WhiteClawFeatures2024
If you were to meet De La Ghetto for the first time, he’d introduce himself by saying: “I’m De La Ghetto. I’m a rockstar!” The Puerto Rican star punctuated his words with a laugh, but he hit the nail on the head.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
While De La Ghetto, aka De la Geezy or simply Geezy, is known as a reggaetón icon with 18 years of hits under his belt, his range of action goes way beyond a dembow beat. Witness his most recent hits, which include dance anthem “Amaneció” alongside Quevedo and De la Rose, and a soulful cover of “Sweet Child of Mine.” Yes, you heard that right.
Turns out De La Ghetto is a “Closet rockstar,” as he confessed during an intimate Q&A with Billboard’s Leila Cobo as part of the White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard, speaking before an audience of some 200 guests at the Surfcomber in Miami Beach.
“When I first started reggaeton, I couldn’t say, ‘Yo I like Guns ‘N Roses, Metallica, Linkin Park. Nobody in the hood likes rock. That’s what I was told. When I was a kid I loved hearing all genres. Hip hop, classic rock, ballads. But from seven to 14, my passion was rock.”
That passion became reggaetón by accident, when he chanced on a reggaetón party in the neighborhood of La Perla in Puerto Rico. He grabbed a mic, started free styling, and next thing he knew, “Someone came up and said, ‘Zion is opening a label, and he needs artists.”
Many hits and many years later, however, De La Ghetto does pretty much whatever he wants musically. While singles like “Sensación del bloque” and “Caile” (alongside Bad Bunny, Bryant Myers, Zion and Revol) have become reggaetón standards, new fare like “AMI Paris” and “TBFCK” explore genres like dance and EDM, or what he calls a “more Americanized reggaetón.”
“With the way reggaetón is constantly changing, the future of reggaetón could be in rock ‘n roll. Now everybody is in the reggaetón salsa wave or dancehall. So, maybe in two, three years there could be more like a rock wave or a punk wave mixed with reggaetón,” he adds.
In fact, he says, in his bucket list of possible collaborators is TImbaland –“I would love for him to produce a record for me. Push me to the next level,” he says—but also alt rocker Robi Rosa.
Anything is possible, he adds. “My advice to young people? Just keep pushing, just keep pushing. Don’t be scared to be different, be unique. Now, with social media, you’re your own boss. What’s the worst that can happen? If they doin’t like your song, put out another one!”
Watch the full interview — including stories behind collabs with Quevedo and Daddy Yankee, plus, De La Ghetto’s favorite and least favorite words and slang— above.
Reggaetón star De La Ghetto shared stories from his 20 years of hitmaking in an intimate VIP Q&A at the White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles. Watch the full interview to learn more about him, from his secret love of rock to how his career evolved as he became an independent artist.
Though White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard has come to a close, the fun isn’t over — White Claw® Sessions will continue into 2025, so stay tuned for more exciting Sessions with your favorite artists!
Don’t miss your opportunity to Grab Life By The Claw™ with your crew. Make sure you’re signed up for White Claw Shore Club to find out how you can be at the next Sessions, plus get access to exclusive sweepstakes and prizes, epic drops and community vibes.
Leila Cobo:So welcome to Billboard and White Claw here in beautiful Miami Beach. It’s a little bit windy. I hope I have my clip in case my hair goes all over the place. But we’re so lucky to have one of the greats of Latin music here. One of the greats of Reggaeton, urban music, trap, funk. This guy does it all. He has 15 songs on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, he currently has a song on the Billboard Hot 100. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give it up for De la Ghetto!
De la Ghetto:Good evening, everybody. How’s everybody feeling? We’re here. White Claw and Billboard in the building. Leila, you’re looking great.
So do you, honey. I’ve been running into you all over Miami, like, three times in the last few months.
Easy, Easy. Last time was on the panel.
On the panel, then at the Grammys.
I didn’t want to say.
No, no.
I don’t want Billboard to get mad.
In that other award right?
There were a couple of music awards.
That other award that wasn’t Billboard.
I don’t want to say.
No, let’s not. You were very fashionable all those times and tonight, too. Tell us what you’re wearing because these are white leather pants.
These are white leather pants, purple Nikes. I’m a Nike fanatic with the dunks and Air Forces.
Keep watching for more!
This article was created in partnership with White Claw®.
White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard is a premier event series that celebrates music, creativity, and social connection. On Monday night, this year’s free series of experiences came to a close with an epic celebration in Miami, featuring performances from De La Ghetto, Venesti and Mr. Pauer. Fans came through with their crew to enjoy the star-studded lineup and cheers to a big night of Latin music.
The evening kicked off with an intimate discussion with De La Ghetto, where White Claw® brought VIP fans—and a few lucky fans from the line—behind the scenes of his storied career in reggaeton. He touched upon his diverse range of cross-genre influences, operating as an independent artist, and times when living in the moment and connecting with friends, ala Grab Life By The Claw™, has led to some of his biggest collaborations, including his work with Daddy Yankee.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“There was just one time, I think it was 11, 12 years ago. I was at Daddy Yankee’s studio. We’re talking about Yankee when he was still the big boss,” De La Ghetto explained, “Yankee had a studio in Carolina, Puerto Rico… All of a sudden, Yankee opens the door to the studio with the ‘Llegamos a la Disco’ beat. It was like, Yo, everybody’s here. Let’s do this song together.”
Trending on Billboard
“Like right there. He put me on the spot. He said, ‘De La Ghetto, you know what? Come up with the hook.’ I was like, damn, Yankee, I see.. I like to take my time when I’m writing, you feel me? So all of a sudden, me sale el coro, así natural.. I just laid down the hook, and then everybody start doing their own thing. All of a sudden, two weeks later, we shot the video, and boom, and it was just one of my biggest hits ever.”
In addition to the exclusive Q&A, White Claw also surprised the lucky fans from the line with a meet and greet and photo op with De La Ghetto.
De La Ghetto sits for an exclusive interview with Billboard Chief Content Officer Latin/Español Leila Cobo
Reginald Thermidor
The party continued as doors opened, bringing fans closer to the stage and beach, where they grabbed their favorite White Claw® drinks—whether it was a classic White Claw®, a bold White Claw® Surge, or a refreshing piña colada made with White Claw® Vodka—and got ready for a night of fun and music. Mr. Pauer warmed up the crowd with today’s biggest reggaeton hits as fans enjoyed drinks, dancing, photos and merchandise to commemorate the night. Venesti kept the oceanside vibes going, delighting fans with an upbeat mix of reggaeton and dembow-laced hits that paired perfectly with the sunset. De La Ghetto took the stage with an epic lineup of his biggest hits, ranging from his verse on Daddy Yankee’s “‘Llegamos a la Disco” to newer work off his 2023 release GZ.
From can’t-miss shows and fly away festival experiences to partnerships with top charting artists and exclusive fan giveaways, White Claw® is no stranger to the music space. Though White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard has come to a close, the fun isn’t over—White Claw® Sessions will continue into 2025, so stay tuned for more exciting Sessions with your favorite artists!
Don’t miss your opportunity to Grab Life By The Claw™ with your crew—make sure you’re signed up for White Claw Shore Club to find out how you can be at the next Sessions, plus get access to exclusive sweepstakes and prizes, epic drops, and community vibes.
See more from White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard with De La Ghetto, Venesti and Mr. Pauer.
Mr. Pauer curated the perfect Miami vibe with his DJ set at White Claw Sessions Powered by Billboard
Reginald Thermidor
Fans enjoy their favorite White Claw® drinks at White Claw Sessions Powered by Billboard
Nick Echevarria
Venesti and dancers get the crowd moving at the White Claw Sessions Powered by Billboard
Reginald Thermidor
Fans cheer to an epic night of Latin music at the White Claw Sessions Powered by Billboard
Nick Echevarria
De La Ghetto performs a packed set with his biggest hits at the White Claw Sessions Powered by Billboard
Nick Echevarria
Fans pair their White Claw® with a performance by De La Ghetto at the White Claw Sessions Powered by Billboard
This article was created in partnership with White Claw®.
White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard is a premier event series that celebrates music, creativity, and social connection. On Monday night, this free experience touched down in LA, delivering electrifying performances from some of today’s most exciting acts. Fans were invited to bring themselves and their crew out to enjoy an evening of musical sets from New York rapper FERG, West Coast rapper Larry June, and DJ/producer Zeemuffin.
The evening kicked off with an intimate discussion with FERG, bringing his VIP fans closer to the multihyphenate. FERG gave insights into his storied career, ranging from stories behind his new album DAROLD to his fashion journey, in conversation with Billboard host Tetris Kelly.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
When asked about the legacy he wants to leave behind, FERG enlightened fans: “If I can do anything, it’s to inspire the next generation, or somebody, to want to do better for themselves, you know what I’m saying?” he shared, “And do better for humanity. Figure out your purpose, figure out your ‘why.’ Why are we here? Why are we doing what we do?”
Trending on Billboard
In addition to the exclusive Q&A, White Claw surprised a select group of superfans, who arrived at Sessions first in line, with a meet and greet and photo op with FERG.
Ferg shares insights into his career and new music at White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
Julian Bajsel
The party continued as doors opened, filling the room with excitement as concert goers grabbed their favorite White Claw® beverages and got ready for a night of fun and music Anticipation was high as the crowd waited for the show to begin, knowing that they would be some of the first to hear songs from FERG’s new album DAROLD live. Zeemuffin warmed up the crowd with today’s biggest hip-hop hits as fans enjoyed drinks, dancing, photos and merchandise to commemorate the night. Larry June followed her set with an energetic performance that got his fellow Californians moving, showing off his dance moves to hits including “Clocked In.”
FERG closed out the night with a set balancing tracks from his new album DAROLD with earlier fan favorites. He opened the set to the explosive new track “Thought I Was Dead,” following it with other star-studded DAROLD selects including “French Tips” featuring Coco Jones and “Demons” with Denzel Curry. Despite the fact that DAROLD had dropped less than two weeks before the event, many fans knew the words and rapped along. “Now last but not least, you know I can’t leave this place without doing this one song that I got,” teased FERG as he approached the end of his set, “What song y’all think I’m finna do?” After the crowd chanted in response, the headliner gave fans one last performance of his biggest song to date: “Plain Jane.”
From can’t-miss shows and fly away festival experiences to partnerships with top charting artists and exclusive fan giveaways, White Claw® is no stranger to the music space. The White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard will continue to bring fans closer to the music they love throughout 2024. Don’t miss your opportunity to Grab Life By The Claw: make sure you’re signed up to be notified about all-access gigs, epic drops, everyday thrills, and community vibes. For you and your crew.
See more from White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard with FERG, Larry June and Zeemuffin.
DJ/producer Zeemuffin got the celebration started at the White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
Julian Bajsel
White Claw surprised a select group of superfans with a meet and greet and photo op with FERG.
Koury Angelo
Larry June performed his biggest hits at White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
Koury Angelo
Fans enjoyed their favorite White Claw® beverages at White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
Koury Angelo
FERG shared songs from his new album ‘DAROLD’ onstage at White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
Koury Angelo
Galantis, aka producer Christian “Bloodshy” Karlsson, shares five things you didn’t about him at White Claw Shore Club Sessions Powered by Billboard in Chicago. Galantis:What’s up? I am Galantis. These are five things you might not know about me. No. 1: I’m also in an indie band called Mike Snow. Maybe you knew that, but […]
This article was created in partnership with White Claw.
Christian Karlsson, better known as “Bloodshy,” has been producing for almost two and a half decades. What started as producing and songwriting in Sweden quickly evolved into working with high-profile pop stars around the world. After landing on Galantis as his mainstay project, Karlsson has amassed over 6.6 billion worldwide streams and a No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart with Pharmacy.Galantis has been busy over the years since its inception, playing venues and festivals across the globe and releasing four albums— most recently, Rx in May 2024, featuring collaborations with 5 Seconds of Summer, JVKE, Little MIX, MNEK and more. Ahead of his festival appearance in Chicago, Galantis delighted fans with a performance and intimate Q&A at the White Claw Shore Club Sessions Powered by Billboard. Get a glimpse into the international producer/DJ’s life and latest album Rx below.
On his biggest hit “Runaway (U & I)”being a decade oldI still love to perform it and I still love working on it and changing it in terms of, like, doing mashups and stuff. I’m in a good position being an artist that could still change the song because in DJ culture, that’s something you’re supposed to do. So to me, I can always keep it fresh by just changing it for every night the way I want to perform it.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
On sharing his ADHD diagnosis with the worldIt’s scary, you know – I never talked about it with even family before, but other people came to me and helped me out by telling their stories. I thought I owed it to whoever, even if it’s one person, you know, I owe it to tell my story.
Trending on Billboard
On why Galantis has longevity in the music industryI think sticking to my guns, just doing music that I like, doing music that inspires me and taking risks and not listening to what anyone else is doing, you know? Not caring about if your stock is up or down, not following trends, whatever. I just go to the studio the same way I went to the studio when I was 14. It’s about that kick in the snare, and it’s about that chord, and it’s about that melody, and then that’s it.
See more from the White Claw Shore Club Sessions Powered by Billboard with Galantis here.
-
Pages