Krudas Cubensi: 'Levántate'

Fans of militant, pro-women rap, rejoice! Cuban-born, Austin-based femcees Odaymara Cuesta and Olivia Prendes, aka Krudas Cubensi, have returned with a stirring blend of revolutionary rhymes, Cuban rhythms, and true-school hip-hop. Clocking in at 14 tracks, Levántate showcases the duo’s gift for delivering blistering verses in Spanish via frenetic yet still melodic flows. If Lil’ Fame and Billy Danze of M.O.P. fame were Cuban lesbianas, this is how they would spit. Cuts like “Horizontalidad,” “Te entrego,” and “Medios” are fierce calls for global insurrection, where ideals such as peace, justice, and education prevail. Las Krudas (in Spanish, cruda means “raw” or hangover) have always worn progressive politics on their sleeves but, unlike other acts, say Immortal Technique, it has never come across as hollow shtick or an empty marketing ploy. Infectious songs like “Mundo azul” and “Cumbia a Oshun” (an actual cumbia) reveal their versatility, while tracks like “Puro Chiste”and “Punto G.” capitalize on the duo’s knack for taking the most negative elements of hip-hop and creating something undeniably positive. Deep alchemy indeed or, as Odaymara says in “Medios” (the Media), “fuck the media, fight the power.”

★★★ ½ (out of 5 stars)