Friday is here (quite predictably to be honest…), and we’re counting down the hours ’til we can turn off the computer, pick up a bottle of guaro and hit the town. And what better music to boogie to on a Friday than the Pacific coast hip-hop of Colombia’s mighty Chocquibtown. Seeing as they’ve just announced a show in Bogota’s Jorge Eliecer Gaitan Theatre on May 23rd, now seems like a good time to stick on their music and remember why we at See Colombia love them so much…
The members all originate from the Choco region, and the group formed in Cali in 2000. A real family affair, the group consists of Carlos Valencia (“Tostao”), Gloria Martinez (“Goyo”), and Miguel Martinez (“Slow”): Tostao is married to Goyo, whose brother is Slow. It sounds much more confusing when you say it out loud!
The band won the best act prize at Hip-Hop Al Parque in Bogota in 2004, and took home 10 million pesos for their efforts. This exposure eventually led to them signing with Nacional Records, and releasing the massively successful album Oro in 2008. Featuring the single “De Donde Vengo Yo”, the album confirmed the group as an exciting new voice in hip-hop, making great music whilst also retaining their Pacific Colombian heritage.
Since then they have toured the world, won a Latin Grammy and released two more records. And pretty soon they’ll be back in Bogota, entertaining us in the nation’s capital. It’s an exciting prospect, and so we’re getting our copy of Oro out and preparing to shimmy and shake like it’s 2008 (I think that could catch on…). Go on then, here’s one more video for you…I really do spoil you, don’t I?!
Tickets for Chocquibtown can be purchased from tuboleta.com. It’ll be a great show; I highly recommend picking some up!
Chris
