GRIOTS REPUBLIC - An Urban Black Travel Mag - March 2016

SALSA CHOKE: THE DOUGIE MEETS SALSA
Written By: Jeremiah Meyers
The first time I ever heard the music
genre salsa choke was just last year
when my girlfriend Cici took up a oneyear
work assignment in Cali, Colombia.
If you know anything about Cali, then
you know that it is the epicenter of
salsa dancing. Many
of the most famous
dancers and clubs call
Cali home, and it’s
impossible to explore
the city without being
immersed in salsa
culture.
Having grown up in
Miami, Cici is quite
familiar with salsa, but
what she discovered
while living and
learning in the city
of Cali was a genretwisting
form of song
and dance that was
an undiscovered gym
to our uninitiated ears. As I listen to the
track, it had so many elements familiar
to me but felt totally new. You had no
choice but to move to the infectious
tune. Needless to say, I had to know
more about what I was hearing.
Salsa choke’s roots can be found in the
Pacifico region of Colombia. What’s
unique about this region is its rich history
in Afro-Colombian culture. Much of
the culture from the
original African people
brought to Colombia
as slaves, has been
preserved in many
ways, especially in
music.
Salsa choke blends
melodies and sounds
of classic salsa with
the rhythms and bass
of contemporary
urban music, including
hip hop. The end
result is a youthful and
energetic dance that
adds modern urban
style to a timeless
music genre. Think salsa music mixed
with “the Dougie!” If you like to dance,
then you’ll love salsa choke.
The genre has become so popular that