A few years after the revolution of 1959, jazz (and rock) became identified by Fidel and his friends as „imperialistic music“. Though it had never been forbidden to play them, Fidel’s „words towards the intellectuals“ left enough space to allow some functionaries to ban it from TV- and radio-broadcasting or to hinder the production of discs. A lot of musicians left their island. In case of the nueva trova-movement in the mid 60ies at the beginning happened the same as with rock music. But there a new strategy showed more success: embracement, which led to promotion by the government. 30 years later the government – exactly a new and young cultural minister – tried to apply this strategy with the growing hiphop-movement and the reggaeton-scene but failed partly. Many rappers – especially the second generation - did not like to be part of the system. This article compares the different strategies which the Cuban government had used during 50 years to battle against disliked music styles and shows their consequences, successes and failures.
Table of Contents
1. Midnight Music
2. The carrot and the stick
3. Between censorship and embracement
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this paper is to analyze the evolution of Cuban cultural policy strategies over the last 50 years, specifically focusing on the government's approach to "disliked" music styles such as rock, nueva trova, hiphop, and reggaeton, and the resulting societal consequences.
- The historical shift from the total identification of foreign music as "imperialistic" to selective embracement.
- The mechanisms of censorship and their effectiveness against evolving youth cultures.
- The role of "institutionalization" versus "underground" resistance in the Cuban music scene.
- The impact of globalization and digital technology on the state's ability to control artistic expression.
- A comparative study of the "carrot and stick" approach applied to various musical movements.
Excerpt from the Book
Midnight Music
Cuban teenagers were enthusiastic about the emerging new rock’n’roll. Bands like the Hot Rockers or Los Llópiz copied the hits of Elvis Presley and Bill Haley. But it did not take long until this kind of music was no longer featured in the state media. Indeed, the respective artists were not only no longer funded, but they were having to face restrictions concerning their performances or recording requirements (Manduley López 1997: 137ff). Rock music was not discovered to be an “important factor in political affairs concerning youth and culture,” as Erich Honecker propounded when he assumed office in the GDR (Rauhut 1999: 32).
A new music style, the mocambique, was propagated by the government as an alternative to rock, comparable to LIPSI in the GDR. The idea was to marginalise the American rock music. In the 1960s, things had escalated so far that owning foreign rock LPs could have a negative influence on a young person’s CV: for example, they had to face being expelled from school. To the revolutionaries, rock music was cultural imperialism and as such likely to politically and ideologically impregnate society. Though rock music was never officially banned, the musicians’ work was often thwarted and lyrics were censored. Ignorance and in part also suppression were the strategies applied for rock music (González Moreno 2004: 309-310). In Cuba, rock came to be known as musica nocturna (midnight music), because this was the only time of day when one could listen to rock music relatively unharmed.
Summary of Chapters
Midnight Music: This chapter examines the early repression of rock music in Cuba, detailing how it was labeled as imperialistic and marginalized through censorship and the promotion of state-sanctioned alternatives.
The carrot and the stick: This chapter analyzes the government's strategy of institutionalizing the nueva trova movement through financial support and media access, while contrasting this with the continued suppression of artists who utilized ambiguous lyrics to criticize the state.
Between censorship and embracement: This chapter discusses the emergence of hiphop and reggaeton, highlighting the government's attempt to channel these movements into state-run agencies while dealing with the tensions caused by social criticism and globalization.
Conclusion: This chapter evaluates the overall shift in cultural policy toward higher tolerance in recent decades, while noting that the state still reverts to repressive reflexes when faced with direct political challenge.
Keywords
Cuba, rockmusic, jazz, nueva trova, hiphop, reggaeton, cultural policy, censorship, state control, youth culture, repression, political protest, globalization, socialism, artistic freedom
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the 50-year history of the Cuban government’s cultural policy strategies, focusing on how the state has interacted with, regulated, and censored various music scenes including rock, nueva trova, hiphop, and reggaeton.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The research covers the mechanisms of state control, the role of music as a tool for political opposition, the transition from explicit repression to selective institutionalization, and the influence of new technologies on these dynamics.
What is the core research question or objective?
The objective is to compare the different strategies (such as "embracement" versus "repression") used by the Cuban government over 50 years to manage music styles perceived as threatening or "imperialistic," and to analyze the successes and failures of these strategies.
Which scientific methodology is applied here?
The study utilizes a comparative historical approach, analyzing political documents, statements from cultural figures, music history developments, and secondary academic literature to synthesize how these diverse music movements were handled over time.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the text?
The main body details the evolution of musical movements in Cuba, starting with the early post-revolutionary stance against jazz and rock, moving to the legitimization of the nueva trova movement, and finally covering the complex, shifting relationship with hiphop and reggaeton in the modern era.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The key themes are defined by terms like Cuba, cultural policy, censorship, repression, youth culture, and specific musical genres like nueva trova, hiphop, and rockmusic.
How did the concept of "musica nocturna" emerge for rock fans?
It emerged during the 1960s and 1970s as a result of state-driven marginalization; since rock was considered cultural imperialism, fans had to listen to it at night to avoid official scrutiny and potential negative consequences for their reputations.
Why did the government decide to support the "nueva trova" movement?
The government moved from initial suspicion to a strategy of "embracement," recognizing that the movement could be institutionalized and used to promote revolutionary ideals, thereby turning a potential source of dissent into a figurehead for the fight against cultural imperialism.
What role does modern technology play in the current cultural landscape?
The paper argues that satellite TV, the internet, and MP3 technology have significantly undermined the state’s traditional ability to censor or control the consumption of music, making the old strategies of complete prohibition largely obsolete.
- Quote paper
- Torsten Eßer (Author), 2013, Exclude, accuse, absorb!, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/460644
