The political hip-hop duo known as Rebel Diaz will give a free performance at Ithaca College on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Sponsored by the Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity (CSCRE) Discussion Series, the show will take place at 7 p.m. in Emerson Suites, Phillips Hall.
Comprising the brothers Rodrigo (known as RodStarz) and Gonzalo (known as G1) Venegas, Rebel Diaz see themselves reclaiming hip-hop as a tool in the larger struggle against oppression, using their music to spread knowledge about injustice. After first performing at an immigrant rights march in New York City in 2006 in front of half a million people, Rebel Diaz has taken the international community by storm with their explosive live shows.
With influences ranging from Dirty South bounce to South American folk, the duo’s versatility has allowed them to share the stage with the likes of Common, Mos Def and Public Enemy while feeling right at home with acts like Rage Against the Machine and Mala Rodriguez. On the heels of their critically acclaimed “Otro Guerrillero” and “#OccupyTheAirwaves” mixtapes, Rebel Diaz will soon be releasing their debut album, “The Radical Dilemma.”
The brothers have also piqued the interest of the academic community with their poignant social commentary and energetic performances. They have spent the last five years visiting dozens of colleges and universities, facilitating workshops, speaking on panels and performing at national conferences. Building on this growing network of positive young people in hip-hop, the group recently opened a community arts center in the South Bronx, the Rebel Diaz Arts Collective.
The CSCRE fosters dialogues on issues pertaining to race through its annual discussion series. The theme for this year’s series is “Suffocating Knowledge: Race, Power, Possibilities.” For more information, visit www.ithaca.edu/cscre.
Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Claire Swensen at cswensen@ithaca.edu or 274-1056. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20130221155554367