I came across Ozkaro on the big screen last summer at the Institute of Contemporary Art in London, in a film called Bakosó - a documentary telling the story of the rise of this new genre of music that blends Cuban sounds with the modern afrobeats that we hear today. I fell in love. With the concept, the storytelling of the African and Afro-Cuban narratives and especially, with the soundtrack that Ozkaro and his team created.
I'd be lying if I said that I didn't go to Santiago de Cuba with the hope of meeting Ozkaro. I wanted to give him the biggest props for his involvement in this wave of music seldom heard outside of Cuba. We met and talked and I hope to share with you what we talked about at some point: music, politics and the contrast between music you hear in SDC compared to what we hear/what is popularised in the West . I am yearning to go back to continue the conversation we had, but for now I'm so happy that your music is taking off and talent being recognized, alongside all the other artists in the documentary. I can only fangirl from afar now (no shame).