Album Notes

There are just three of them, but they make more noise than a thousand others and have enough energy to set any listener..s head spinning and hips swaying. That..s why they..re to be heard everywhere from Havana to Santiago today. There..s just no escaping them. They turned up at the radio station armed only with a 7-song demo and now, whatever the district, their voices ring out from every street corner. All Cuban kids of any age echo their battle cry, an invitation to party: ..Uh Laca Laca Lah!... This mysterious whoop alternates with the lyrics of their hit ..Matame.., a song that has been firmly established on the national airwaves since its release. So what does it mean? Don..t think they..ll tell you. It..s their secret and that..s that. However, they do have a simple explanation for the figures appended to their trio..s chosen name: Cubanito was formed in February 2002. So no mystery there. The name was Flipper..s idea. He was a club DJ rapping over the sound system when the two other lads (who had learnt to rap on Havana..s buses) first saw him. Hanging out together, the three soon realised they were on the same wavelength and Flipper joined White and El Doctor in Primera Base. The group triumphed at the first Havana rap festival in 1995 and recorded a CD two years later. It won an award at Cubadisco (Cuba..s music business fair). Then in February 2002, another venture began. Flipper, White and El Doctor drew a line under Primera Base: Cubanito 20.02 had arrived. Last year, they took first prize in Cubadisco..s newly-created rap section. Meanwhile, following their escapades in Brazil 2 years ago, their appearance in Cape Verde..s ..Baia das Gatas.. festival this summer, and their successes in Europe and the international release of their first and second album, they are attracting an endless stream of new fans, all chanting the mysterious magic words: ..Uh Laca Laca Lah!...