Aztlan Nation - Home of the Brave

Chicano Activists from Northern California.
Berkeley,Cali

Band Bio Preview: Aztlan Nation is a Chicano hip-hop group. Cricket (Esteban Zul) and Smiley (Motez Mostafa) founded Aztlan Nation in the West Berkeley Flats of the San Francisco East Bay area in 1989. Following the lead of such politically and socially inspired contemporaries as Public Enemy, X-Clan, and N.W.A., the group took on the mission of spreading Chicano nationalism and "Brown Pride". The group's objective was to give voice and a presence to the often marginalized Latin American segment of American society. They were one of the first Chicano rap groups to emerge on the musical scene. Aztlan Nation's first release was a four-song homemade cassette tape they sold at local shows and record shops. Their first album, Beaner Go Home, was released during a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment. The album was distributed widely across the United States, particularly in the Southwest and was welcomed for its anti-establishment attitude, aggressive lyrics, and Chicano style. With thundering hardcore street tracks such as "Born to Play the Bad Guy", and political parodies with songs and skits like "Dead Gringo Malt Liquor" the group made a distinctive mark in the world of Hip Hop. The album's success resulted in tours and performances with the likes of Cypress Hill, Tupac Shakur, Arrested Development and televised appearances on FOX, NBC and Univision. After passing the torch to a new generation of Latino rappers Aztlan Nation is back. Today new groups of bigots like the vigilante group calling themselves the Minutemen are harassing Latinos at the U.S. Mexico border. Meanwhile a new wave of anti-immigrant politicians, who have no regard for the basic human rights of immigrants trying to feed thier families, pander for votes and power by attacking the disempowered. The members of Aztlan Nation have seen this all before. In the song "Wetback" recorded in 1992 Aztlan Nation predicted the current Latino population explosion warning a zenophobic American public that "in the year 2000 jack, we're gonna see who's the real wetback." As one of the first hip hop groups to tackle Latino issues like this head on over a decade ago, Aztlan Nation has regrouped with renewed determination to fight the forces of evil. The group is reportedly recording a new album in an underground bunker somewhere in the Greater Aztlan Area. Sources close to the band say the new tracks are so slamming and politically volatile that it will take more than an act of congress to stop the eminent domain of the Aztlan Nation... y que!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Chicano
• Mexicano
• Mexica
• Movement
• Rap
• Activist
• Aztlan
• Nation
• Norteno
• OldSkool
• Huelga
• Bird
• Revolutionaries

[BFOTUF]

my black ass will help you do it too! BLACK N BROWN LOVE!

[SomeKid000]

dumbass illegal gabacho below me

[atsfft103]

@setset2 its good your school did i had to learn my history from my family and from history books my school only provided the eastern Indians like the creek and Cherokee and it wasn't that much and a quick segment on the discover of Americas only the Aztecs and Inca thats its there is so much more to tell

[atsfft103]

@setset2 no one is holding us back we just have to put it in all schools in America after all it is american history

[setset2]

@atsfft103 You need to realize the only people holding you down are yourselves.

[setset2]

@atsfft103 I don't know what schools you are familiar with, but I grew up going to very good, mostly white schools. In 4th, 5th, and 6th grade, for an hour a day for second and fourth quarters we learned about American Indians, Mexican Indians, Eskimos, etc. I remember we were all absolutely fascinated with Teotihuacan. Week long field trips to learn about the local Indians... I find myself knowing more about them then they do!

[atsfft103]

@setset2 theres not that enough education put out to all the these tribes and Civilizations

We learn so much about Rome and Greece we never get our side of the story why can't we ask for that

[setset2]

@atsfft103 Be tribes, fine. But city-states were lost through politics or war. That's the breaks. You can do better under the new system anyways, so why whine?

[setset2]

@atsfft103 They ARE recognized. In history books...

[atsfft103]

@setset2 i'm not asking to take it back see your misinterpreting what I'm been saying all i'm asking is Recognition of are tribes city states Civilizations that the Americas had 

[setset2]

@atsfft103 Hmmm. There's a far cry between what you are asking for, versus "taking back" the US Southwest.

The fact is, in the US, you have the freedom to be yourself within the limits of the law. And there is not one law here that denies anyone thier cultural heritage. It's the "reconquista" throwbacks that are against evolving...

[atsfft103]

@setset2 English is not what it was a 500years ago either Nahuatl has modernized so has the Native American we can not go back, man can only evolve if he moves forward, sure we are either Mexican or American or both however we should all recognized that are family were related and all of our cultures are still here