SOUNDTRACK: ChocoQuibTown-Tiny Desk Meets AFROPUNK: #204/196 (May 2, 2021).
Tiny Desk Meets AFROPUNK was the opening event of AFROPUNK’s “Black Spring” festival. The virtual celebration, hosted by Jorge “Gitoo” Wright, highlighted outstanding talent in Afro-Latin and Afro-Caribbean music across the globe. Our showcase featured four artists who honored their homes and celebrated the art their heritage has inspired.
ChocQuibTown–named after the coastal area the trio hails from–is a family affair comprised of siblings Miguel “Slow” Martinez and Gloria “Goyo” Martinez, the latter of which is married to Carlos “Tostao” Valencia. In 2000, the trio formed to promote their neglected corner of Colombia’s culture; today, ChocQuibTown’s music blends the traditionality of Afro-Latin jazz with the modernity of hip-hop to create a singular, yet versatile sound.
They play what I assume is a medley of six songs in fifteen minutes.
“Somos Pacífico” has grooving bass from Braulio Fernández and little horn blasts from José González.
“De Donde Vengo Yo” shifts gears when Tostao starts singing lead the repeated “ah has” from Eignar Renteria and Yaima Saurez are very fun. Goyo raps and then Slow raps. Rapping in Spanish has a really nice flow.
“¡Tú sabes!” Carlos “Tostao” Valencia exclaims after Colombian hip-hop trio ChocQuibTown performs its second song, the energetic “De Donde Vengo Yo.” “ChocQuibTown, straight from Colombia, from the Pacific coast,” he says. “We call it Africa inside Colombia, we got the flavor, we got the flow.”
The rest of the songs are much quieter. “Pa Olvidarte” has soft acoustic guitar from Alejandro García and keys from Daniel Rodríguez “Noize.” They sing softly in nice harmony.
“Qué Lástima” is another slow ballad, this one sung by Slow, with gentle percussion from Carlos Palm. “Lo Que Quieras Tú” segues smoothly into “Cuando Te Veo” which is a little bouncier and fun to start but it slows down for Goyo’s vocals. As the send the song out, Tostao does some sound effects scratching and singing Tiny Desk and blapping.
[READ May 30, 2021] Red Sonja and Vampirella Meet Betty and Veronica
I don’t understand crossovers. Well, I understand some, when they make sense. It’s ones like this that I don’t understand. Did someone just say, Wouldn’t it be cool if Red Sonja and Vampirella teamed up and went to Riverdale? I guess so. And sometimes the most ridiculous crossovers make the best stories.
Amy Chu wrote this story with Alexander Chang’s assistance on book 5.
Now, I don’t watch Riverdale, but I know the show. So obviously this isn’t old school Betty and Veronica. But neither, I don’t think, is it Riverdale-based either (or maybe it is). I’ve also never read Red Sonja or Vampirella books. So really this crossover event is not for me.
And yet, I did enjoy it.
The book opens with a teacher getting killed and then a shot of Red Sonja and Vampirella in the woods. Now, I realize that these two characters were created by men, and that’s why they are dressed as they are. Red Sonja could not be dressed more impractically for fighting as she is wearing a hooded cape and a chain mail bikini. I mean, the absurdity of dressing like that for combat is monumental. The cape alone would cause her no end of grief. Vampirella is at least wearing clothes–a cleavage enhancing skin tight tank top and super low cut off jeans. But hey, she’s a seductress, right?
I guess I was surprised that Amy and artist Maria Laura Sanapo would keep these costumes. But they do need to establish the characters traditionally first, right? It was a nice surprise when a few pages later, Betty & Veronica (who aren’t at all disturbed by a woman in a chain mail bikini with a large sword) invite them over and dress them in regular clothes (still sexy) so they blend in. (more…)
