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| | Caribbean and South American Music |
 | | From its roots in reggae toasting, through its mid-eighties conjunction with funk and soul, to its contemporary dalliances with pop sampling and dumbed-down rhythmic brutality, the rap vocal style has prospered or stagnated artistically to the extent that it has been able to exploit such stylistic reciprocity. |
 | | On their debut recording, the ten-piece Los Angeles based Ozomatli flawlessly integrates the raps of Chali 2na into a lively mix of musical influences, Mexican cumbia, African highlife, flamenco, funk, hip-hop, rumba, tablas, anything within reach and hearing in the broader cultural maelstrom. |
 | | "Cumbia de los Muertos" has the slight percussive hesitation of classic Colombian cumbia, rich harmony vocals accentuated by saxophones, a traditional performance which suddenly accelerates into hyperspace with Cut Chemist's turntable scratch, loopy dub reverb, and a brief, spirited rap by Chali 2na, all carefully coordinated. |
| www.rootsworld.com /rw/feature/latin-caribe.html (3620 words) |
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