The Caribbean dancehall music sphere, with traditional instrumentals, live dancers, and a larger than life stage presence, is essential to Major Lazer's success. Comprised of three dudes heavily influenced by Caribbean culture – south Florida born Diplo, Jamaican Walshy Fire, and Trinidadian Jillionaire – the trio has traveled the globe while maintaining strong ties to their homelands and spreading peace as the mission. Major Lazer's new documentary "Give Me Future" pays homage to Major Lazer's Carribean roots by highlighting the infiltration of modern music into a historically veiled Cuban social climate.
The film, which documents Major Lazer's March 2016 show in Havana, Cuba, world premieres at Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah on January 27. Thanks to Obama's efforts to repair relations between Cuba and the United States, Major Lazer was the first group in the peak of its success to perform a headlining show in Havana. Unsure if anyone had ever heard a Major Lazer track, they expected maybe a few thousand attendees to populate the free show at the deeply symbolic Tribuna Antiimperialista.
When miles of over 400,000 Cuban music lovers showed up, lining the streets and dotting skyscrapers above the venue, Major Lazer showed the true meaning of their mantra to "make the world smaller by making the party bigger". The documentary showcases how Cuba's vibrant youth uses electronic music as a means of expression, and explores the extent of a music sphere in a country where pricey Internet usage is few and far between.
Check out the video for "Lean On," Major Lazer's massively popular collaboration with MØ, to get a hint of the vibe at their live shows. Stay tuned for news on when "Give Me Future" will be available for public distribution.
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