Supporting immigration with "música"

Source: Iconoculture

WHAT'S HAPPENING

It's a collaborative CD with a message. Some of New York's best-known musicians, led by Dan Zanes, have come together to promote a pro-immigration stance and an appreciation for Latin American culture.

¡Nueva York! is more than a heap of sabroso tracks. It features several genres, including blues, jazz, cumbia and merengue — and in keeping with its pro-Latino immigrant theme, all the tunes are in Spanish.

Bottom line: The artists represented, including Lila Downs and hip-hop poet La Bruja, believe immigrants are as much a part of the American fabric as anyone else (NYDailyNews.com 5.22.08).

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

By bringing the sounds of hip-hop, merengue and cumbia together on one album, there's a good chance that consumers who buy it for one artist will hear something new — and chances are they'll buy into the pro-immigrant message.

Cultural expression can put positive spin on hot-button topics like immigration, allowing consumers to open their minds to different points of view.