Quote

Culture is a fluid, ongoing process. People tend to look at culture in a fixed time but it's constantly moving and evolving, as is the conversation between Americans and Cubans.

Like any group that has endured much, African Americans have created a strong and mutually reinforcing sense of group identity. That's not a bad thing in and of itself.

When we decided to go to Cuba to perform, we did it because we just wanted to build a bridge, you know, between Cuba and the rest of the community. And we just wanted to prove that music and art need to be over all ideology or way to think life, and we just wanted to go in there and play just because of love.

My grandparents on my father's side came to this country from the Caribbean with a strong connection to Africa and no shame about it.

Hip-hop in Africa has been very often a duplication of an American experience, but in a context that's totally alien to it.

It's obvious that the rest of the world loves high African culture - African culture, period.

Can you imagine that Cuba and Europe's youth, who had forgotten about traditional music, who only thought of rock music, are now looking back towards their grandparents? That is a phenomenon.

I haven't traveled in Africa nearly as much as I'd like to. I've been there a few times, and I'd like to learn more about the various cultures in Africa. But that's the basis point of where all of the music that I love is based upon, from Africa to Cuba to Puerto Rico to South America.

Cuba is such a beautiful country, and everywhere you go, there's music and people dancing - especially in Havana.

North Americans don't understand... that our country is not just Cuba; our country is also humanity.