BRONX - BERLIN

REBEL DIAZ (Bronx)

Rebel Diaz is a young English and Spanish-speaking Hip Hop crew from the South Bronx, with roots in Chicago, Chile and Puerto Rico. In addition to their exciting performances and very diversified sound, the crew members are well known, above all, for their social activities. For instance, Lah Tere (the crew’s only female MC), MC RodStarz and MC G1 use Hip Hop in school and university workshops to educate people and to draw their attention to questions such as immigration and municipal politics.

www.rebeldiaz.com , www.myspace.com/rebeldiaz

History: the streets of the ghettos around the world resound to the sound of Hip Hop – it was in this atmosphere that Rebel Diaz arose, inspiring others with both their sound and their lyrics advocating social change. Rebel Diaz came together in a decisive moment in US history. When, at the beginning of 2006, Latinos throughout the USA began to feel threatened by the tightening up of the immigration laws, Rebel Diaz became active in the streets of the Bronx in New York and helped the Latino community to organise in order to fight the proposed legislation. They played before 500,000 Latinos at a historical demonstration in New York City to defend the rights of immigrants. During the months to come, Rebel Diaz played in front of hundreds of thousands of people at mass protests from Chicago to Washington D.C.

The Crew: The Afro-Puerto-Rican New York singer MC Lah Tere stands out with her powerful voice and incisive lyrics. She grew up in Chicago’s Puerto-Rican community. Her soulful sound calls to mind Iris Chacon, Jill Scott, and La Lupe. Her many years of experience fronting a Salsa Band during her high-school days, coupled with her street credibility, have made her a talent to be reckoned with. Lah Tere’s crew members – the Chilean brothers RodStarz and G1 – complete Rebel Diaz’s line-up. Raised by Chilean political exiles in North Chicago, RodStarz kept off the streets and invested his energy in break-dance with the legendary Champions Crew. He then became a successful battle MC, turning into an outstanding songwriter who writes forceful lyrics full of concise social commentaries. RodStarz passed his love of Hip Hop culture onto his younger brother G1, who was already producing music in the slums of Santiago de Chile. His powerful sound, composed of elements ranging from South American folk music to Dirty South, as well as his gripping lyrics, provide the perfect background to RodStarz and Lah Tere’s message.