Influence on society
The cumbia has been identified with the popular culture. During the mid-19th century it was considered a marginal type of music and it was even called “musica escalera abajo”, there’s to say, from a low social status. Even nowadays, some people from the places where cumbia is listened to (primarily Latin America) describe it as “música de negros” implying that it is music of black people from low social statuses. Those people tend to be fonder of European and North American culture rather than their own local culture.
The Colombian musician and composer Lucho Bermudez was known for being the forefather of introducing the cumbia as an icon of national identity (most of all in Colombia) rather than just a type of music representative of low social stratums.
The Cumbia Villera was created during 2000 and 2001 due to a social crisis that took place in South America. People wanted their complaints to be heard and cumbia musicians felt that they needed to represent the people’s voice through their music. It is majorly characterized by social lyrics which can remind one of hip-hop songs.
