Latin
Page: 220
The most essential Spanish-language rappers, the G.O.A.T.s, and the most riveting Masters of Ceremonies, of yesterday and today: It’s a heavy crown that only a few dozen are worthy of upholding, and of passing on its majestic power. As a salute to hip-hop’s golden year, with the genre officially turning 50 on Friday (August 11), the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español teams are uniting to compile a list of the most extraordinary, compelling and commanding Spanish-language hip-hop acts of our generation and beyond.
As any self-respecting rap pundit knows, hip-hop was born in New York, 1973. But unbeknownst to many is that the Latin immigrant population dwelling in the Bronx played a fundamental part in the genre’s growth. Nuyoricans took the style back to the island, where in the 1990s, it got the tropical treatment in the hands of genre pioneers Vico C, known as the Father of Latin Hip-Hop, streetwise poet Tego Calderón, and her royal reggaetón majesty, Ivy Queen — and later Residente, who revolutionized the style via sardonic wordplay and fearless social commentary.
Through cassettes and bootlegs, the Spanish-language art form traveled far and wide, planting seeds of rap throughout the Hispanophone world. Trailblazers began adopting the lyrical style in Spain during the ‘90s, thanks to the likes of Nach, SFDK, El Chojin and more.
By the turn of the new millennium, the blockbuster Eminem-starring film 8 Mile inspired a movement among the youth in pursuit of winning rap battles, as they flexed their freestyling abilities. Mexican tianguis eventually became a hotbed for battle rap, where batalla heavyweight champ Aczino helped elevate the art form to the next level.
Enter Red Bull’s Batalla de los Gallos — formed in 2005 — which, throughout the years, helped boost the booming scene across Ibero America, snowballing by the years and making stars out of urban kids with lyrical dexterity. There’s also Buenos Aires’ battle rap competition El Quinto Escalón, which began in 2012, where the likes of Paulo Londra, Duki and Wos rose from the Argentine capital’s underground scene to international notoriety, via viral YouTube videos.
Today, Spanish-language rappers continue to play a formidable role in the movement’s evolution and expansion.
In a similar approach to Billboard/Vibe’s 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time list, the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español teams took into account the following criteria in the selection process and ranking: body of work/achievements (charted releases, gold/platinum certifications), cultural impact/influence (how the artist’s work fostered the genre’s evolution), longevity (years at the mic), lyrics (storytelling skills) and flow (vocal prowess.)
Note: We opted not to include the significant contributions of pop-reggaetón acts on this list, or of rappers like Bad Bunny and Anuel AA, who have focused more on reggaetón and the reggaetón lifestyle. This is not a reflection of their rhyming capabilities or commercial success, but rather our attempt at keeping the focus of the list on artists whose output have been more rap-centered. We also aimed to spotlight the most representative rappers of Spanish-speaking countries with foundations in hip-hop, for the sake of diversity.
So without further ado, here are the 50 best Spanish-language rappers — including both solo artists and groups — and let the battles begin!
Alika
Image Credit: @irieproducciones
Yahritza y Su Esencia crosses off its first Billboard airplay No. 1 as “Frágil” with Grupo Frontera lifts 3-1 to crown the Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated Aug. 12). The song becomes the Martinez siblings’ maiden No. 1 on any airplay ranking.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Thank you very much with all our heart,” Yahritza tells Billboard. “The truth is that it is a blessing and it’s all thanks to our audience. We knew the song would be very special from the moment we started working on it with the Frontera guys, and we’re very pleased that everybody has connected so much with it. We are excited to sing it on our tour that launches Aug. 15.”
“Frágil” ejects Alejandro Fernández’s “No Es Que Me Quiera Ir” from the lead thanks to a 28% increase in audience impressions, to 8.4 million, earned in the U.S. during the tracking week ending Aug. 3, according to Luminate. (“Que Me Quiera” dips to No. 3 with a 16% cut, to 7.41 million.)
Yahritza y Su Esencia feted its first radio entry when “Frágil” debuted at No. 38 on Regional Mexican Airplay on July 1. The song made its way across multiple Billboard charts prior to its radio debut, including cracking the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 82 (May 6) for a later No. 69 peak. Let’s look at its rankings:
Peak Position, Chart, Peak Date
No. 2, Latin Airplay, Aug. 12
No. 3, Latin Digital Song Sales, April 22
No. 10, Hot Latin Songs, April Aug. 5
No. 11, Latin Streaming Songs, May 27
No. 35, Billboard Global Excl. U.S., June 3
No. 37, Billboard Global 200, June 3
No. 69, Billboard Hot 100, May 27
“Frágil” is the first chart entry in 2023 by the Martinez sibling trio, who scored a No. 17 high on Hot Latin Songs through “Inseparables” with Iván Cornejo last October. Since then, the group — comprised of Yahritza (lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Armando (Mando; 12-string guitar) and Jairo (acoustic bass) — released four other tracks, none of which scored a Billboard entry. Those tunes faced a different recording process, attributable to a seven-month stay in Mexico City by big brother Mando, who had to relocate to his native country while his O-1 visa was being processed. During that time, the siblings connected via FaceTime to record and compose, notwithstanding a few trips by Yahritza and Jairo to ease the process.
“Frágil” is the first collaboration between the trio and Frontera, who secure its fourth No. 1, among seven straight top 10s on Regional Mexican Airplay, including the six-week champ “Que Vuelvas” with Carin León (Jan.-March)
“Working with our friends from Grupo Frontera was a lot of fun and an unforgettable experience,” Y Su Esencia adds. “We have a great relationship and thank God we can say that they are one of our best friends in the industry.”
Beyond its Regional Mexican Airplay No. 1, “Frágil” barely misses the top slot on the overall Latin Airplay chart, where the song climbs 8-2.
“Frágil” was composed by Yahritza Martinez, Edgar Barrera, Kevyn Cruz, and Luis Angel O’Neill Laureano.
[embedded content]
Colombian superstar Shakira is confirmed for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week, set to take place Oct. 2-6 at the Faena Forum in Miami. The global artist — who in May was named Billboard’s first-ever Latin Woman of the Year — will participate in an exclusive superstar Q&A moderated by Leila Cobo, Billboard’s Chief Content Officer for Latin/Español.
One of the best-selling music artists of all time, Shakira has sold more than 95 million records worldwide since launching her career. This year has been extraordinary for the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter thanks to her Bizarrap-produced “Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions #53,” which debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first woman to reach the top 10 on the chart with a song in Spanish. It also made history as the most-streamed Latin track in 24 hours in Spotify history, and the most-viewed Latin track on YouTube in 24 hours with over 63 million views; it also broke 14 Guinness World Records.
Shakira joins a star-studded roster for the five-day legacy event that will feature exclusive panels and conversations with hitmakers throughout the week. Maria Becerra, GALE, Nicki Nicole, Nathy Peluso and Young Miko will be part of the Boys Club No More! panel focused on the women making noise in the Latin music landscape.
Additional panels include The New Mexican Revolution with Natanael Cano, Peso Pluma, Santa Fe Klan, and Yng Lvcas, plus the Making the Hit LIVE panel featuring Edgar Barrera and Grupo Frontera, who will create a song onstage from scratch. Other artists confirmed to be part of 2023 Latin Music Week include Arcángel, Vico C, Eladio Carrión and Fonseca.
With 30 years of events, Billboard Latin Music Week is the longest running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world. After a sold-out 2022 edition that featured star Q&As with Maluma, Ivy Queen, Chayanne, Romeo Santos and Christina Aguilera, to name a few, the event returns, coinciding with Hispanic Heritage Month.
Billboard Latin Music Week will also coincide with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Watsco Center in Miami, and will broadcast live on Telemundo. The awards show will broadcast simultaneously on Spanish entertainment cable network Universo, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.
Registration for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
Contrary to reports published Monday afternoon (Aug. 7) by multiple media outlets, Spanish singer/songwriter José Luis Perales is not dead. In fact: “I’m more alive than ever,” the 78-year-old superstar said in a video he posted on his official Instagram account denying the news published about his supposed death. Not only is Perales not dead, […]
Karol G has unveiled the tracklist of her upcoming album Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) — set to drop on Friday, Aug.11 — in an Instagram Stories post. The set is home to 10 brand new songs, including collaborations with Kali Uchis, Young Miko, Dei V and Peso Pluma. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts […]
After strong sales of the 65 dates of his Luis Miguel Tour 2023, which will play until the end of the year, Latin superstar Luis Miguel will extend his trek through 2024, Billboard can exclusively reveal.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The Mexican singer will play 50 additional dates next year, making stops in Central and South America, the United States, Canada and Europe.
Luis Miguel Tour 2024 will officially kick off in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on Jan. 20, 2024, and will go to Central and South America before circling back to the U.S., April 4 in Seattle, WA. He’ll then play 32 dates, ending June 16 in Greensboro, North Carolina. The shows will be produced by CMN and Fenix, who are also producing the current leg of the tour.
Miguel’s 2023 tour officially kicked off Aug. 3 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the singer performing over 50 songs from his vast catalog, including timeless hits such as “La incondicional,” “Ahora te puedes marchar,” and “Hasta que me olvides.”
The highly-anticipated tour is Miguel’s first outing since his 2018-2019 México por Siempre tour, which grossed $101.4 million and sold 965,000 tickets across 116 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore. It was the highest grossing Latin tour in Boxscore history until last year when Bad Bunny‘s El Último Tour del Mundo and World’s Hottest Tour surpassed it.
The México por Siempre tour coincided with the first season of Luis Miguel: The Series, based on Miguel’s life and premiering in April 2018. The second and third seasons of the series streamed on Netflix in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, heightening interest in Miguel and his catalog, despite the fact that he hasn’t released a studio album since 2017’s ¡Mexico Por Siempre!
Luis Miguel Tour 2024 tickets go on presale Thursday, Aug. 10 at 10 am ET, and all tickets will go on sale Aug. 11 for the U.S.
Ticket sales in other countries will be announced individually.
All dates for Luis Miguel Tour 2024 are below:
Jan. 20 — Santo Domingo, Rep. DominicanaJan. 23 — San Juan, Puerto RicoJan. 27 — Ciudad de Guatemala, GuatemalaJan. 30 — San Salvador, El SalvadorFeb. 2 — Tegucigalpa, HondurasFeb. 5 — Managua, NicaraguaFeb. 8 — San José, Costa RicaFeb. 12 — Caracas, VenezuelaFeb. 15 — Medellín, ColombiaFeb. 17 — Bogotá, ColombiaFeb. 21 — Quito, EcuadorFeb. 24 — Lima, PerúMarch 2 — Santiago, ChileMarch 8 — Buenos Aires, ArgentinaMarch 14 — Córdoba, ArgentinaMarch 16 — Montevideo, UruguayMarch 20 — Asunción, ParaguayMarch 23 — Sao Paolo, BrasilMarch 28 — Santa Cruz, BoliviaApril 4 — Seattle, WAApril 5 — Portland, ORApril 7 — Sacramento, CAApril 11 — San Francisco, CAApril 13 — Fresno, CAApril 14 — San Jose, CAApril 17 — Los Angeles, CAApril 19 — Las Vegas, NVApril 20 — Glendale, AZApril 25 — Palm Desert, CAApril 26 — Ontario, CAApril 28 — Salt Lake City, UTMay 2 — El Paso, TXMay 4 — Laredo, TXMay 5 — Austin, TXMay 8 — Dallas, TXMay 10 — Hidalgo, TXMay 11 — San Antonio, TXMay 15 — Houston, TXMay 18 — Atlanta, GAMay 23 — Toronto, CanadáMay 24 — Montreal, CanadáMay 26 — Minneapolis, MNMay 30 — Chicago, ILJune 1 — Brooklyn, NYJune 2 — Uncasville, CTJune 5 — Orlando, FLJune 6 — Sunrise, FLJune 8 — Miami, FLJune 12 — New OrleansJune 14 — Nashville, TNJune 16 — Greensboro, NC
From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and those little, important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Maria Becerra is Engaged!
This week, Argentine artist Maria Becerra announced her engagement with Argentine artist Rei. “I love you so much, my love. My heart explodes with happiness. I can’t stop crying. I’m so lucky to have found you,” she posted in a since-deleted Instagram story, where she posted a video of the silver-band ring with a tiny red heart. On TikTok, the lovebirds shared a detailed video of their special night, revealing that it was Becerra who proposed to Rei during a getaway in Santorini.
Carlos Rivera is a Dad!
Carlos Rivera and his partner Cynthia Rodriguez have welcomed their baby boy this week, whom they named León Rivera Rodriguez. “Our beloved León just waited for dad and decided to be born last night 08/03/23. He is a beautiful baby, very healthy, very big and very strong. Mom is perfect and beautiful,” expressed the Mexican crooner in a joint Instagram post. “Happiness today has a new meaning in our life.” See the sweet photo below.
Mau & Ricky’s Emotional Visit Home
A video posted by Mau y Ricky has gone viral after the sibling duo paid a visit to indigenous children in their native country, Venezuela—it was the first time they returned back home in 15 years. In the clip, Ricky is playing the guitar as Mau gets emotional and begins to cry listening to the kids sing their song “Amen.” “Since we started making songs, we dreamed that our music would be heard everywhere. Starting with our country… a place that for many years we were afraid to return to, we felt far away and thought that no one was listening[…] This trip has been a healer on another level…we are as Venezuelan as ever but much MORE than ever,” they captioned the post.
Karol G’s Stadium Tour Opening Acts
Following her history-making Lollapalooza performance—as the first female Latin act to headline the festival in more than 30 years—Karol G unveiled the opening acts for her Mañana Será Bonito tour. In her Instagram stories, the “Bichota” singer shared that special guests Young Miko, Bad Gyal, and DJ Agudelo888 will be opening her shows. While Agudelo will pump up the crowd during all 15 dates, Young Miko and Bad Gyal will join the Colombian artist on different occasions. Check out all the info below:
A Museum and Salsa Legends
The International Salsa Museum (ISM) announced a first-ever exhibition celebrating Afro-Cuban artist La Lupe, also known as the Queen of Latin Soul. Held during the 2023 New York International Salsa Congress (NYISC), the three-day pop-up and fan experience will also commemorate the centennial of the King of Mambo, Tito Puente.
“ISM is honored that the estates of these seminal artists of early Latin music believe in our mission,” said Willy Rodriguez, co-founder and executive director of ISM, in a statement. “It’s important to educate the public on their legacies while humanizing the persons behind the curtains.”
As part of the tribute, Puente’s son, Tito Puente Jr. will form part of a panel discussion about the past, present, and future of salsa with ISM and former Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise, Luis Figueroa. He will also perform with his orchestra. The exhibition and pop-up, fan experience will open Sept. 1 at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square. For ticketing information, and more, click here.
Anitta is the latest act to take on the challenge of eating spicy wings in a new episode of Hot Ones.
“I think it’s going to be a nightmare,” she told host Sean Evans before eating the chicken wings. She joked about her family being concerned about her shooting the show and how her publicist encouraged her to take on the challenge because it was an “amazing” opportunity.
During the nearly 30-minute episode, the Brazilian not only tried out various hot sauces including Classic Chili Maple, Zesty Lemon Pepper and the Spice Shark, to name a few, but she also talked about the roots of Brazilian funk music, her upcoming projects and more.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Most notably, Anitta was as unfiltered as ever, sharing crazy anecdotes about her personal life and career. Below, check out five fun facts we learned watching Anitta’s “Hot Ones” episode:
[embedded content]
1. Discovering Reggaeton Music: While trying out the Thai Green Curry Hot Sauce, the artist shared a story about discovering reggaeton music during one of her first business trips to Mexico. She said she first went to a “fancy” nightclub and was underwhelmed. Then, she hopped in a taxi and asked to be taken to a regular club in a barrio. She recalls having the best time ever and Shazamming all the reggaeton songs that caught her attention to later go back to the hotel and DM the artists for potential collaborations.
2. No Condiments, Please: “I never put lemon on my food,” the singer said ahead of trying out the Zesty Lemon Pepper Hot Sauce. “This is the easiest one so far. I feel so relaxed now.” While eating the chicken wing, she talked about going on a date with a chef to his restaurant and faking to like the food. She said all the dishes had black pepper but that she doesn’t eat black pepper because “it causes hemorrhoids.”
3. Love-Making Music: Things got spicier (no pun intended) when she tried the Chile Lengua de Fuego sauce. “I love songs to make love to. I always make songs to twerk,” she admitted. “I think a good song to have sex needs to have that movement that you feel you can go with it and ride to it. I took a course of tantric massage and it needs to match that vibe — it needs to be sensitive, not that strong. It was good,” she elaborated.
4. Embarrassing Work Moment: As the challenge grew hotter, Anitta became more revealing. During Los Calientes Rojos Hot Sauce, she talked about clogging the toilet at a fancy hotel where she was having a work meeting. “Everyone was knocking on the door and the toilet wouldn’t flush. The water spilled, I was desperate. I was there for 40-mins,” she laughed.
5. She Doesn’t Google Herself: While eating the extra hot and spicy Jalapeño Chico sauce, Anitta said she doesn’t care about reading news about herself or even googling her name. “I used to be on top of my sh** every single day—Do people love me? Do they hate me? Now I don’t give a sh** because people are crazy. I decided to let it go.”
Brazilian and Colombian rhythms and cultures collide in this insatiable reggaetón and funk carioca remix. During spring 2023, Rio de Janeiro funk singer DENNIS, alongside MC Kevin o Chris, dropped their infectious club banger “Tá OK,” a song that boasts a carefree spirit made for the dancefloor. Today — three months and 180 million streams […]
New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Grupo Frontera, El Comienzo (Grupo Frontera)
After gaining virality with their Morat cover of “No Se Va” and taking advantage of the momentum to release original music — which has earned them seven titles on the Billboard Hot 100, and 10 on Hot Latin Songs (including a No. 1 hit) — Grupo Frontera has officially launched their debut studio album, El Comienzo (the beginning). Home to 11 tracks, the McAllen-based group delivers a traditional norteño-cumbia set with some very heartfelt and relatable lyrics — mostly about love and heartbreak.
Most notable are the star-studded collaborations. For “Alta Voz,” Frontera brings back Junior H in his sad boy era, singing about missing someone and calling them despite the hour; in “Las Flores,” Frontera and Yahritza y Su Esencia’s second collaborative effort, we find an upbeat, ‘90s-inspired grupero melody backing a vocal about regretting falling in love; and on focus single “El Amor de Su Vida,” with Grupo Firme, a man makes his peace that the love of his life is with another person. El Comienzo also includes previously released collabs “Que Vuelvas” with Carin León, “Ojitos Rojos” with Ke Personajes, and the Bad Bunny-assisted “Un X100to,” which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year. Stream and listen to the album above. — JESSICA ROIZ
Kali Uchis, El Alfa & JT from City Girls, “Muñequita” (Geffen Records)
[embedded content]
Kali Uchis brings her enigmatic allure to the main room on the sultry single, “Muñequita.” This time, the Colombian-American femme fatale enlists an eclectic cast, Dominican dembow purveyor El Alfa and JT of City Girls, who each bring their dynamic energy to kick off a new summer anthem. “I love bringing artists together that you’d least expect,” said the Grammy winner in a press release. “El Alfa is a Latino legend and JT is someone I’ve admired forever. Both of them are known for their summer hits and high energy, so I’m incredibly excited to bring them together for a fun, sexy song like this.” Produced by Mazzarri and FABV, “Muñequita” is the first single that will lead to Kali Uchis’ upcoming Spanish-language album. The singer recently wrapped up the first leg of her sold-out Red Moon In Venus national tour. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Timø, “Quédate” (Universal Music Latino)
[embedded content]
Between a deluge of urban songs and regional Mexican music that is so hot these days, it’s also refreshing to hear a good Latin pop song. Emerging boy band TIMØ brings us one this week with their single “Quédate” (Stay). With strong synth lines, an infectious kick drum that drives the song and crescendoing acoustic guitars, the Colombian trio takes turns singing about an unexpected reunion with love. “I only know that you and I met again, stay,” they conclude in their lyrics. In the video, you can see the members in different shots enjoying a party at sunset and at the beach. The talented group, which mixes pop music with hints of funk and tropical, made in Colombia, turns out to be a pleasant discovery. — LUISA CALLE
Camila Fernández, “Una Vida” (Universal Music Mexico)
[embedded content]
In true Fernández dynasty form, Camila Fernández’s delivery of a mariachi or norteño song is just as evocative as her grandfather’s (Vicente Fernández) and her father’s (Alejandro Fernández). The accordion-led “Una Vida,” Camila’s latest single, is a gorgeous mariachi ballad about finding and preserving genuine love — one that centers on each other’s spiritual growth. With her striking, mature and deep vocals, Camila sings, “today I place all bets on you even if there’s no guarantee … if I had to repeat every step that led me to you, I would do it with pleasure.” The song follows previously released singles “Fue Tan Poco Tu Cariño” and “Todo Todo” from earlier this year, as well as her 2022 debut album, Vulnerable. The music video for “Una Vida” features Camila’s maternal grandparents, who portray a beautiful love story. — GRISELDA FLORES
Damian, “Sabrosura” (WOW! Entertainment)
[embedded content]
Colombian singer-songwriter Damian — one of Billboard’s On the Radar Latin artists — continues spreading the joy of the Caribbean with his new single “Sabrosura.” The song, which follows his romantic vallenato “El Amor No Es Amor,” is a refreshing urban cumbia that invites you to dance and put your sorrows aside, with rap verses like “Forget your problems, there is a solution for everything/ Let this rhythm enter your heart,” and a contagious chorus that repeats, “Sabrosura, traigo sabrosura,” which could be translated to “Flavor, I bring flavor.” The colorful music video, filmed in Barranquilla, Colombia and directed by Harlyn Camargo, is sure to put a smile on your face. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Lagos, “Soltando a Pedazos” (Warner Music Mexico)
[embedded content]
Luis Jiménez and Mr. A on the Beat (real name: Agustín Zubillaga), the up-and-coming Venezuelan pop duo LAGOS, present their latest single “Soltando A Pedazos.” The single kicks off the start of a new creative phase, leading up to their forthcoming sophomore album. Powered by the melodies of an electric piano with ’80s-reminiscent melodies, and laced with their soothing voices, this song talks about the complex emotions that arise when it’s time to let go of someone knowing that it’s not an easy decision. “And although I’m letting you go, it’s by pieces/ I’m leaving confident, but I’m going slowly, step by step,” they sing. — INGRID FAJARDO
Check out more editor’s picks in the weekly playlist below!