Los Serenos Sefarad

Last updated
Los Serenos Sefarad
Origin Seattle, Washington
Genres Jewish hip hop, Sephardic music, Judaeo-Spanish hip-hop
Years active2014 (2014)–present
Associated acts Nissim, Orgullo Mexicano
Website Los Serenos Sefarad
MembersRabbi Simon Benzaquen
Alejandro "Alex" Hernandez
Netzaj Mendoza

Los Serenos Sefarad ("The Sefarad Watchmen") is an American Judaeo-Spanish-language Jewish hip hop group from Seattle, Washington. They were formed in 2014 by Rabbi Simon Benzaquen (vocals, songwriting), Alejandro "Alex" Hernandez (rapping, producer, guitar), and Netzaj Mendoza (producer). [1] They released their debut album, Los Bilbilikos, in September 2017.

Contents

History

Los Serenos Sefarad was formed in January 2014 by Moroccan-born [2] Sephardic Rabbi Simon Benzaquen and Mexican-born rapper/guitarist Alejandro "Alex" Hernandez. Benzaquen, the former rabbi of Bikur Holim Congregation in Seattle's Seward Park neighborhood, was initially uninterested in hip hop but gained a deeper understanding while overseeing the conversion studies of rapper Nissim Black (formerly D. Black), and prominently collaborated with Black on his song "Sores" [3] and several concerts. [1] [4] Hernandez had moved to Seattle from Chihuahua, Mexico. [1] One of their first collaborations in 2013 was a rap version of the Ladino Hanukkah song "Ocho Kandelikas". [5] Their first performances in Seattle were at Seward Park's SPARK Jewish Music Festival. [1]

On November 9, 2015, the group released their first music video, "La Vida Do Por El Raki". [6] In 2016, they released the songs "La Serena" (The Sentinel) [7] and "Adyjo Keryda Espanya" (Goodbye My Beloved Spain), [8] the latter written about the expulsion of Jews during the Spanish Inquisition on 1492.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Music videos

Related Research Articles

Marcha Real National anthem of Spain

The "Marcha Real" is the national anthem of Spain. It is one of only three national anthems in the world — along with those of Bosnia and Herzegovina and San Marino — that have no official lyrics. Although it had lyrics in the past, they are no longer used.

Sephardic music is an umbrella term used to refer to the music of the Sephardic Jewish community. Sephardic Jews have a diverse repertoire the origins of which center primarily around the Mediterranean basin. In the secular tradition, material is usually sung in dialects of Judeo-Spanish, though other languages including Hebrew, Turkish, Greek, and other local languages of the Sephardic diaspora are widely used. Sephardim maintain geographically unique liturgical and para-liturgical traditions.

Los Tigres del Norte

Los Tigres del Norte are a norteño band from San Jose, California. Originally founded in Mocorito, Sinaloa, Mexico, with sales of 60 million albums, the band is one of the most recognized groups in the genre, due to its long history and its successes within the Mexican community in the diaspora. The band is famous for its political corridos, some of which have been censored, even in its own country. The band is the only Mexican group to win 6 Grammy awards and 12 Latin Grammys. In addition, the band has made 40 films alongside the Almada brothers among other well-known Mexican actors.

Antonio Muñoz Molina Spanish writer

Antonio Muñoz Molina is a Spanish writer and, since 8 June 1995, a full member of the Royal Spanish Academy. He received the 1991 Premio Planeta, the 2013 Jerusalem Prize, and the 2013 Prince of Asturias Award for literature.

Yotuel Romero Cuban actor and singer

Yotuel Omar Manzanares Romero, mononymously known as Yotuel, is a Cuban singer, actor, and current lead singer and co-writer of the 2003 Latin Grammy Award-winning Platinum album-selling rap group Orishas. Among other recordings, Emigrante won the 2003 Latin Grammy Award for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album. This same album was also nominated for the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album.

<i>Alba Bible</i>

The Alba Bible is a 1430 illuminated manuscript translation of the Old Testament made directly from Hebrew into Mediaeval Castilian. The translation was carried out under the direction of Moses Arragel, rabbi of the Jewish community of Maqueda in the Spanish province of Toledo, at the behest of Don Luis de Guzmán, Grand Master of the military-religious Order of Calatrava.

Haim Palachi

Haim Palachi was a Jewish-Turkish chief rabbi of Smyrna (İzmir) and author in Ladino and Hebrew. His titles included Hakham Bashi and Gaon. He is likely a descendant of Samuel Pallache or his brother Joseph Pallache of 16th-century Fez and early 17th-century merchant, diplomat and pirate. He was also father of grand rabbis Abraham Palacci and Isaac Palacci and rabbi Joseph Palacci. He was a member of the Pallache family.

3rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards Music awards presented Sept 2002

The 3rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards were held in Los Angeles at the Kodak Theatre on Wednesday, September 18, 2002. Alejandro Sanz was the night's big winner, winning a total of three awards including Album of the Year. The ceremony returned in style after the 2001 ceremony was cancelled because of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks across America, and all presenters apologized to viewers during the broadcast for such.

Jowell & Randy Puerto Rican reggaeton duo

Jowell & Randy are a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo composed of Joel Muñoz and Randy Ortiz. The duo have been active since the early-2000s and have become one of the most popular acts in reggaeton. They have released three studio albums, five mixtapes and twenty-three singles as of June 2017. They were also members of the short-lived group Casa de Leones alongside J King & Maximan and Guelo Star. They became the first reggaeton acts to perform in the Principality of Monaco and the first reggaeton duo to do so in Australia.

Judaeo-Spanish Language derived from Medieval Spanish spoken by Sephardic Jews

Judaeo-Spanish or Judeo-Spanish, also known as Ladino, is a Romance language derived from Old Spanish. Originally spoken in Spain, and then after the Edict of Expulsion spreading through the Ottoman Empire as well as France, Italy, the Netherlands, Morocco, and England, it is today spoken mainly by Sephardic minorities in more than 30 countries, with most speakers residing in Israel. Although it has no official status in any country, it has been acknowledged as a minority language in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, France, and Turkey. In 2017, it was formally recognised by the Royal Spanish Academy.

Matilda Koen-Sarano Israeli writer

Matilda Koen-Sarano, is an Israeli writer. Born to Turkish Jewish parents, she is one of the most widely known writers in the Ladino language.

Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation

Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation (SBH) is a Sephardic congregation with a synagogue in the Seward Park neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The name Bikur Holim means visiting or comforting the sick, an important mitzvah. The first official name of the congregation was Spanish Hebrew Society and Congregation Bikur Holim, shortened to "Sephardic Bikur Holim". For a time in the 1930s, after amalgamation with another congregation, it was known as Bikur Holim Ahavath Ahim Congregation.

Cest la vie (Khaled song) 2012 single by Khaled

"C'est la vie" is a song by Algerian raï singer Khaled. It was produced by Moroccan-Swedish producer RedOne and released on Universal Music Division AZ becoming a summer hit for Khaled in France in 2012.

Nissim Black American Orthodox Jewish rapper

Nissim Baruch Black is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer.

Juan Andújar is a Dominican artist known by his modern paintings inspired in the ocean and rural life.

Jewish hip hop is a genre of hip hop music with thematic, stylistic, or cultural ties to Judaism and its musical traditions.

17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards Music awards presented Nov 2016

The 17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards were held on November 17, 2016 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

C-Kan Musical artist

José Luis Maldonado Ramos, better known by his stage name C-Kan, is a Mexican Rapper, singer and songwriter signed to Mastred Trax since 2012. He became popular in 2012 through his success on social networks, with his demo "Voy Por El Sueño De Muchos" (2012) "Classification C, Vol. 1" (2014). "Vivo La Vida Cantando" is the title of the first single from his second album, entitled Clasificación C. In 2015, C-Kan released his third album entitled "Clasificacion C, Vol. 2". HMexiCKanos was released on 20 November 2016 in physical format in Mexico and in digital format. C-Kan has over 5 million subscribers on its YouTube channel and over 1000 million views. He worked with artists such as MC Davo, Don Dinero, Don Cheto, Lil Rob, T Lopez, Chingo Bling, Baby Bash, SPM, King Lil G and 50 Cent, MC Magic, Pipo Ti, and Sick Jacken.

Tomás Ares Pena, known as Xan das Bolas was a Spanish comic actor active during the franquism with films including Botón de ancla (1961).

Patria y Vida Cuban slogan and song

"Patria y Vida" is a slogan and song associated with the July 2021 Cuban protests. It is an inversion of the Cuban Revolution motto Patria o Muerte. The slogan was popularized by a reggaeton song released in February 2021 by Yotuel, Beatriz Luengo, Descemer Bueno, Gente de Zona, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Osorbo and DJ El Funky.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Large, Jerry (2 September 2015). "Infusing ancient Ladino songs with rap to keep a culture alive". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  2. "Shimon Benzquen".
  3. "Sores Feat Rabbi Simon Benzaquen and Nissim Black". YouTube . Retrieved Sep 12, 2013.
  4. Tomky, Naomi (21 May 2015). "Meet the Rapping Rabbi of Seattle". The Forward. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  5. Emily K. Alhadeff (July 23, 2014). "In Seattle, a Sephardi Ladino Revival Takes Hold". Tablet . Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 "La Vida Do Por El Raki". YouTube . Retrieved Nov 9, 2015.
  7. 1 2 "La Serena". YouTube . Retrieved Feb 26, 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Adyjo Keryda Espanya". YouTube . Retrieved Aug 16, 2016.