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New Hoodiíos release, May 12 - "Carne Asada"

It is absolutely true that the Hip Hop Hoodíos were my first favorite Jewish hip hop band—and still the kings of Latino-Jewish hip hop. Whether one EP, one CD, and some very interesting singles merit a retrospective collection is another question. It will certainly be a danceable and good collection. Readers will have to check it out personally. Here's the press release:

garish CD cover done by someone who has just learned photoshopCRITICALLY ACCLAIMED LATINO-JEWISH URBAN COLLECTIVE HIP HOP HOODÍOS ANNOUNCES MAY 12TH RELEASE OF “CARNE MASADA: QUITE POSSIBLY THE VERY BEST OF HIP HOP HOODÍOS"

Group’s First Career Retrospective Features the New Single “Times Square (1989)” and Guest Performances from Members of Ozomatli, The Klezmatics, The Pinker Tones, Delinquent Habits & Los Abandoned

“Carne Masada: Quite Possibly the Very Best of Hip Hop Hoodíos” (April 28th iTunes; May 12th all other retailers) is the first-ever ‘Best of’ collection—including 5 new tracks—from the critically-acclaimed Latino-Jewish urban collective led by Josh “Josué Noriega” Norek and Abraham Vélez. Hip Hop Hoodíos’ latest release on Jazzheads Records features guest participation from members of such major Latin & Jewish acts as Ozomatli, The Klezmatics, The Pinker Tones, Delinquent Habits, Los Mocosos, and Los Abandoned. The album’s first single is the old school-flavored homage to pre-gentrified Manhattan, “Times Square (1989).” The album spans the group’s entire career and also includes liner notes written by the (soon-to-no-longer-be) esteemed Rolling Stone/LA Times music critic Ernesto Lechner.

PREVIEW THE NEW SINGLE “TIMES SQUARE (1989)”

“Carne Masada: Quite Possibly the Very Best of Hip Hop Hoodíos (Jazzheads Records) Features 5 New Tracks & Liner Notes Written by Ernesto Lechner (Rolling Stone/LA Times)

“Latin alternative was already scrambling the definitions of musical categories, and Hip Hop Hoodíos throw in humor and ethnicity for added confusion.” —New York Times

The Jewish answer to Los Fabulosos Cadillacs? The Latino respuesta to the Beastie Boys? From Latin funk to klezmer to cumbia to straight-up rap, Hip Hop Hoodíos are a cross-cultural phenomenon. The band is almost certainly the only act in the history of recorded music to have co-headlined both the Salute to Israel Parade and the Barrio Museum in Spanish Harlem. The 2007 Hip Hop Hoodíos release ‘Viva la Guantanamera’ (a benefit for Amnesty International’s efforts to close Guantanamo Bay Prison) hit #9 on the iTunes Latino albums sales chart and #1 overall on eMusic. In recent years, the band’s music has been featured in a number of films and television shows including the Warner Bros Pictures release ‘Pride & Glory’ and MTV’s ‘Life of Ryan.’

“Hip Hop Hoodíos marry klezmer with cumbia, hard-core hip-hop with Santanaesque grooves. Somehow it all works, thanks to cameos from members of Santana and the participation of alterlatino acts such as Jaguares, La Barranca, and Orixa & Los Mocosos.” —Washington Post

“The socially conscious anti-corporate playa-hating of Hip Hop Hoodíos is funnier than any Beastie Boys punchlines recently.” —VillageVoice