Cinco de Gallo: Cumbia, rap and another side of Cinco de Mayo in NYC

By ANGELITA MENDOZA and AMARIS CASTILLO

It’s not all cheesy music and sombreros for Cinco de Mayo. Young Latinos in New York City have taken the commercial holiday as an opportunity to showcase other types of sounds.

Organized by Mexican bloggers Mex and the City and DJs Geko Jones and Uproot Andy from Que Bajo?!, the Cinco De Gallo party embraces the alternative to Cinco de Mayo once again with their 3rd annual celebration at Le Poisson Rouge club New York City’s West Village.

Global bass beats, hip hop, cumbia, and why not - piñata and iced margaritas - were all part of this downtown party that has become the place to be to celebrate Mexican-American culture every 5th of May.

This year, Cinco De Gallo brought a special Tejas flavor to the Big Apple: rapper Chingo Bling (aka the Tamale Kingpin) and DJ Sonora, who kicked the party into gear along with Que Bajo?! resident DJs Uproot Andy and Geko Jones (who hold monthly tropical bass parties in NYC).

The women behind Mex and The City - Marina Garcia-Vasquez and Ruby Vizcarra - and the guys from Que Bajo?! tell us what Cinco de Mayo means to them.