Hip Hop turned 50 in August of this year! The iconic music form originated in New York City, specifically the Bronx in predominantly Black and Brown communities. Puerto Rican New Yorkers, fondly known as Nuyoricans, were and still are immensely influential in the development of Hip Hop. Although the majority of old school and newer Hip Hop is a largely AAVE and English-based genre, Spanish language Hip Hop has been around for almost as long as the mother genre and has often included Spanglish influence. Via cassettes and bootlegs of songs recorded in NYC and other places around the US, the genre spread to Spain and Latin America throughout the 80s and 90s.
Continue reading “Spanish-Language Hip Hop”Kali Uchis Could Help You Learn Spanish!
Kali Uchis is a Colombian-American singer and songwriter with four albums and various EPs and singles in her discography. Uchi’s two earliest albums, Por Vida and Isolation, are primarily in English but are heavily influenced by Latin R&B, soul, psychedelic soul, and Latin American Boleros. For anyone learning Spanish, these earlier albums might improve your cultural fluency with modern Latin music and musicians. Likewise, for someone at a 200-400 level in Spanish, Uchis’ two most recent albums Sin Miedo (del amor y otros demonios) and Red Moon in Venus, are a great way to immerse yourself in gooey eclectic bilingual love-stricken bops that tease with verses flowing between Spanish, English, and Spanglish. If youâre struggling to understand the fast-paced lyrics of musicians such as Bad Bunny or even Rosalia, Kali Uchis might be the girl for you. Her slow hooks and unique take on reggaeton make you want to play her discography on repeat. Rumor has it that Uchis will be releasing her fourth studio album very soon so get ahead of the trend while you’re at it! Feel free to check out her socials if you need some more convincing đ
Gracias y buena suerte!
Language Bias in Artificial Intelligence: And What’s Being Done
Curious about how English bias in AI is being combated? This Vox video goes through a number of international projects to create open-source multi-language models.
Rebelde: Battle of the Bandsâbut make it a telenovela.
Looking for a new trashy teen drama after Elite went off the rails? Donât worry, I got you covered.
Continue reading “Rebelde: Battle of the Bandsâbut make it a telenovela.”“GroĂe Freiheit” Review: A Defence of Liberation for its own Sake
Sebastian Meise’s 2021 feature film, GroĂe Freiheit (Great Freedom) is an exhilarating, though heartbreaking account of one man’s relentless refusal to adhere to the norms of a system without mercy, no matter the cost.
Continue reading ““GroĂe Freiheit” Review: A Defence of Liberation for its own Sake”A Semester of HTML
Have you ever wanted to learn code? There are an abundance of languages to learn: Python, Javascript, C++, the list goes on. Two years ago as a semester project, I tried to learn Python on my own. Unsurprisingly, I was unsuccessful. Learning a coding language requires a lot of discipline, time, and intense focus. In a class taught by a professor, these factors are mostly taken care of by assignments, class time, and deadlines. It’s hard to pressure yourself to put the time in to properly learn a language.Â
Continue reading “A Semester of HTML”France’s Dua Lipa? C’est Vrai!
AngĂšle, a Belgian pop singer, and absolute sensation in France, has been releasing boppy Francophone music since 2016. After a number of hit singles, she’s become a frequent player on France’s top charts. A recent collab even featured Dua Lipa (famous worldwide). AngĂšle’s music has a distinct sound and clearly enunciated songs, making them great for students learning French.
Continue reading “France’s Dua Lipa? C’est Vrai!”El espĂritu revolucionario a travĂ©s de la mĂșsica
Artist Reccomendation: Silvio RodrĂguez
60s/70s Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio RodrĂguez was a household name while I was growing up. My parents used to tell me stories about the one time they went to his concert, and one of their friends kept requesting âOjalĂĄ!â (one of his most popular songs) by yelling the title constantly from the audience. It wasnât until my junior year of high school that I actually listened to his music and fell in love with it.Â
Continue reading “El espĂritu revolucionario a travĂ©s de la mĂșsica”Terrace House: Your Next Binge
Interested in improving your Japanese and watching reality tv at the same time? Terrace House has you covered. Beginning in 2012, the Terrace House series quickly gained international attention for its âcalm and relaxed atmosphereââuncommon on most reality tv show franchises. Itâs even been described as a âreality show for people who hate reality showsâ.Â
Continue reading “Terrace House: Your Next Binge”Recommendation: Luis Miguel
Todayâs blog post brings a music and television recommendation all in one.
Luis Miguel: La Serie is a Netflix drama series that follows the life of legendary Mexican singer Luis Miguel throughout his early life and rise to superstardom. This show intimately explores Luis Miguelâs private life, focusing on the challenges he went through to balance his public image with his relationships with friends and family. With beautiful camerawork, fun 80s aesthetics, and a heavy dose of LuisMiâs most popular songs, this series keeps you hooked from beginning to end. Itâs no surprise that it has become a favorite in the Spanish-speaking world.
Luis Miguel is currently available on Netflix. Keep an eye out for the third season, coming out today (October 28th)!
Or, if youâre just looking for something to listen to, here are some of my favorite Luis Miguel songs: