MIAMI — The spiraling crisis in Cuba is getting new attention -- this time through music.

French rapper Ferapth is speaking out about conditions on the island through a new bilingual hip-hop song dedicated to the struggle for freedom in Cuba.

“Libertad, libertad,” the song declares.

Ferapth said his connection to Cuba began through boxing.

“So, I went to Cuba for the first time because of boxing,” he said in French.

What he experienced there surprised him and led him to explore beyond Havana.

He visited places including Campo Florido and Guanabo, where he saw poverty and challenges that many tourists do not encounter.

“When you see the situation they live in and the way they welcome foreigners, I found it to be something very, very profound on their part,” he said.

The experience inspired him to write music.

The result is a bilingual music video that takes a direct look at shortages, closures and the country’s broader struggles while calling for freedom.

“Gritamos libertad! No mas mentira,” the song says.

Ferapth said he felt the crisis was receiving little attention in his home country.

“I said to myself: in France, no one is talking about this. And it would be good if I used my art to alert France to the situation in Cuba,” he said.

The song combines Spanish and French lyrics while highlighting the hardships many Cubans face.

“As for the current situation now, it’s true that it’s a bit complicated,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Ferapth said he hopes conditions improve for Cubans both on and off the island.

“I simply hope that the exiled Cuban people and those on the island will be able to live better in the very near future,” he said.

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