Since releasing his first song with The Latin Connection in 1989, DJ Oski Gonzalez has spent the last 25 years creating a colorful palette of music, ranging from hip-hop to rock ‘n’ roll. After curating a long list of music festivals and other related events over the past two decades, the Cuban musician is giving aspiring artists in South Florida the opportunity to kick in the door with a new showcase. “”La Raza” is filling a void,” said Gonzalez. “With all the Latinos in South Florida, this will blow up.”
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On Saturday (Jan. 9), Gonzalez attracted artists from Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties for the inaugural musical showcase at the Jazid Lounge on South Beach. DJ Oski served as the official host for a night of dope performances by underground rappers like Cubita da Poet, Chico V, Judao, and Killa 87. Amid the slew of local performers, Dominican MC Jasiel Faraón made his presence known after he blessed the crowd with his signature track “Pande Voy” and his female-friendly “Mi Amor.”
“I feel like even though the atmosphere was good, it was lacking something,” said Faraón. “Miami needs a breath of fresh air. They need more up-and-coming Latin artists that will stir up the masses.”
He raises a valid point. As underground acts like Pouya and producers like Cool of Cool & Dre contribute to the evolution of Miami’s sound, a lack of representation fails to reflect the melting pot of talented Latinos who thrive in this city. Oski plans to help resolve that issue by summoning Latin rappers from all over South Florida to give them the push they need.
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Gonzalez’s mission is to provide a safe haven for rising local talent and international MCs, who can perform in Spanish and/or English and simply be about themselves and the culture. “La Raza” is arguably the only event in Miami Beach where Latin artists can perform without dealing with the pressures of living up to the lavish expectations of high-profile shows and top tier cameos.
DJ Oski also wants to revitalize the underground hip-hop scene. For the next show, Gonzalez plans to add an “unplugged” aspect by including a live band to the mix, in an effort to make the upcoming line-up more eclectic. To find out more about the Oski Foundation and “La Raza,” check out their website here. To participate in the showcase, shoot an email over to Oski.