LA BOMBA
Argentine rap group
Sindicato Argentino del Hip Hop
promotes hip-hop culture to South America
BY ANTERO GARCIA

If Uncle Sam wore baggy shorts and FUBU sweaters, busted rhymes like he was the latest member of N.W.A., and was actually patriotically representing Argentina, than he would fit in perfectly with Sindicato Argentino del Hip Hop.

Leading an underground community that embraces the hip-hop culture popular in America down in Argentina, Sindicato is South America’s equivalent to the Wu-Tang Clan, without a jailed ODB member. With their latest and Latin Grammy-winning album, Un Paso A La Eternidad, Sindicato continue to push their promotion of hip-hop in a country that is largely unexposed to the musical genre.

Originally created as a large group of 20, Sindicato wasn’t initially a musical act when it was formed in the early ’90s. Instead, it was more a collective that was simply fascinated with the many aspects of hip-hop.

"Sindicato started off as an organization that was pretty much trying to organize parties and events for a genre that was pretty much marginalized in Argentina," group member Smoler explained in a phone interview from his house in Argentina. "It was made up of a group of friends and was later condensed to four guys and a DJ which is what the group is now."

Initially discovering hip-hop through ’80s movies displaying breakdance movies such as Flashdance, Smoler and his current colleagues Frost, Derek, Huexo, and DJ Fabry were part of a tiny minority that was even aware that rap music existed.

"I first became interested in the dance aspect of hip-hop," Smoler recalled. "Later on when more hip-hop bands appeared on the underground circuit, they began to get interested in the music itself."

Now a successful rapper, Smoler is infrequently seen busting a move, but admits that he along with the rest of Sindicato occasionally practice breakdancing. Talk about a rarity; other than with Sindicato, where else can fans see a group bust out el Gusano [the Worm]?

Retro dance or no retro dance, the group’s goal is to provide Argentina with a sense of all aspects of hip-hop culture, not simply the music. However, with no direct source for their inspiration, it is easy for Sindicato and other groups to find influences that are not proponents of hip-hop.

"Basically, since there is no hip-hop in Argentina, anything can be an influence," Smoler admitted. "Even groups like Illya Kuryaki and Molotov (two rap/rock groups in Latin America) who aren’t fully hip-hop, and don’t defend the hip hop culture, unlike Sindicato, are still a good influences."

Though the group often gets sidetracked from their rap-forged ways by outside influences, internally, the group is focused on their music. While no one in Sindicato is the group’s leader, Smoler admits that he has a larger involvement with the group’s production than the rest of Sindicato.

"We each run individually and come up with our own lyrics," Smoler said. "The thing is I’m the one that actually composes the music. When the rest of Sindicato write lyrics, they pretty much have to collaborate with me."

When writing and recording Un Paso A La Eternidad, the group didn’t really have a set method to its work. Often, a member Sindicato would simply have lyrics prepared and later work with Smoler to fine-tune a beat. Other times, Smoler would produce a beat first, having other members find appropriate lyrics later.

Unlike America, where far too many rap songs are simply about the bitches and 40s, the lyrics of Sindicato vary greatly in their content. However, there is still one unifying aspect to the group’s music.

"Living in Latin America there are things that you cannot escape, [so] we say some really harsh things," Smoler says of his group’s lyrics. "Our songs reflect the same reality of our country and aspects of life there."

Word up! America, you feelin’ that?

While American rap groups have the luxury of several different subgenres in rap, from gangsta rap like Dr. Dre and DMX to avant-garde groups like Clouddead and Anti-Pop Consortium, Sindicato has no other musical peers to measure or define themselves by.

"We can come up with our own form of Argentinean hip-hop. Our mission is to create a hip-hop movement here. Wherever the influences come from, we pretty much form them to become our own."

While the group has been working for nearly ten years, it wasn’t until the release of Un Paso A La Eternidad that the group got its first full-length solo album. Previously, the group appeared on a compilation of rap/close to rap artists in Latin America called Nacion Hip Hop. Surprisingly, the album was originally intended to be the group’s first solo LP.

"Basically we were the ones promoting Nacion Hip Hop, but the record labels in Argentina didn’t think it was a good business deal to have one band recording hip-hop," Smoler said. "It became a compilation of many bands to give it that added strength. We recorded two songs on the compilation, but it was originally going to be our CD."

After the popularity of Nacion Hip Hop, Sindicato began searching for a record deal. Shopping around a four-song demo, the group got no label interest until the president of Universal in Argentina was impressed with the ghetto beats he heard and gave the group three months to complete Un Paso A La Eternidad.

"In Argentina you can’t waste anytime in the studio," Smoler said about the fast-paced recording process. "Labels don’t give you much time. It’s not a luxury like it might be out in the U.S."

Despite difficulties in recording the album, it is plainly clear by Smoler’s enthusiasm that the effort was worth it. After Un Paso A La Eternidad received last year’s Latin Grammy for best hip-hop album, the group is amazed with their success.

"I feel that the band has really triumphed," Smoler said with prideful gusto. "Ten years ago this was all a dream, and now it’s a reality. The whole winning a Grammy was huge for us – a very important accomplishment. If an artist wins a Grammy elsewhere, their citizens might forget about it after a couple of days, but in Argentina, it’s a big deal."

Through receiving their many critical accolades, Sindicato is starting to see their mission unfold. Hip-hop has steadily increased in popularity in Argentina.

"Although it is a little rough around the edges and lacks a bit of professionalism, I see the youth really getting involved in hip-hop," Smoler said enthusiastically

Now that hip-hop is slowly becoming a commodity internally in Argentina, Sindicato is starting to look for the bling-bling. As successful as the group is, its record sales are not high enough for them to completely financially support themselves. However, with a tentatively-planned tour to America in March, Sindicato hopes to capture an international market that will be keen to the Spanish speaking B-boys. But ultimately, the group isn’t flowing for the Benjamins.

"We do it because we feel it," Smoler said. "We put our lives into this because it’s our passion. Although we can’t live off of the movement yet, we do it because it gives us personal satisfaction."