2023-08-10 21:58:49
Magazine Billboard published this August 9 a list with the most essential rappers in Spanish in history, within the framework of the 50 years of hip hop that are celebrated worldwide this Friday, August 11.
The list was made by the Billboard Latin and Billboard Spanish teams, who came together to compile a list of the most extraordinary artists of our generation and the future.
The publication remembers the birth of hip-hop in New York in 1973 and highlights pioneering figures of the genre such as Vico Cknown as the father of Latin hip-hop; Tego Calderon and Ivy Queen.
Likewise, they mention Resident for revolutionizing style through puns and social commentary; as well as the pioneers from Spain during the 90s, such as AfterSFDK, El Chojin and more.
According to Billboard, criteria such as charting singles and albums, gold and platinum certifications, cultural impact and influencelongevity, lyrics and vocal prowess.
Without further ado, enjoy the full list of top 50 rappers in spanishincluding solo artists and groups.
50. Dog
49. Young Miko
48. Rxnde Acozta
47. The Beef
46. Valles-T
45. Bnet
44. C. Tangana
43. Lito and Polish
42. MC Eyebrow
41. Spokesperson
40. MC Gave
39. After
38. Gera MX
37. Gabylon
36. Norick
35. Slackmouth
34. Wos
33. Rels B
32. Arcano
31. El Chojin
30. Myke Towers
29. German
28. Serko Fu
27. Alcolirykoz
26. Paul London
25. West Indian Villain
24. Snow Tha Product
23. Duki
22. C-Can
21. Archangel
20. Santa Poster
19. Cancerbero
18. Akapellah
17. Tempo
16. Tickling her
15. Eladio Carrion
14. The Santa Fe Clan
13. Conscious Pencil
12. Mala Rodriguez
11. The Villagers
10. Thunder
9. Pato Machete
8. Ivy Queen
7. Aczino
6. Daddy Yankee
5. Orishas
Orishas, the Cuban group made up of Yotuel Romero, Ruzzo Medina and Roldán González, was not only possibly the original pioneer of Latin hip hop when it was formed in the mid-1990s, but was without a doubt the first Latino hip hop group to openly address the identity issues and racial discrimination in his lyrics.
His international debut To the Cuban from 1999, offered a heady mix of rap and Cuban rhythms like never before heard in Latin music. By mixing traditional rhythms, beats, and sounds, Orishas created a model that inspired generations of artists throughout the Latin world, but one that has been difficult to replicate; few hip hop groups have this degree of musicianship.
During their years together, Orishas has gone from the eminently commercial to the eminently social, a formula that Romero maintained in his solo career, and that in 2021 earned him the Latin Grammy for song of the year for its urgent “Homeland and Life”.
4. Tego Calderon
Accompanied by Caribbean percussion, muffled trumpets and dramatic orchestrations, Calderón’s gruff and very real voice heralded the possibilities of Latin hip hop in “El Abayarde”the 2003 single that introduced him to a mainstream audience: “I am crazy regarding writing/ Where my deliciousness comes from/ They instilled in me a little seed of this culture/ From the cradle, grateful for this blackness/ With the ease of my flow, I don’t do mischief”, he spits.
The album the abayarde also included party songs like “So that they frolic”, proving that depth and emotion can coexist in the same hip hop set. In the later ones, The Enemy of the Guasíbiri (2004) y The Underdog (2006), Calderón continued to marry Puerto Rican traditions with black pride and yes, a spicy sense of perreo. Despite his scant production in the last decade, perhaps no other Spanish-speaking rapper is so irreverent and yet so universally revered.
3. Ana Tijoux
After emerging from the underground hip hop scene in Santiago de Chile at the end of the 90s -first as a member of the group Makiza and later as a soloist- Ana Tijoux achieved international stardom with achievements as innovative as they were diverse.
Fueled by his unmistakable velvety flow and powerful rhymes, the albums 1977 (2010), La Balla (2012) y Come (2014) have not only earned him prestigious accolades, but have also amplified his bold political messages and social commentary.
Tijoux broke barriers as a rapper in a predominantly male gender, when the female presence was rarer. The fierce but mellifluous flow of this Franco-Chilean poet conveys an irreverent spirit that has only empowered, resonating with global audiences.
2. Vico C
Vico C acquired notoriety beyond his native Puerto Rico when in the 2000s, already being considered one of the founding fathers of Latin hip hophe became one of the few Puerto Rican urban artists to be signed and endorsed by a major Latino label.
The reasons lie in the impeccable musicalityversatility and a candid and socially conscious narrative that earned him the nickname of “The Philosopher of Rap”. All these years later, Vico C’s determination has not wavered. At age 51 he launched Panictheir first record in over a decade, solidifying the concept of hip hop as a vehicle for dialogue.
1. Resident
René Pérez Joglar burst onto the Latin music scene as half of Calle 13with the duo’s self-titled debut in 2006. The mix of urban and alternative rhythms was ostensibly reggaeton at a time when reggaeton was booming, but their witty and literary lyricselectronic loops and acoustic percussion challenged the genre.
Almost 20 years later, at 45, Residente continues to defy the genre. In fact, its lyrical content has become more penetrating than before, and watching it go from enfant terrible The master of ceremonies was a fascinating thing to witness.
Capable of navigating between partying, gossip, social commentary, and even romance, there’s no rapper more versatile than Resident and with greater command of the Spanish language as a tool, as a weapon and an effective instrument of change through songs like “Latin America”.
Between his solo career and his work with Calle 13, Residente holds the record for wins in the Latin Grammy, but the true barometer of his success is his constant and uncompromising eloquence. Even when we disagree with their rhymes, they command respect.
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#rappers #Spanish #Billboard
