Ghetto Kumbé’s Latest Is A Dance Protest for the People
13 April, 2020Despite COVID-19, the music does not stop. Ghetto Kumbé, a project from Colombia, have just released an amazing new video for “Vamo a Dale Duro”. The band began when Chongo, Doc Keyta and Guajiro created a sound system to unite drumming and roots rhythms from both Africa and Colombia. Each one of the group is an expert on their area, that being roots and folklore from Africa and Colombia. To that base they added a singer and producer to complete their profile as a machine of dance and joy.
The group’s members came from Colombia’s Caribbean Coast but met in Bogotá, where they began to play at small parties with friends, before moving on to venues, clubs and festivals to promote their music. Their first EP, Kumbé, was released in 2015 and quickly established them as a key player the new Colombian music scene. That first EP had influences from West Africa with djembe and dum dum drums playing lambam, solí, kuku, sofa, kassá, makru and Afro-Colombian rhythms like cumbia, bullerengue, champeta, chandé, chalupa de rio and others.
At a time when African Music has been trending at festivals, clubs and parties worldwide, this single is a dance protest for the injustices caused by Neo-Liberalist class divide. “Vamo A Dale Duro ” is the first single from their upcoming album on ZZK Records. The song has a touch of a Afro house with a psychedelic melody of traditional gaita and a heavy drum beat. Oliver Williams, aka London’s The Busy Twist, adds his own touch as co-producer with a vibe of Afro-Latin meets UK bass. The lyrics talk about political deception, how people work a lot cause they don’t want give up trying to grow and progress the social ladder. The video was directed by Guillermo Camacho and features nice photography of a ghetto neighbourhood with many brightly-coloured dancers.
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