Last night, I was (once again) a lucky witness to Lah Tere’s gorgeous singing, powerful rhymes and killer smile.
She was the guest performer at The Legacy Circle’s event in the East Village. Lah Tere provided the perfect conclusion to a night devoted to fundraising for Manuela Arciniegas’s brainchild—an innovative project dedicated to empowering African Diaspora youth and adults in New York City through cultural arts education. The room was seriously buzzing with the energy of multiple generations of artists, educators and activists.
Lah Tere rolled in not only with her two partners from Rebel Díaz, but also with her “lil’ brother” who towered over her and joined her in performing a particularly moving version of “Crush.” He swayed directly behind her, crouching down to her height, chin perched attentively right above her shoulder as he provided the lyrical counterpoint and affirmation for her rhymes. As Lah Tere worked the spotlight, he seemed equal measures supportive, instigating, proud. I couldn’t stop thinking about my own lil’ brother Jorge who also has my back and is also double my size.
1 comment:
saludos Raquel, que bueno encontrarte ...online! Rec told me about your blog, I am glad you two connected. I really liked this piece on Rodrigo and Lahtere, did you know that she use to union organize with me! esa tipa es tremenda! i am waiting to read your reggaeton book. cuando sale? bueno, te estoy mandando una nota sobre un doc con Tego. cuidate
scolon@soc.umass.edu
"Bling'd: Blood, Diamonds and Hip Hop," a new documentary under VH1's
Rock Docs franchise will take a hard-hitting look at the diamond trade in Sierra Leone, West Africa and the discovery by the
"diamond-obsessed" hip-hop community that they may have
unintentionally played a role in the country's war. This past summer, VH1, Article 19 Films, Djali Rancher Productions and the United Nations Development Program were in Sierra Leone, along with hip-hop artists Paul Wall, Raekwon (of Wu Tang Clan), and reggaeton king Tego Calderon, to film this documentary which premieres on VH1 Thursday, February 22 at 8 PM*. In the U.S., Kanye West, Jadakiss, Big Daddy Kane, Juelz Santana, Chris Aire, Mr. T and others will weigh in on the evolution of "bling," what it means to wear diamonds in Hip-Hop America, as well as the issues surrounding conflict diamonds and poverty in mining communities. Along with their insight, the film will be interspersed with testimonials, factoids and graphic images of
those directly affected by the diamond trade. These artists are
representative of the hip-hop community coming to terms with its
obsession with "bling" and the discovery of the effect it has on the impoverished people in Sierra Leone. Kanye West captures this
realization quite simply, "It's just ironic that what made black
people feel so empowered was completely demoralizing and destroying other black people."
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