Hip-hop has always been a part of Argentina's musical output, simmering in the country's underground for decades while rock and pop music dominated national charts and album sales. Yet over the past 15 years, Argentine hip-hop has begun to enter the country's mainstream — and reach a global audience.

Argentinian hip-hop began gaining traction in the 2010s,  due in part to the popularity of freestyling competitions. One of the most popular competitions, El Quinto Escalón, became a YouTube show which tens of thousands of people watched live. Also vital to the scene was the rise of the much celebrated producer Bizarrap, who took home three golden gramophones at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs, including Song Of The Year. His five-year-old YouTube series, "BZRP Music Sessions," regularly gather millions of views as well as major names such as Peso Pluma and Shakira. 

While Biza may be the brightest light in Argentine hip-hop as of late, he is one of a galaxy of artists. In fact, the past decade has seen a growing number of Argentinian hip-hop icons such as Wos, Y$Y A and Khea. Read on for five artists who  are helping create a new path for the genre. 

Duki

Duki spent years in Argentina's competitive freestyling scene, eventually rising to prominence in  2016. After participating in battles for El Quinto Escalón, Duki gained a strong following and released his first single, "No Vendo Trap."

From there, Duki's rise was quick and dizzying. He became a member of the highly influential rap trio Modo Diablo (co-founded by fellow Argentine rappers YSY A and Neo Pistea), in which he released hits like "Trap N' Export" and "Quavo" — which is still celebrated by the Argentine trap fans to this day. He also was featured on Bad Bunny's YHLQMDLG, with the Latin GRAMMY-nominated track "Hablamos Mañana." At the 2021 Latin GRAMMYs, Duki's solo track, "Goteo," was nominated for Best Rap/Hip Hop Song. 

After Modo Diablo split up, in 2019, Duki released multiple solo albums, which would become a hallmark in Latin trap — particularly 2021's Desde el fin del mundo. 

Trueno

The son of the Uruguayan rapper MC Peligro, Trueno started rapping when he was 7 and, at the age of 13, began participating in national freestyling competitions. Less than a decade later, his  "Dance Crip" was nominated for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs.

The artist born Mateo Palacios Corazzina effuses an old school approach to hip-hop, which translates well into his music. His 2021 sophomore album, Bien O Mal, showcases Trueno's  love for and study of hip-hop, with a particular affinity for boom bap and G-Funk. 

Trueno is also a powerful political voice in Argentina, speaking out about Latin America's history of oppression and evoking names of its cultural past within his music, such as Víctor Heredia, a famous singer-songwriter from the Greater Buenos Aires area, and Atahualpa Yupanqui, an Argentinian folk musician. 

L-Gante

Hailing from General Rodríguez, in the Greater Buenos Aires area, L-Gante began his career in 2017, but his music started making waves during the pandemic. On "L-Gante RKT," a collaboration with producer Papu DJ, the rapper described the clandestine partying and entertainment that took place in Argentine barrios during the lockdown.

Less inclined to utilize international sounds, L-Gante is a part of an Argentinian movement known as RKT. A subgenre of reggaeton, RKT is influenced by the popular barrio-centric cumbia villera. 

Although L-Gante has not yet released a debut album, his singles and collaborations gather millions of plays. In 2021, the rapper appeared on BZRP Music Sessions #38 and their collaboration topped the Argentine Billboard Hot 100 chart for several weeks. As of writing, the session has 333 million views on YouTube.

The rapper is already performing at packed venues in Buenos Aires — on November 21st, he headlined a four-hour show at the famous Luna Park, which had the participation of many artists, including cumbia villera legend Pablito Lescano.

Dillom

Twenty-two-year-old rapper Dillom is leading the way for the weirdos and eccentric rappers in Argentina. The artist was raised in the central neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and learned to play bass at age 9 before learning how  to produce rap beats. Beginning with his first single, "Drippin'", in 2018, the youngster took off.

A year later, Dillom's career skyrocketed following a participation on BZRP Music Sessions. He later formed the crew Talented Broke Boys, and released their first self-titled mixtape. Dillom made his solo debut with the album Post Mortem in 2021, in which he collaborated with fellow Argentine rappers Muerejoven and L-Gante.

Post Mortem is a showcase of Dillom's true interests: a mix of horrorcore, trap, elements of reggaeton, cumbia and dance music, with funny and ironic lyrics. The rapper once said that "art should be a little offending, or it would be boring". 

Nicki Nicole

Nicki Nicole has been nominated for several Latin GRAMMYs  — including for Best New Artist in 2020 — and, at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs, walked the red carpet with Peso Pluma.

The rapper and singer started out doing freestyle in her hometown Rosario, Argentina, when she was 18. Her debut album came in 2019, after linking with producer Gonzalo Ferreyra, but the artist really started gathering the attention of hip-hop fans with the release of the track "Colocao" in 2020.

Nicki's catchy songwriting skills have netted significant attention: in just three years she has racked up hits such as "Mamichula" with Trueno, and "DISPARA ***" with Milo J. Her 2023 album Alma was nominated for Best Urban Music Album in this year's Latin GRAMMYs, and her Nicki Nicole Abre Su Alma tour has sold out seven shows at Buenos Aires' Movistar Arena.

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When Shakira’s "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" was released in January of 2023; its success seemed like a freak incident, explainable as a perfect but isolated storm. 

Their virulently catchy track — which happens to spill scalding tea on her breakup with retired Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué —  set streaming records and took home a Latin GRAMMY for Song Of The Year. Today, the song's success looks more like the first crashing wave of a massive comeback for Shakira. 

The three-time GRAMMY winner followed her Bzrp Session with another hit single, "TQG," collaborating with Karol G. That song went to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, and the duo cleaned up at the Latin GRAMMYs. 

In hindsight, all of this was a mere preamble to the announcement of Shakira's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women Don't Cry Anymore), due March 22. The album will be her first in seven years, but the sound is very much of the moment, leaning into a high-gloss urban Latin pop sound that delves in reggaeton, bachata and corrido. 

The album is no comeback. With a star as big as Shakira — one who performed at the Super Bowl in 2020 and had her own exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum — it's hard to make the case that she ever left the public eye. Yet the Colombian superstar has put out only a trickle of singles since 2017, when she released her GRAMMY-winning album El Dorado. Prior to the BZRP session, her last major hits were in 2016 with "La Bicicleta," a collaboration with Carlos Vives, and "Chantaje," featuring Maluma, which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs. 

It’s impossible to talk about this period of retreat, or her new album, without talking about the personal upheavals Shakira has gone through in recent years. In June of 2022, Shakira and Gerard Piqué, with whom she has two sons, publicly announced the end of their 11 year relationship. Starting with 2022’s "Monotonía," featuring Ozuna, nearly every song she has released  since then deals directly with the split and the emotional turmoil she has felt because of it. 

The singer and songwriter herself is not shying away from the fact that her music has been a therapeutic outlet. "I feel like in this moment of my life, which is probably one of the most difficult, darkest hours of my life, music has brought light," she told Elle in 2022. 

Case in point: her Bizarrap session. "Someone should have taken my photo the day I worked on the 'Bizarrap Session 53,' a before and after. Because I went into the studio one way and left in a completely different way," Shakira told Mexican television channel Televisa. "He gave me this space, this opportunity to let it out and it really was a huge release, necessary for my own healing, for my own recovery process."

That feeling of catharsis continued in her work on Las Mujeres. "Making this body of work has been an alchemical process. While writing each song I was rebuilding myself. While singing them, my tears transformed into diamonds, and my vulnerability into strength," the artist said in a statement on Instagram.

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Shakira is styling the album as a testament to resilience in the face of adversity, tapping into an understanding that her experiences have a broad resonance. While accepting Billboard’s 2023 Woman Of The Year award, Shakira discussed her "year of seismic change."

"I've felt more than ever — and very personally — what it is to be a woman," she said. "It's been a year where I've realized we women are stronger than we think, braver than we believed, more independent than we were taught to be." 

Indeed, with strength and bravery, Shakira proceeded to channel her individual hurt into a message of universal empowerment. Ahead of her album release, she’s even more explicit about the details of her separation and the impact the relationship had on her career. "For a long time I put my career on hold, to be next to Gerard, so he could play football. There was a lot of sacrifice for love," recently told The Sunday Times.

As she told Billboard for her 2023 cover story, settling down in Barcelona with Piqué and their two children, far from music industry centers, made it difficult for her to work. "It was complicated logistically to get a collaborator there. I had to wait for agendas to coincide or for someone to deign to come," she explained. 

Shakira has since relocated to Miami, a location that played a major role in making her new album possible.

One of the hallmarks of a true pop star is the ability to evolve with the culture without losing their identity. Over decades, and with each release, Shakira has broken a barrier or risen above an obstacle to succeed beyond expectations – whether it’s leading the first Spanish-language broadcast on MTV with her 2000 "Unplugged" concert, or learning English to write her own crossover pop debut. Each move has felt authentic.

It is not an easy task, but Shakira accomplishes this alchemy beautifully every few album cycles, starting with her debut as an alt-leaning, brunette singer/songwriter in the mid '90s. At the turn of the millennium, she made the jump to international fame with a cascade of golden curls and Laundry Service, the English-language album that capitalized on the first wave of crossover Latin pop. She closed out the decade in a whirl of high-gloss dance pop with the Pharell produced She Wolf. Along the way, there was one platinum selling album after another and the No. 1 hit "Hips Don’t Lie," among several Top 10 singles, setting the stage for her to blaze through much of the 2010s. 

Shakira is well-aware of how hard she has had to work even after crossover success. 

In 2019, she told Billboard, "This whole new world had opened up to me, and with it came so many great opportunities, but I continued to pursue impossible goals such as making a song like 'Hips Don’t Lie,' for example—that had a Colombian cumbia and a mention of Barranquilla in the middle of it—play on American radio. I remember I said to [then Sony Music Chairman] Donny Ienner, ‘You have to trust me on this one. This is going to happen, this song is going to blow up.’" 

With El Dorado, she caught the second wave of Latin pop crossover, the one tipped off by Luis Fonsi’s now-infamous 2017 earworm "Despacito." El Dorado, is one of Shakira’s more Latin leaning albums in the long history of her bicultural and bilingual music career. The songs are sung largely in Spanish and her choice of features on the album are almost entirely Latin pop and reggaeton artists: Maluma, Nicky Jam, Prince Royce and Carlos Vives. The album's May 2017 release coincided with a rising global interest in reggaeton.

Shakira wasn’t following a trend; she was just in touch with the moment as usual. She released "Chantaje" months before "Despacito," and "Bicicleta," her song with Carlos Vives, which combines elements of reggaeton and vallenato, came out in 2016. 

With the continued mainstream global success of Latin artists, Shakira may no longer see a need to release an English-language album for every album in her mother tongue. Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran breaks with tradition in that it is her second Spanish-language album in a row. It's also loaded with features from the world of Latin music, including Ozuna, Rauw Alejandro, Manuel Turizo, and Karol G. The moment could not be better for an album that explores forward looking pop reggaeton, assisted by some of the brightest young stars in the genre.

If the past is any indicator, this era is going to be another step up for the artist. Beyond the album release, Shakira is teasing another tour. As she told Billboard, "I think this will be the tour of my life. I’m very excited. Just think, I had my foot on the brakes. Now I’m pressing on the accelerator­ — hard."

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It is safe to assume that as a teenager growing up in Guadalajara, Peso Pluma harbored dreams of stardom. But the 24-year-old singer/songwriter could never have anticipated that 2023 would find him leading a historic música Mexicana boom, with millions of fans singing along to his songs all around the world.

It was the infectious "Ella Baila Sola" — a stirring, strangely addictive and quintessentially Mexican collaboration with the group Eslabón Armado — that changed everything. Peso was quick to react, branching into other sounds like the almighty reggaetón, and establishing himself as a quirky, likable, and astoundingly prolific Latin pop icon.

It all happened at a dizzying speed — but in the process, he showed an unusual gift for recording duets with artists from disparate genres. Peso’s breakthrough third album, GÉNESIS, is nominated in the Best Música Mexicana Album Category at the 2024 GRAMMYs and contains a bevy of featured collaborators. 

Ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Feb. 4, read on for 10 of Peso Pluma's most exciting collaborations.

"Por Las Noches" with Nicki Nicole (Remix)

The first sure sign that Peso Pluma could generate extraordinary duets with female singers happened in early 2023, when Argentine urbano chanteuse Nicki Nicole reached out about recording a revised version of Pluma's 2021 single "Por Las Noches." 

Her instincts were right. Boosted by subtle elements of ranchera, and enhanced by Nicole’s soulful vocals, the remix was not only a hit, but it also stands as one of the most delicate moments in Peso’s repertoire.

"Ella Baila Sola" with Eslabón Armado

"Ella Baila Sola" is the song that launched a thousand ships. It launched Peso Pluma as a global star, and will also be remembered as the track that exposed the entire planet to authentic Mexican music in 2023. 

A collaboration with California group Eslabón Armado, "Ella Baila Sola" captures in only three minutes the genre’s joyful spirit. It is also the first música Mexicana song to reach one billion streams on Spotify. The duet was among the featured performances at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs.

"Chanel" with Becky G

Peso Pluma was a natural choice for Esquinas, Becky G’s classy tribute to her grandparents and her Mexican roots. He sounds right at home in a tune that begins with thick tololoche accents, then finds him trading lines with Becky about a romantic relationship that has sadly deteriorated beyond the point of no return.

"Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 55"

From Quevedo and Arcángel to Residente and Snow Tha Product, Argentine producer Bizarrap collaborated with a gallery of rap icons on his viral Bzrp Sessions. Released in May of 2023, "Vol. 55" in the series marked Biza’s first foray into música Mexicana terrain, and the song was an instant hit. 

A sympathetic collaboration, it merges Peso’s sound with the kind of epic EDM flourishes that Bizarrap is celebrated for. The singer gets extra points for his euphoric energy on the accompanying video.

"Plebada" with El Alfa

Peso Pluma goes dembow? Following the Bizarrap session, the singer gave further proof of his versatility by guesting on an unhinged slice of hardcore Dominican dembow alongside genre king El Alfa. Peso is up to the challenge, opening the procedures with a furious bit of rapping, followed by Alfa’s delirious-as-usual flow (he even quotes a line off salsa classic "Químbara.") One of the singer’s most carefree — and fun — duets.

"Tulum" with Grupo Frontera

In April of 2023, Grupo Frontera — a young band from Edinburg, Texas — contributed to the globalization of música mexicana with "Un x100to," a duet with Bad Bunny. A few months later, Frontera appeared on the deluxe version of Peso’s GÉNESIS.

A romantic tune with lyrics urging a beautiful girl to leave her good-for-nothing rich boyfriend in favor of genuine erotic bliss, "Tulum" anchors the warm vibe of its chorus on zesty accordion lines.

"Pancake" with Natanael Cano

Marked by their heavy corridos tumbados sound and glorification of crime, Peso Pluma’s collaborations with 22 year-old rapper Natanael Cano became viral. Even though Peso has branched out into a wider variety of sounds, he still contributed vocals to "Pancake," one of the best cuts in Cano’s 2023 session Nata Montana. The delicate piano line at the end adds a welcome touch of refinement.

"Qlona" with KAROL G

Peso’s gruff delivery blends beautifully with the bouncy reggaetón groove of this steamy track culled from Karol G's mixtape MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO (BICHOTA SEASON.) The exchanges of fleshy innuendo with the Colombian diva are appropriately reckless, and the production of longtime Karol collaborator Ovy on the Drums brims with elegance. Not surprisingly, "Qlona" was a huge hit.

"La Chamba" with Arcángel

By the second half of 2023, Peso Pluma had become an in-demand guest of honor on records by Latin stars outside the confines of música Mexicana. Included in the eighth album by Puerto Rican rapper Arcángel — Sentimiento, Elegancia y Más Maldad — "La Chamba" juxtaposes Arcángel’s virtuoso flow and witty wordplay with Peso’s down-to-earth singing in a track about working class ethics over a reggaetón beat. Extra points for Tainy’s futuristic production and the inclusion of Danny Trejo on the visual.

"Igual Que Un Ángel" with Kali Uchis

Culled from the Colombian American star’s fourth studio album, 2024's Orquídeas, this clubby track with deep bass lines and shimmering synth effects showcases Peso at his most cosmopolitan — and miles away from his comfort zone. Kali Uchis takes the lead with a powerhouse first verse, followed by Peso’s guest spot, silky and romantic. The blend of their voices in the chorus works particularly well.

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Hip-hop is not only a global phenomenon, but a multi-lingual expression. There are many Latinx rappers who have contributed to the genre's legacy with Spanish-language music, and others who form the larger fabric of hip-hop history.

Hip-hop was born on Aug. 11, 1973 at a back-to-school party in the Bronx, which included African American, Caribbean and Latinx attendees. While Latinx people have helped shape the genre in the years since, Nuyoricans such as Angie Martinez, Fat Joe, and his collaborator Big Pun left an indelible Latinx mark on rap in the ‘90s. At the same time on the West Coast, the Latin Alliance formed and led to breakout careers of Chicano rappers Kid Frost and Mellow Man Ace, who both largely rapped in Spanglish. Cypress Hill and Ozomatli later emerged in their wake. Cuban American rapper Pitbull would soon crossover in the rap mainstream into the next decade. 

On the island of Puerto Rico, rappers nurtured the emerging genre of reggaeton in the ‘90s and 2000s as another medium where they could flex their Spanish flow. Pioneers like Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderón, and Don Omar unleashed their rhymes over dembow-driven rhythms. Ivy Queen and Lisa M blazed a path for women in the male-dominated genre. N.O.R.E.'s hit "Oye Mi Canto" would later help globalize reggaeton in 2005. That decade also saw the rise of Puerto Rican group Calle 13, which was led by rapper Residente, who has since become the most-awarded artist in Latin GRAMMY history. Cardi B and Bad Bunny are now representing Latinx rappers on a global level. Those are just a few names of many Latinx trailblazers. 

In honor of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, GRAMMY.com highlights eight artists from the next generation of Latinx rappers.

Trueno

Since the release of his breakthrough album Bien O Mal in 2022, Trueno has become the rap artist to watch out for in Argentina. In his songs like the empowering "Argentina" featuring Nathy Peluso or the poignant "Tierra Zanta" alongside Argentine folk artist Victor Heredia, he celebrates the culture of his country while embracing the sounds and influences of American rap.

Trueno went global after the Gorillaz invited him to perform "Clint Eastwood" with them at the Quilmes Rock festival in Argentina. Earlier this year, he got a co-sign from Latinx rap group Cypress Hill, who remixed Trueno's socially-conscious banger "F— The Police." More recently, Trueno is having fun with his rhymes in his recent feel-good singles like "Tranky Funky" and "Ohh Baby."

"My mission in life is to take Argentine rap as far as we can go," Trueno told Infobae this year. 

Eladio Carrion

Eladio Carrion is proving that his explosive rap flow can't be contained to one genre. The Puerto Rican rapper has made a name for himself thanks to his series of Sauce Boyz albums, which first launched in 2020. Carrion largely dominates the Latin trap scene, but he has also made his mark in drill with the "Tata" remix featuring J Balvin, Daddy Yankee, and Bobby Shmurda, even experimenting in Mexican corridos with Peso Pluma in "77."

Carrion's latest album, 3men2 Kbrn, features collaborations with rappers that he idolized. Future joins him in the swaggering "Mbappe" remix, Lil Wayne appears on the triumphant "Gladiador" remix, and "Si Salimos" features 50 Cent. The all-Spanish LP debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 chart in March.

"I just keep trying to build that bridge between Latin and American culture because I’ve been influenced so much by American hip-hop, but you know I do Latin music," Carrion told Uproxx this year. 

Villano Antillano

Villano Antillano is making a mark for both women and the LGBTQ+ community in the Latin hip-hop scene. The Puerto Rican rapper — who identifies as transfemme and nonbinary — has proudly represented who she is within her fierce anthems. Antillano teamed up with Spanish rapper Ptazeta for the girl power anthem "Mujerón" and empowered trans women in "Muñeca" with nonbinary artist Ana Macho.

Antillano made a global impact last year when she featured on Argentine producer Bizarrap’s hit "BZRP Music Sessions #51." Over trap beats with an electronica edge, she unleashed fiery flow about how she is running the Latin rap game. Villano then released her debut album La Sustancia X where celebrated women's resilience alongside Residente's sister iLe in "Mujer" and paid homage to La Delfi and Celia Cruz in "Cáscara De Coco."

"I hope that from seeing me and hearing my music, more people can live authentically in their everyday lives," she told MTV News in 2021. 

Young Miko

Young Miko is also breaking down barriers for the LGBTQ+ community in the Latin hip-hop scene. The queer Puerto Rican rapper has proudly dropped bars about her love for other women in her songs, like this year's global hit "Classy 101" with Colombian singer Feid, as well as  the swaggering "Lisa."

Young Miko broke through last year with her debut EP Trap Kitty, further asserting  her dominance in Latin trap previously exemplified by  the sexy "Riri" and the empowering "Putero." 

Young Miko has become one of the most in-demand collaborators in today's Latin music scene, proving that she can shine in any genre. In 2023, she featured g on Marshmello's house-infused "Tempo" and Bad Gyal's reggaeton banger "Chulo Pt. 2" with Dominican star Tokischa. 

"This generation is tired of the same," she told Popsugar this year. "They're accepting and receptive to something new. Maybe [my lyrics] are not how I feel but how I'd like to feel."

J Noa

In Latin rap, J Noa is proudly carrying her country of the Dominican Republic on her back. The teen phenom released her debut EP Autodidacta earlier this year. In the somber "Betty," J Noa shined a light on the pressures that Dominican teens face in underserved neighborhoods. In the explosive "Autodidacta," she unleashed her mind-blowing rap skills.

A triumphant moment on the EP is empowering "No Me Pueden Parar." The self-proclaimed "La Hija del Rap," or "the daughter of rap," spit inspirational bars about not allowing any obstacles to get in the way of achieving her dreams. J Noa has a knack for mixing social truths with fierce rhymes. Back in July, she wowed hip-hop pioneers DMC, Grandmaster Caz, Mighty Mike C, and Sha-Rock with a freestyle rap in the Bronx. 

"I can keep rap going by staying on the path that I am on," she told Refinery29. "Real rap is about social protests and history."

Akapellah

Akapellah is proudly representing the hip-hop scene in Venezuela, releasing songs that are both playful and socially-conscious In 2020, the hard-hitting "Condenados," he dropped bars about the plight of the Venezuelan people following the country's economic collapse.

Instead of letting his size be anyone else's punchline, Akapellah boasted about the benefits it gives him in the smooth "Gordo Funky." For his feel-good rhymes, he received multiple Latin GRAMMY nominations for Best Rap/Hip Hop Song. Akapellah made headlines this year when he released a tiraera, or diss track, against Residente called "No Eres Rapero." Understanding it's a part of hip-hop culture, Residente took the shot in stride and later named Akapellah one of his favorite Latinx rappers.

"My [success] has been very organic and like a hybrid," he told La República newspaper. "I have had my peaks of hype, but [my career] has always remained stable."

Nanpa Básico

Nanpa Básico is a proud exponent of Colombia in the Latin rap scene. The Medellín native has made waves with his street-conscious lyrics and romantic flow, first breaking through in 2017, with the guitar-driven ballad "Sin Ti Estoy Bien" and the haunting "Ya Para Qué."

This past year, Básico has gone global while exploring different genres. Alongside Mexican singer Ximena Sariñana, he tackles a whimsical pop sound in the dreamy "Nunca Tuve Tanto." Básico's slick rap flow met R&B in the soulful "Ya No Se Mueve" with Leon Leiden. Básico's latest album, HECHO M13RD4, boasts features from Mexican rappers Gera MX and Santa Fe Klan, regional Mexican music star Adriel Favela, and Colombian reggaeton singer Ryan Castro.

"I studied social work so I said I don't want to continue glorifying the problems, but on the contrary, very cool things happen in the hood too, that people sometimes don't talk about," he told Rolling Stone En Español.

Gera MX

Gera MX is making Mexico's rap scene go global. In 2021, he blended trap and mariachi music with Christian Nodal in the genre-bending hit "Botella Tras Botella." They made history with the first regional Mexican song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Last year, Gera MX continued to push boundaries for Latin rap in his two albums, No Teníamos Nada, Pero Éramos Felices and Ahora Tengo Todo Menos A Ti. In explosive "Hagan Ruido," he teamed up with Mexican American rapper Snow Tha Product where they proudly boasted about their roots. Colombian reggaeton singer Blessd joined Gera MX in the feel-good "One Love." This year, Gera MX brought together the worlds of Latin trap and corridos in the fiery "Feria En El Sobre," featuring Peso Pluma and Herencia De Patrones.

"Mexican hip-hop has gained a lot of respect and popularity," he told Remezcla. "I don’t know if it’s the Golden Age, but it’s a good time."

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Earlier this year, rapper and reggaetón star Arcángel collaborated with Bizarrap on one of the Argentine producer’s infamous sessions. A huge global hit, the track  — "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 54" — reminded us all of Arcángel’s devilish sense of humor and the brilliant specificity of his flow: languid, sweetly melodic, loaded with inventive wordplay.

At 37, Austin Agustín Santos is a revered veteran of the urbano genre. Born in New York City, he eventually moved to Puerto Rico and experienced his first brush with fame as part of the reggaetón duo Arcángel & De la Ghetto. His first solo effort, 2008’s El Fenómeno, included the smash "Pa’Que La Pases Bien," heralding his affinity for cutting-edge EDM soundscapes. 

Arcángel never lost his Midas touch for generating memorable songs. Last year’s Sr. Santos included "La Jumpa," a kinetic duet with Bad Bunny, and the slick majesty of "PortoBello." Released Nov. 17, his new album, Sentimiento, Elegancia y Más Maldad, boasts high-profile collaborations with Peso Pluma (lead single "La Chamba"), Rauw Alejandro (the EDM-heavy “FP”), Grupo Frontera, Spanish rapper Quevedo, and Feid, among others.

At the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs, Arcángel's "La Jumpa" received nods in the Best Urban Fusion/Performance and Best Urban Song categories; his Bizarrap session and their collaboration, "Bottas" were submitted were submitted as part of BZRP's Producer Of The Year nomination package.

Ahead of the release of his new album, Arcángel spoke with GRAMMY.com about his sophisticated rhymes, the trappings of fame, and the occasional bouts of self-doubt.

The rhymes on your Bizarrap session reference the Tower of Pisa, the shields of the gladiators in the Roman empire, Argentine soccer and luxury cars. How do you come up with this stuff?

It’s something that I’ve been developing since I was a kid. Here in Puerto Rico, we’re big fans of what we call palabreo (non-stop talk.) It’s also my Dominican blood, because people in the Dominican Republic are always making up things. 

When I was growing up, my mother fostered a love for reading in me, so I have a lot of information in my head that I can draw from. For instance, no one had referenced the Tower of Pisa in reggaetón before. I’d say a good 80 percent of reggaetoneros may not even know what the Tower of Pisa is. My mother worked hard so that I could get a good education.

Would you say the uniqueness of your style stems from those early years?

I grew up in a highly competitive environment. In the barrio, it was normal for us to improvise and mock each other in a friendly way. If you showed up with dirty sneakers, someone would rap about it. With so many years of practicing, it became a skill. There was a time when I wouldn’t come up to the barrio if I wasn’t well dressed, because I knew what I had to face. 

You become dexterous at building a reality with words — like an architect. I like everything to make sense in my rhymes. I become obsessive about it. The words don’t necessarily have to rhyme — as long as they have flow, style, and they make sense.

On the video of the Bizarrap session, we also get to witness your hilarious sense of humor. How did that part of your artistic identity develop?

I was raised in an environment marked by poverty, but there was also a lot of joy. We had nothing except for each other. Incredibly, I was happier then. I grew up feeling comfortable in uncomfortable situations, and that’s where my sense of humor comes from. I saw my Mom working two or three jobs so that she could put some food on the table. The only recourse I had to escape that reality was to make jokes and try to have a good time. 

When fortune and fame arrived, they provided a better lifestyle. But they also took away many things that I now miss — things that will never come back.

The last two albums contain some of your best material yet. Would it be fair to say that you’re enjoying a creative high?

The process of making music has become extremely hard for me during the past couple of years. I’m experiencing great success, but it also works as a kind of emotional torture, because my mental health is not the best. My own mind is the most formidable rival. I’m overwhelmed by the fear of not fulfilling the expectations that my fans may have. I’ve felt self-doubt, something that is entirely new to me. 

With all the experience I’ve amassed, I’m now at my most vulnerable. The act of creating felt so easy to me. Now, when the muse departs, it’s difficult to bring her back. Also, I’ve always preferred quality over quantity. Some of my peers are releasing three albums per year. I need to do some living in order to write new songs.

On the new album, the track with Rauw Alejandro (“FP”) is incredibly lush, seeped in atmosphere and EDM texture.

I sing about love because I’m a romantic. And I sing about partying because I definitely did a lot of that — too much, perhaps. [Laughs.] I used to be the kind of person who couldn’t stay home more than three hours. I harbor fond memories of that time — spending days away from home, the ambiance of it all, having a great time. 

When I write songs, I can definitely convince people that I’ve enjoyed all of that. In reality, these days I’m even a bit boring when it comes to partying.

2023 Latin GRAMMYs: See The Complete Nominations List