In the song “If I were President,” Hector Flores of Las Cafeteras raps that if he were the U.S. president, his first lady:
“Would be my moms
Cause she’d slap me
At the first thought of drone strikes
And dropping bombs.”
Las Cafeteras is a Los Angeles band that resulted from a group of social activists meeting at a coffee house — hence the name. The band blends traditional Mexican music styles like Son Jarocho with rap and rock. Flores says the lyrics are always political, but the band tries to stay positive as well.
“Right now there’s a lot of people who are against things. We’re very anti,” Flores said in a phone interview. “And we want to be young people who are for something. If we had the opportunity and the power, what would we want to see happen.”
Las Cafeteras is part of a tour called the “New Golden Age of Latin Music,” which also includes Flor de Toloache, the all-women mariachi band that has been such a hit playing traditional songs and originals. They too are shaking up the patriarchy. Watch their performance on NPR Tiny Desk Concerts below.
