Its first official presentation took place in the National Theatre, in the Sala Covarrubias, in 1996. After that, three personal albums and ten as a producer, tours around Spain and the world would follow.

Athanai has collaborated with greats like Pablo Milanés, Luis Eduardo Aute, the band DoverO’funk’illo, Def Con Dos and many more.

Athanai, name that comes from the Greek and means “immortal”, is the white rapper of Cuba and a genius of fusion music.

Athanai’s first steps

Athanai’s generation was born in the mythical 70’s and although they have the 80’s under their skin, the mark of the 90’s, and their repercussions in the Cuban music, are their most characteristic stamp.

The young musician was a child who ran around the Havana Vedado and between 1987 and 1990 he began to write songs and perform in “peñas” or small concerts.

He is famous for his time in the peña of “13 y 8”, although he also performed in the Museum of the Revolution and the Napoleonic Museum. Thanks to a contract he got the money to pay for the instruments with which he formed his first group in 1993.

Discography and work as a producer

“Blanco rapero” is the nickname he gives himself in one of his first songs and becomes so well known by the population that nobody on the island calls him anything else. That song, “Séptimo Cielo”, is the title of his first album produced in 1997 by Miguel Bosé’s label, No More Discos. It is followed by “A Castro le gusta el Rock” and “Creando Milicia” both very controversial but critically acclaimed.

However, few people know that Athanai was the producer of the first Cuban Hip Hop compilation album, that he worked with José Luis Cortes “El Tosco” and Rosario Flores in the production of albums by these performers. His influence on fusion music has taken him down the paths of rock, rap, pop and also guaguancó and timba. He has also collaborated as a record producer for Lynn Milanés, one of Pablo Milanés’ daughters and Telmary Díaz.

Athanai and his return to Cuba

The news that the “white rapper” was returning to concerts in the country spread quickly in 2015. After several years working and living in Spain, he returned to the Cuban music hall circuit. He then appeared in “El Sauce”, “La Fábrica de Arte Cubano” and the Café-Teatro “Bertolt Brecht”, among others. Very important was his presentation at the Casa de las Americas, where the space could not contain the large influx of fusion music-loving public.

Athanai considers himself more than a rapper or rocker, he is a musician, an artist capable of interpreting and performing any musical genre without stylistic discrimination. Among his plans for the last year is to record a song with Frank Delgado about the “Romerías de Mayo”, to continue producing singles for what will be his next personal album and to remain active in Cuba’s culture and music scene. Luxury examples are “Falté” Ft. Haydée Milanés, “Madre y Tierra” with Pablo Milanés or “Todo” with Kelvis Ochoa.

An example of this is that in 2017 it was present at the “Festival Internacional del Cine Pobre”, in Gibara, Holguín, while its public awaits new presentations that will surely fulfill its desires.

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