Finely Honed Hip-Hop

Many consider Miami a little northern province of Cuba. And that’s not necessarily a bad a thing. For one, you don’t need una esquina Habanera to get your colada fix. You can get a killer cafecito on just about any corner in town. And, of course, there’s the small matter of the arts, like incredible music from the island, which is readily available in the 305. Until recently, it came mainly via the exile community, but recent foreign policy changes have opened the doors to artists from the island as well, and that’s providing a richer cultural experience.

Take Global Cuba Fest 2011 at the North Beach Bandshell this Saturday at. The result of a combined effort between the Miami Light Project and FUNDarte, the festival is uniting a couple of Cuban acts for a memorable show. Doble Filo (Double-Edged) is a Cuban hip-hop outfit formed in ’95 that melds diverse electro-influenced sounds like drum ’n’ bass with socially conscious lyricism. Meanwhile, Osdalgia is a thespian and songstress with golden pipes. They are an unlikely pair — but put on one hell of a varied show.

Sat., July 9, 8 p.m., 2011