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馃幎 Two Rhythms, One City: A DJ’s View on Miami’s Cuban Musical Divide

by DJ Alex Guti茅rrez

I’ve been DJ’ing in Miami long enough to see how our Cuban community dances to two very different beats and sometimes, how those beats collide right in front of me.

On one side, you’ve got the salseros the old-school crowd that grew up with the elegant, structured salsa sound that came out of New York in the 1970s. On the other, the new arrivals from Cuba  full of that raw island energy, dancing to timba, reggaet贸n, and cubat贸n.

Both are Cuban to the core… but trust me, they don’t move the same way.

馃拑 The Salsa Generation

I grew up in the era when salsa was more than music — it was a way of life.
Legends like H茅ctor Lavoe, Willie Col贸n, Gilberto Santa Rosa, and V铆ctor Manuelle gave us a sound that was refined and classy.

We treated salsa nights like special occasions: guayaberas crisp, shoes polished, the ladies dressed to impress. There were rules  respect your partner, stay in time, keep it graceful.

That’s how we honored the music and each other. It wasn’t just about rhythm  it was about pride.

Hector Lavoe - El Cantante   


馃敟 The New Island Sound

Then came the new wave  Cubans fresh from the island, bringing artists like Gente de Zona, El Taiger, and Jacob Forever.

Their music blends reggaet贸n, timba, and Afro-Cuban percussion into something wild, street, and completely Cuban.
It’s not about formality  it’s about expression. The lyrics talk about life, hustle, love, and fun. The moves are looser, bolder, full of attitude.

“Where we danced with discipline, they dance with freedom.”

It’s a different kind of energy  and it’s powerful.

Gente de Zona -Hablame de Miami    


馃帶 When the Worlds Collide

Now picture this: I’m in the booth at a party in Little Havana. Half the crowd wants V铆ctor Manuelle, the other half is screaming for El Taiger.

I drop a salsa classic  the older folks cheer. Then I slide into a cubat贸n track  the newer crowd lights up.
But sometimes, those two energies don’t mix. One side’s doing perfect casino turns; the other’s moving to a completely different beat.

It’s not just a difference in music — it’s a difference in culture.
One dances with elegance; the other with instinct. Both dance with heart.

“When I mix it right  when I find that perfect blend — the walls drop. For a few minutes, everyone’s dancing together.”

That’s when I know I’ve done my job.

馃暫 Bridging the Beat

Being a DJ in Miami isn’t just about playing hits. It’s about understanding people  generations, histories, moods.

I respect the structure and elegance of the old school, but I also love the raw pulse of the island’s new sound. To me, they’re two sides of the same story  exile and homeland, nostalgia and evolution.

That’s the Miami I know. The one where the rhythm changes from room to room, but the heart stays the same.

❤️ One Island, Two Sounds, One Soul

There’s no “better” or “worse” version of Cuban music — just different chapters of the same story.

Salsa represents our roots, discipline, and pride.
The new Cuban sound represents our present — freedom, creativity, and survival.

And for me, standing behind the booth, my mission stays simple:
Keep the beat alive. Keep Cuba alive.

Because no matter what rhythm we dance to, we’re all moving to the same heartbeat —
la m煤sica de Cuba.

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