Rumba rhythm is a fusion of African and Spanish traditions. Cuban ethnologist and anthropologist Fernando Ortiz has said the origins of rumba were possibly from Gangá, a tribe and culture in West Africa; however, there also are musical elements in rumba from other African tribes and ethnic groups. This makes it difficult to point out the exact precedent.
The Guaguancó rumba is the most developed in narrative form. It includes more elaborate verses, the use of rhymes and poetic content. The tempo is slower than Columbia and faster than Yambú. Guaguancó has three sections. The first is a melodic phrasing improvised by the singer, called the ''Diana." There is no textual meaning, but the singer presents the melody that will develop throughout the song. In the second section, the singer presents the narrative and poetic content. The lyrics are about things endured by the Afro Cuban people as well as love, frustration, pride and longing. In the third section, chorus is sung by all those participating. The tempo and energy of the music rises and revitalizes as it continues.
The dance represents a flirtatious courtship between a man and a woman: The man is constantly in pursuit of the woman.
Columbia is the fastest of all rumbas. A high-pitched drum called the "quinto" outlines the movements of the dancer. The structure of the song is also call-and-response. It presents two defined parts: the singing part and the dancing. The ''Llorao'' is a type of lament sung by the soloist-singer, and it is specific to Columbia. Generally, the dance is exclusive to men. As the dancing begins, a dancer will ask permission to dance with a gesture to the ensemble; after acknowledging the drummers, he demonstrates his dancing abilities. Later, another dancer will step up to challenge him.
Yambú is the oldest rumba and the slowest in tempo. The singing is done entirely in Spanish and does not use the African expression or slang that is sometimes used in Columbia and Guaguancó. African slaves were the first to include dances in their folkloric rituals. These could be considered the predecessors of rumba dance. Among these folkloric rituals is the Yuca, a dance interpreted by a couple. The Yuca is the African predecessor of Yambú. The dance is slow and ceremonial and also represents the flirting between a man and a woman. In Yambú, the woman is the dancer who stands out, not the man.
In rumba, the basic instrumentation consists of: tumbadoras, claves and palitos. A tumbadora is a barrel-shaped wooden drum created in Cuba. A clave is an instrument as well as a percussive pattern. Two thick wooden sticks are played against each other, and these maintain the rumba clave pattern throughout the song. The palito are two wooden sticks (or spoons) used to strike a different percussive pattern on a small wooden box.
For the Cuban people, rumba has been an art form, a means of expression and a vehicle of liberation since the times of slavery. The lyrics express the cry and joy of life as a celebration. In the dance, although it represents the sexual pursuit of the woman throughout the song, its value lies in avoiding vulgarity and demonstrating a vital force in a natural act.
The rumba rhythm is often confused with "rhumba," a term used in the international ball room dancing community. In international ballroom dancing, the term rhumba usually refers to a style of ballroom dance and not necessarily to a type of music. The music used for this type of dance is another Cuban rhythm called Bolero.