500 Female Emcees: Meet Ana Tijoux-Comin’ Straight Outta Chile

Ana TijouxAnita Tijoux also known as Ana Tijoux is what many would consider an emcee’s emcee. Born in France to two exiled Chilean parents who later returned after the US backed dictator General Augusto Pinochet was disposed, her nice, intense, laid back flows are precise, mesmerizing and often laced with social and political commentary..Ana’s  popularity is understated..

At almost every show I’ve seen her perform from Austin, Texas to the Bay Area gets sold out, attracting crowds that know every word to her songs, even as she raps in Spanish and French.

She had been grinding away for a minute. Initially it was with the group Makiza who many compared to NY’s famed Native Tongues because of their sound and style.. They made some noise with a couple of underground bangers in the late 90s that made the charts in Chile..The group put out a couple of albums including; ‘Vida Salvaje‘ and ‘Casino Royal‘ which was released in 2005 to rave reviews..

The following year Makiza broke up and Tijoux went solo. In 2009 she became a break star internationally with the release of her album 1977 which proclaims the year of her birth and is mostly autobiographical. Many in the US got their first peak at her when she touched down at SXSW in 2010 and blew up the spot doing songs off that album including the popular jam Sube which was done with Detroit emcee Invincible. The SXSW stop led to her launching a successful US tour..

Since then she’s released two other projects including; Elefant Mixtape and the album La Bala which was nominated for a Grammy. Her music has been featured in the video game FIFA 11 and on the hit TV show Breaking Bad. She was also voted as Best Female Emcee Dominating Mics Everywhere on MTV Iggy…Lastly she’s been part of a campaign for women’s empowerment called Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.

If you don’t know Anita Tijoux, you been missing out.. Check out some her joints below

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Ana Tijoux w/ Quantic Doo Whop That Thing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kDjbvIU1zU

This is a recent song from Anita Tijoux where she hooked up with Colombia-based, British-born producer and musician Quantic. Here the two do a dope cover of Lauryn Hill‘s classic hit “Doo Wop (That Thing)” The lyrics are flipped into Spanish by Tijoux, whose understated yet charismatic flow makes her a beguiling vocal presence, along with a Cumbia beat giving an alternative, tropical slant to this landmark jam.

Ana Tijoux Elephant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDO-_HW5DdA

This is from the mixtape Ana dropped about a year and half ago.. Its a fun video and a warm up to what she had in store on the album LA Bala which would be nominated for a Grammy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAayt5BsEWg

Anita Tijoux Sacar La Voz ft (Jorge Drexler)

This is vintage Ana Tijoux…low key, but powerful and captivating ..It’s an inspiring song about walking proud, being fearless, even if you have ‘nothing in your pockets’ and standing up in the face of oppression.. One of my favorite cuts from her featured on the La Bala album..

Anita Tijoux Shocked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=177-s44MSVQ

This is one of Ana Tijoux‘s most popular songs to date which she did a couple of years ago to bring attention and support to the massive student strikes that were going on in Chile, which brought millions of people out to the streets but was ignored here in the US..She later re-did an acoustic version of this song in Tuscon, Arizona to bring attention to the plight of undocumented folks and the harsh anti-immigrant SB 1070 laws.. You can peep that video
below..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkvgAXkd7yM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5Ky836XM-s

 

3 Dope Songs from Chilean Emcee Anita Tijoux

Ana Tijoux blueToday’s 3 Dope Songs celebrates the work of  Chilean emcee Anita Tijoux also known as Ana Tijoux.. She was born in France to two exiled Chilean parents who later returned after the US backed dictator General Augusto Pinochet was disposed.

She is what many would consider an emcee’s emcee.. Her nice, intense, laid back flows are precise, mesmerizing and often laced with social and political commentary..Her popularity is understated..

At almost every show I’ve seen her perform from Austin, Texas to the Bay Area gets sold out, attracting crowds that know every word to her songs, even as she raps in Spanish and French.

She had been grinding away for a minute. Initially it was with the group Makiza who many compared to NY’s famed Native Tongues because of their sound and style.. They made some noise with a couple of underground bangers in the late 90s that made the charts in Chile..The group put out a couple of albums including; ‘Vida Salvaje‘ and ‘Casino Royal‘ which was released in 2005 to rave reviews..

The following year Makiza broke up and Tijoux went solo. In 2009 she became a break star internationally with the release of her album 1977 which proclaims the year of her birth and is mostly autobiographical. Many in the US got their first peak at her when she touched down at SXSW in 2010 and blew up the spot doing songs off that album including the popular jam Sube which was done with Detroit emcee Invincible. The SXSW stop led to her launching a successful US tour..

anita-tijoux-latinaSince then she’s released two other projects including; Elefant Mixtape and  the album La Bala which was nominated for a Grammy.  Her music has been featured in the video game FIFA 11 and on the hit TV show Breaking Bad. She was also voted as Best Female Emcee Dominating Mics Everywhere on MTV Iggy…Lastly she’s been part of a campaign for women’s empowerment called Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.

If you don’t know Anita Tijoux, you been missing out.. Check out some her joints below as well our first interview which was done a couple of years ago when I was introduced to her by the group and fellow Chilean emcees Rebel Diaz..

Anita Tijoux SXSW Intv

————————————-

Ana Tijoux w/ Quantic  Doo Whop That Thing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kDjbvIU1zU

This is a recent song from Anita Tijoux  where she hooked up with Colombia-based, British-born producer and musician Quantic. Here the two do a dope cover of Lauryn Hill‘s classic hit “Doo Wop (That Thing)”  The lyrics are flipped into Spanish by Tijoux, whose understated yet charismatic flow makes her a beguiling vocal presence, along with a Cumbia beat giving an alternative, tropical slant to this landmark jam.

Ana Tijoux Elephant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDO-_HW5DdA

This is from the mixtape Ana dropped about a year and half ago.. Its a fun video and a warm up to what she had in store on the album LA Bala which would be nominated for a Grammy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAayt5BsEWg

Anita Tijoux Sacar La Voz ft (Jorge Drexler)

This is vintage Ana Tijoux…low key, but powerful and captivating ..It’s an inspiring song about walking proud, being fearless, even if you have ‘nothing in your pockets’ and standing up in the face of oppression..  One of my favorite cuts from her featured on the La Bala album..

Anita Tijoux Shocked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=177-s44MSVQ

This is one of Ana Tijoux‘s most popular songs to date which she did a couple of years ago to bring attention and support to the massive student strikes that were going on in Chile, which brought millions of people out to the streets but was ignored here in the US..She later re-did an acoustic version of this song in Tuscon, Arizona to bring attention to the plight of undocumented folks and the harsh anti-immigrant SB 1070 laws.. You can peep that video
below..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkvgAXkd7yM

 

Hip Hop is Worldwide-Meet Chilean Emcee Anita Tijoux

 

We caught up with Chilean emcee Anita Tijoux who made lots of waves during SXSW 2010. It was her first trip to the US as she celebrated the release of her new album 1977. The title represents the year she was born along the pioneering days of Hip Hop in the Bronx.

Anita who is an astute student of Hip Hop music and culture noted that its important to reference and pay tribute to the foundation. Anita through her flows, subject matter and study of other emcees has managed to do just that-pay homage.

For many here in the states Anita Tijoux is a new face in an already packed scene. In Chile she’s abig deal-a superstar. She was born in France to a French mother and Chilean father who was in political exile during the Pinochet dictatorship. She first started to get known in 1997 when she was part of a group called Makiza which featured Seo2, Cenzi and DJ Squat. She later left the group and attempted to go solo and for a while hooked up with Julieta Venagas  a popular pop singer. She later reunited with members of Makiza and then left again to do her solo album 1977

We started off our interview by getting an update on the situation in Chile. She explained that many people in her country are suspicious after the 8.8 earthquake and they fear another shoe is going to drop. Many believe that the shaking was man-made-caused by HAARP… Others are saying, the earth-shaking so violently was God’s way of saying get rid of the president and the fascist regime he represents…Anita noted that while her family is doing ok, many people are not. Chile has privatized everything from water to medical help, hence only those with money are faring well. Others are suffering.

We spoke to Anita about her music and whats influenced her. She says that she mixes traditional folkloric music with Hip Hop. She says she rhymes in Spanish although many insist it’s easier to do it in English.  She says her biggest influence were artist like Bahamadia. She also notes that if she had a magic wand she would love to do a song with KRS-One, Flying Lotus, Peanut Butter Wolf and Madlib.

Anita laced us up on the Hip Hop scene throughout Latin America. She said things are in full gear in places like Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru. Brazil things are really large to the point its an entity on to itself.  She noted how MTV has ‘MTV Latin America’ and ‘MTV Brazil’. She noted that Hip Hop has widespread appeal because it gives voice to the voiceless especially in poorer communities.

We conclude by speaking with Detroit rapper Invincible who is featured on the song Sube which talks about upliftment and using Hip Hop as a tool. Invincible had nothing but praise for Anita who she said she met online and began the process that led to them recording the song which they performed several times during SXSW.

-Davey D-

Here’s the Breakdown FM podcast to our interview w/ Anita Tijoux

Click HERE to Here Full Breakdown FM podcast featuring Anita Tijoux

Anita Tijoux SXSW Intv

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_9Y-4PaU2U

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