me, the Claim that Unites Cubans

Unblock me, the Claim that Unites Cubans
Fecha de publicación: 
26 June 2020
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With all its colors, Cuba says it and sings it, Cuba demands it in the video clip of the most recent song by singer-songwriter Raúl Torres: Not with Blockade.

No, personalities from culture, science, sports, intellectuals, youth and children insist, while crossing and uncrossing their arms in a gesture that, yes, it resembles unlocking, it looks like an urban "move", but it also looks like someone breaking invisible chains.

He dreamed of it, said Raul, he woke up with that image and incorporated it into the video. That's how spontaneous everything came up, he said:

"I was not surprise to see that the people I invited to the video agreed so willingly to participate, what did surprise me was how they participated, their commitment, how they helped, how they suggested, so that the video would be enriched. “That” I really liked. There were those I notified in advance, but for example, Sotomayor I suddenly arrived at his place unnoticed, and he came out, as if we had been friends for years, the crew and him participated in the video and supported us in everything, we were talking about the things of life, in short, the shooting of the video was smooth because of that, because people recorded with great pleasure."

And I do not know if it was an intention, but not only different areas of our society are represented, but also several generations of Cubans who don’t know a Cuba without blockade ...

"Young people, who participated, you realize they are young revolutionaries, young people shaped with our socialist principles and when they found out what the song was about, they immediately supported us, they told us what we have to do, we are doing it for our country, of course we will, that also helped a lot ".

What’s the meaning of this immediate disposition to join an initiative against the blockade?

"This initiative, this willingness to join the campaign against the blockade, is nothing more than translating our cry, the cry of so many years into music. We Cubans have music as an alternative language, also to denounce the things that harm us and, well, it’s the conduit we find to tell the world. I think that a verse can reach many corners and arouse interest and reach people who may not get a news story from a newspaper, or a newsreel, music can walk through different corners and raise other interests. I think it’s also a tool we must use to denounce this huge injustice. "

But also, the video has generated on social networks, many reactions and comments, of all kinds, some have already vilified you, but many thank you and congratulate you. What is your reading of the welcome that Unblocked Me has had in the public?

"Since I wrote the song El regreso del amigo to Chávez and then Cabalgando con Fidel, going through El último Mambí, dedicated to our Army General, Raúl Castro, many detractors have appeared ever since, but as I have always said, I have more friends now. Most of the Cuban people understood the message of Unblock Me perfectly, they know who that message is sent to, because I see it as a song that defends us as Cubans, it identifies us and that’s why they support me in that campaign and the song as well. "

Tell me about the music. How did the troubadour get to this mix of sounds?

"Among the many genres of music that I like, I also like house music and Latin house, in fact I do my mixes in my studio, I am enjoying it. This time I wanted the audience to hear it and I showed it. This time I wrote the song and I put this very young sound, because these are disco sounds, youth music, in large concentrations this music was heard, now we will have to wait for those large concerts that were house music was made, I think it has its own language, I think it reaches many places and especially the youth I want this music to reach them.

"The music of the song had been bouncing in my head for a while, including the moods and all those sounds included, then about a month ago, I started to feel like my cup was brimming over, as we Cubans say, so I wrote the song with that Cuban language, with street jargon, but also with poetry. Although there are many detractors who say that it has nothing poetic, I believe it does, that it has poetry, but a people’s poetry."

As I was born in Matanzas (you as well), I loved seeing you dance guaguanco on the wall of the Malecón, but it’s not what you expect in a video of Raúl Torres, tell me something, is it that you are willing to do anything to spread the truths of Cuba?

 "Yes, I am ready for everything, absolutely everything because the blockade against my country, against Cuba is lifted...

 "I know that there are people out there who hoped that if I made a song against the blockade, it would be a song like begging on our knees to eliminate the blockade and I don’t think so, I think that’s something that we owe to the Cubans and here Maceo's proverb is fulfilled, that you don’t beg for freedom, it’s conquered with the edge of the machete, that is something the U.S. government owes to us Cubans, we don’t have to beg for something is owed to us This scourge of the blockad

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff

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