Editing Latin hip-hop

{{short description|Hip hop music by Latin American artists}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name              = Latin hip hop
| stylistic_origins = {{hlist|[[Hip-hop|Hip hop]]|[[latin music]]
}}
| cultural_origins  = 1970s, [[The Bronx]], [[New York City]], U.S.
| instruments       = {{Hlist|[[Turntablism|Turntable]]|[[synthesizer]]|[[digital audio workstation|DAW]]|[[rapping]]|[[singing]]|[[drum machine]]|[[sampler (musical instrument)|sampler]]|[[drums]]|[[guitar]]|[[Roland TR-808]]|[[bass guitar]]|[[piano]]|[[beatboxing]]|[[vocals]]
}}
| derivatives       = 
| subgenres         = {{Hlist|[[Latin trap]]|[[Spanish hip hop]]|[[Salvadoran hip-hop|Salvadoran hip hop]]|[[Brazilian hip-hop|Brazilian hip hop]]|[[Mexican hip-hop|Mexican hip hop]]|[[Merenhouse|Merenrap]]|[[Dominican hip-hop|Dominican hip hop]]|[[Cuban hip-hop|Cuban hip hop]]|[[Corridos tumbados]]|[[Chicano rap]]|[[Puerto Rican Hip-Hop]]
}}
| fusiongenres      = [[Reggaeton]]
| regional_scenes   = 
}}

'''Latin hip hop''' (also known as '''Latin rap''') is a subgenre of [[Hip-hop|hip hop music]] that is recorded by Spanish-speaking artists in the [[Caribbean]], [[North America]], [[Central America]], [[South America]], and [[Spain]].

==Latin hip hop in the United States==
===West Coast===
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, most Latin rap came from New York and the West Coast of the United States. Due to the heaviest Puerto Rican migration to New York City in the '50s, during the '70s, the birth of Latin Hip-Hop involved Latinos from the Caribbean island. Early Hip-Hop from the United States had a signicant influence on early [[Puerto Rican Hip-Hop]] pioneers such as [[Ruben DJ]], [https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJ%20Negro DJ Negro], and [[Vico C|Vico-C]].<ref>[https://medium.com/@concs844/puerto-rican-underground-hip-hop-meets-reggae-8bdbdec9076a Puerto Rican Underground] medium.com Retrieved 16 May 2024</ref>

[[Mellow Man Ace]], from [[Cuba]], was the first Latino artist to have a major bilingual single, the 1989 track "[[Mentirosa (Mellow Man Ace song)|Mentirosa]]". This song went platinum, leading Mellow Man Ace to be described as the "Godfather of Latin rap" and inducted into the Hip Hop Hall of Fame inductee. In 1990, fellow West Coast artist [[Frost (rapper)|Kid Frost]] further brought Latinos to the rap forefront with his hit song "[[La Raza (song)]]."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gold |first=Jonathan |date=August 20, 1990 |title=Kid Frost: Political Rap for Chicano Solidarity Pop music: His hit La Raza ・・|newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/281058443| access-date=15 May 2024}}</ref> In 1991, Kid Frost, Mellow Man, [[A.L.T.]] and several other Latin rappers formed the rap super group [[Latin Alliance]] and released a self-titled album which featured the hit "Lowrider (On the Boulevard)". The remake of the song [[Tequila (Champs song)|Tequila]] was a A.L.T. hit later that year. [[Cypress Hill]], of which Mellow Man Ace was a member before going solo, would become the first Latino rap group to reach platinum status in 1991. The group was also the first major hip-hop music group to include [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and Latin slang in their lyrics. Cypress Hill gained hit "Insane in the Brain"(1993) and Platinum record.<ref>{{cite certification|region=United States|artist=Cypress Hill|title=Insane in the Brain | access-date=16 May 2024}}</ref> Ecuadorian-born American rapper [[Gerardo Mejía|Gerardo]] received heavy rotation on video and radio for his single [[Rico Suave (song)|Rico Suave]]. While commercially watered-down, his album enjoyed a status of being one of the first mainstream Spanglish CDs on the market. [[Johnny J]] was a multi-platinum songwriter, music producer, and rapper who was perhaps best known for his production on [[Tupac Shakur]]'s albums [[All Eyez on Me]] and [[Me Against the World]].<ref name="ALLMUSIC">[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p205415/credits|pure_url=yes}} allmusic Credits]</ref> He also produced the 1990 single [[Knockin' Boots (Candyman song)|Knockin' Boots]] for his classmate [[Candyman (rapper)|Candyman]]'s album ''[[Ain't No Shame in My Game]]'', which eventually went platinum thanks to the single.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=candyman&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152404/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=candyman&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25|url-status=dead|title=RIAA Database| website=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref> [[N2Deep]], A Lighter Shade of Brown, [[Proper Dos]], and [[Slow Pain]] were popular in latin rap scene.

In the mid-1990s, the success of LA's [[Cypress Hill]] led to additional Latin hip-hop artists finding label support. [[Delinquent Habits]] were a horn-sampling trio that found MTV support for their breakout bilingual single "[[Tres Delinquentes]]" in 1996. By the early 2000's, two Mexico-born, United States-raised Latin hip hop acts found success on major labels. LA's [[Akwid]] fused banda with hip-hop on hits like "No Hay Manera" while Milwaukee's [[Kinto Sol]] told tales of Mexican immigrant life over more minimalist beats. Mr.Criminal, Mr.Capone-E, Mr.Knightowl, Ms.Krazie, Charlie Row Campo and Mr.Sancho released latin and Chicano rap CDs.<ref>[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mr-sancho-mn0000618951 Mr. Sancho] AllMusic. 17 May 2024</ref>

===East Coast===
[[DJ Charlie Chase]] fused hip-hop with [[Salsa music|salsa]] and other music genres. Chase was the DJ for the New York hip-hop group [[the Cold Crush Brothers]], from 1978 and through the '80s.<ref>Roberts, Ed. "Cold Crush Brothers." [http://www.oldschoolhiphop.com/artists/emcees/coldcrushbrothers.htm Oldschoolhiphop.Com.] Oldschoolhiphop.com. Retrieved 16 May 2024</ref> East Coast Latin artists such as the [[Beatnuts]] emerged in the early 1990s, with New Jersey native [[Chino XL]] earning recognition for his lyricism and equal controversy for his subject matter. In 1992, Mesanjarz of Funk, led by the Spanish/English flow of Mr. Pearl, became the first Spanish rap group signed to a major label (Atlantic Records).  In 1994, Platinum Producer and DJ [[Frankie Cutlass]] used his own label, Hoody Records, to produce his single “Puerto Rico” which became a classic. In the late 1990s, Puerto Rican rapper [[Big Pun|Big Punisher]] became the first Latino solo artist to reach platinum sales for an LP with his debut album ''[[Capital Punishment (Big Pun album)|Capital Punishment]]'', which included hit song "[[Still Not a Player]]". The genre even spawned a bicultural novelty, the Brooklyn-based crew [[Hip Hop Hoodíos]], who fused their dual Jewish and Latino cultures on songs like "Havana Nagila" and "Raza Hoodía."

===South and Midwest===
Latin rap (as well as its subgenre of [[Chicano rap]]) has thrived along the West Coast, Southwest and Midwestern states with little promotion due to the large Latino populations of those regions. [[Jonny Z]] is considered to be a pioneer of Latin hip-hop, due to him being one of the first Latinos combining Spanglish lyrics with freestyle, salsa, mambo, and regional Mexican banda. He scored four Billboard Hot Dance singles between 1993 and 1997, including one of the greatest [[Miami bass]] songs of all time, "Shake Shake (Shake That Culo)". Besides bass music, he also recorded the Chicano anthem "Orale". ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States'' Volume 2, Page 301 states: "A new style of Latina and Latino hip-hop was created in Miami and Texas by the bass rappers [[DJ Laz]] and [[Jonny Z]], who mixed Latin styles with bass music".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FYwRAQAAMAAJ&q=Latino+hip-hop |title=The Oxford encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States - Suzanne Oboler, Deena J. González - Google Books |date=2005-08-25 |isbn=9780195156003 |access-date=2018-01-17|last1=Oboler |first1=Suzanne |last2=González |first2=Deena J. |publisher=Oxford University Press }}</ref>

==Puerto Rico==

[[Urbano music|Urbano Music]] from Puerto Rico has had a substantial impact on Latin rap and relate a certain message to their respective audiences. Puerto Rican únderground (more commonly referred to as Únder in Puerto Rico, eventually known as [[Reggaeton]]) emerged as a form of cultural and social protest within the Puerto Rican context.<ref name="ReferenceA">Giovannetti, Jorge L. "Popular Music and Culture in Puerto Rico: Jamaican and Rap Music as Cross-Cultural Symbols." In "Musical Migrations: Transnationalism and Cultural Hybridity in the Americas", ed. Frances R. Aparicio and Candida F Jaquez, 89. New York: Palgrave, 2003</ref> This is similar to the way American and Jamaican youth used rap and reggae/dancehall as a means to communicate their feelings on social, cultural, and political issues. In essence, Puerto Rican rap became the voice of the Puerto Rican youth in which they use dancehall and rap music as methods of expression for the Jamaican and working-class American youth counterparts.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

===Latin trap===
{{main|Latin trap}}

In the mid-2010s, A new movement of [[Urbano music]] referred to as [[Latin trap|Latin Trap]] (or "Trap Latino" in Spanish) began to emerge, led by the Puerto Rican rapper [[Anuel AA]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/7933904/latin-trap-brief-history-ozuna-bad-bunny-de-la-ghetto|title=Ozuna, Bad Bunny, De La Ghetto, Farruko & Messiah Narrate a Brief History of Latin Trap|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> 
This musical movement was different from American Trap, being influenced not only by Southern Hip-Hop, but also by Urbano music, R&B, Pop, and Reggaeton. The trap movement was different from American Trap, being influenced not only by Southern Hip Hop, but also by Urbano music, R&B, and Reggaeton. The trap music movement brought artists like Bad Bunny to the mainstream who became the first non-English speaking rapper to become the most streamed artist of the year on Spotify, three consecutive times between 2020 and 2022, and also has the title of having the most streamed album on Spotify with his album Un Verano Sin Ti (2022).<ref>[https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/bad-bunny-un-verano-sin-ti-most-streamed-album-spotify-history-1235368920/ Bad Bunny’s ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ Is Now the Most Streamed Album in Spotify History]
''Retrieved May 13, 2025''</ref><ref>[https://newsroom.spotify.com/2021-12-01/what-the-world-streamed-most-in-2021/ What the World Streamed Most in 2021]
''Retrieved May 13, 2025''</ref><ref>[https://newsroom.spotify.com/2022-11-30/the-top-songs-artists-podcasts-and-listening-trends-of-2022/ It’s Here: The Top Songs, Artists, Podcasts, and Listening Trends of 2022] ''Retrieved May 13, 2025''
</ref>

Also known as "Trap Latino", Latin trap similar to mainstream trap which details "'la calle,' or the streets — hustling, sex, and drugs".<ref>{{cite news | last = Portilla | first = Christina | date = August 23, 2017 | title = Latin Trap Brings New Music to Miami | url = http://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/latin-trap-music-brings-a-new-kind-of-hip-hop-to-miami-9588021 | work = Miami New Times | access-date = April 24, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171201043321/http://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/latin-trap-music-brings-a-new-kind-of-hip-hop-to-miami-9588021 | archive-date = December 1, 2017 | url-status = live }}</ref> Prominent artists of Latin trap include [[Arcángel]], [[Bryant Myers]], [[Anuel AA]] and [[Bad Bunny]].<ref name="fader">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2017/07/05/traps-latin-american-takeover-spotify-playlist-trap-land|title=Trap's Latin American Takeover|website=The FADER}}</ref> In July 2017, ''[[The Fader]]'' wrote "Rappers and [[reggaeton]]eros from Puerto Rico to Colombia have taken elements of trap — the lurching bass lines, jittering 808s and the eyes-half-closed vibe — and infused them into banger after banger."<ref name="fader"/> In an August 2017 article for [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']]'s series, "A Brief History Of," they enlisted some of the key artists of Latin trap—including [[Ozuna (singer)|Ozuna]], [[De La Ghetto]], [[Bad Bunny]], [[Farruko]] and [[Bryant Myers]]—to narrate a brief history on the genre.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vibe.com/2017/08/latin-trap-history|title=Rappers Discuss Brief History Of Latin Trap|date=August 21, 2017|website=Vibe}}</ref> Elias Leight of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' noted "[Jorge] Fonseca featured Puerto Rican artists like Anuel AA, [[Bryant Myers]] and [[Noriel]] on the compilation ''Trap Capos: Season 1'', which became the first "Latin trap" [[LP record|LP]] to reach Number One on [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']]'s [[Latin Rhythm Albums]] chart."<ref name="auto">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/inside-latin-trap-the-viral-sound-too-hot-for-american-radio-255923/|title=Inside Latin Trap, the Viral Sound Too Hot for American Radio|first1=Elias|last1=Leight|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=November 7, 2017}}</ref>

In addition, Venezuelan hiphop has emerged in an explosive way with very talented artists such as [[Neutro Shorty]] and [[Big Soto]]

==Latin hip hop in other countries==

===Mexico===
{{main|Mexican hip hop}}
In the late 1990s, hip-hop took hold in Mexico, especially with the platinum success of Mexican rap pioneers [[Control Machete]]. The genre also found prominence with Latin alternative artists who fused hip-hop rhymes with live instrumentation, including rap-rockers [[Molotov (band)|Molotov]] and [[cumbia]]-rockers [[El Gran Silencio]].

====Narco Rap====
{{main|Narco rap}}
A music scene, similar to the early underground [[gangsta rap]] scene, has emerged in northeastern Mexico ([[Nuevo León]], [[Tamaulipas]] and [[Coahuila]]), where the musical phenomenon of hip-hop is being co-opted by the influence of organized crime and the [[Mexican Drug War|drug war]] in the region.

Some of the main exponents of the genre are [[Samuel Flores Borrego#Narco-Rap legacy|Cano y Blunt]], DemenT and Big Los.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/es/article/en-tamaulipas-los-narcos-disparan-a-ritmo-de-rap-0000156-v5n4/ |title=En Tamaulipas los narcos disparan a ritmo de rap |publisher=VICE |date=2012-06-13 |access-date=2018-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mexico.cnn.com/nacional/2010/06/23/hfr-el-narco-rap-la-banda-sonora-del-horror-en-reynosa |title=El narco-rap, la banda sonora del horror en Reynosa|work=Mexico CNN|access-date=2016-01-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131031413/http://mexico.cnn.com/nacional/2010/06/23/hfr-el-narco-rap-la-banda-sonora-del-horror-en-reynosa |archive-date=2016-01-31 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://diario.mx/El_Paso/2013-06-16_0ee2cdd6/se-suman-los-raperos-norteamericanos-a-la-ola-narco/ |title=Se suman los raperos norteamericanos a la 'ola narco' &#124; El Paso |publisher=Diario.mx |access-date=2018-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Maria |first=Juana |url=http://www.elnuevoheraldo.com/el_valle/noticias_locales/mcallen-reynosa-la-maldosa/article_b3e9d5da-e8e4-11e2-b83d-0019bb30f31a.html |title=McALLEN: 'Reynosa la Maldosa' - El Nuevo Heraldo: Noticias Locales |publisher=El Nuevo Heraldo |date=2013-07-09 |access-date=2018-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2013/06/us-rappers-dedicate-their-songs-to.html |title=US Rappers Dedicate Their Songs to Mexican Drug Lords |publisher=Borderland Beat |date=2013-06-17 |access-date=2018-01-17}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mexicos-narco-rappers-are-here-to-stay-cano-blunt-interview-reynosa/ |title=Mexico's Narco Rappers Are Here to Stay |publisher=VICE |date=2012-06-18 |access-date=2018-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nuestraaparenterendicion.com/index.php/biblioteca/cronicas-y-reportajes/item/962-voy-a-morir-porque-creen-que-soy-un-zeta |title=Voy a morir porque creen que soy un Zeta |publisher=Nuestraaparenterendicion.com |access-date=2018-01-17}}</ref>

===Argentina & Uruguay===
{{main|Uruguayan hip hop}}
There are many hip-hop scenes in Latin America, including a growing rap movement in Buenos Aires and Montevideo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soundsandcolours.com/articles/argentina/buenos-aires-rap-an-interview-with-diane-ghogomu-24155/|title=Buenos Aires Rap: An Interview with Diane Ghogomu|date=June 9, 2014|website=Sounds and Colours}}</ref>

Hip hop in Uruguay has had a significant presence since the late 1990s, with groups such as Sudacas en Guerra, Oeste Pro Funk, Plátano Macho and El Peyote Asesino. Starting in 2003, the genre began to develop progressively in the country, especially after latejapride* joined Bizarro Records. Since then, numerous groups and artists have emerged on the Uruguayan hip hop scene, including Beat Urbano, Arrajatabla Flow Club & The Warriors, Magia Negra Squad, Primate and Cubaguayo, among others.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/domingo/hip-hop-en-uruguay-la-tribu-urbana-que-se-transformo-en-una-cultura-de-masas | title=Hip hop en Uruguay: La tribu urbana que se transformó en una cultura de masas | date=5 March 2023 }}</ref>

Introduction: Since the late 1990s, Uruguay has witnessed the development of a thriving hip hop scene, marked by the contributions of early pioneers and a variety of influential groups.
2003 Onwards: A significant turning point was latejapride*'s signing with Bizarro Records, which led to a progressive development of the genre.
New Artists and Challenges: The emergence of acts like Beat Urbano, Arrajatabla Flow Club & The Warriors, and Magia Negra Squad, as well as the challenges faced, including the tragic murder of rapper Plef, illustrate the scene's evolution and resilience.
Conclusion
Each of these countries' hip-hop scenes reflects their unique cultural contexts and social issues. While facing distinct challenges, these communities continue to use hip-hop as a powerful tool for expression and social commentary.
<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.montevideo.com.uy/Noticias/Muros-que-hablan-el-graffiti-uruguayo-florece-en-memoria-de-Plef-uc813085 | title=Muros que hablan: El "graffiti" uruguayo florece en memoria de Plef }}</ref> Uruguayan Hip-Hop Development: New Rappers such as 44 Kid, Zanto, Davus, Mesita, and Rodridi recorded rap singles or albums.

==Freestyle==
{{main|Freestyle music}}
In the mid-1980s, [[freestyle music]] was initially called "Latin hip hop". This dance music genre, not to be confused with improvised [[freestyle rap]]ping, was dominated, at the time, by [[electro music|electro funk]] beats and electronic Latin melodic and percussion elements, over which Latino vocalists sang melodramatic pop vocals, usually in English even though it was started by Nuyorican natives and African-Americans primarily.<ref name="gill">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/the-bluffers-guide-to-freestyle.htm | title=The Bluffer's Guide to Freestyle | magazine=[[Stylus Magazine|Stylus]] | access-date=June 15, 2012 | author=Gill, Michael F. | date=2007-08-13 }}</ref><ref name="voice">{{cite news|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-04-11/music/let-the-music-play-again/ | title=Let the Music Play (Again) | newspaper=[[The Village Voice]] | access-date=June 15, 2012 | author=Verán, Cristina | date=Apr 11, 2006 }}</ref> Freestyle has been primarily popular among Latinos in the New York City, Miami, Chicago and California club scenes, but achieved national mainstream pop success with hits by [[Lisa Lisa]], [[the Cover Girls]], [[George Lamond]], [[Stevie B]], [[TKA]] and [[Exposé (group)|Exposé]], among others.<ref name="gill"/><ref name="voice"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Latin America|Music}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Avanzada Regia]]
* [[Brazilian hip hop]]
* [[Chicano rap]]
* [[Corridos tumbados]]
* [[Cuban hip hop]]
* [[Dominican hip hop]]
* [[Merenrap]]
* [[Mexican hip hop]]
* [[Nuyorican rap]]
* [[Reggaeton]]
* [[Uruguayan hip hop]]
* [[Salvadoran hip hop]]
* [[Spanish hip hop]]
* [[Thump Records]]
* [[Puerto Rican Hip-Hop]]
{{div col end}}

==Further reading==
* Flores, Juan. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=7lvvneExO1EC&dq=latino+hip+hop+artist&pg=PA1 From Bomba to Hip-Hop Puerto Rican Culture and Latino Identity]''. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000.
* George, Nelson. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=8nw6VlsqOUsC&dq=hip+hop&pg=PR7 Hip Hop America]''. New York: Penguin, 1998.
* Kitwana, Bakari. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=7zaU7F-lRPkC&dq=hip+hop&pg=PR11 The Hip Hop Generation]''. Basic Books, 2002.
* Rivera, Raquel. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZcrV05FLsN4C&dq=latino+hip+hop+artist&pg=PR7 New Yorkricans from the Hip Hop Zone]''. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.latinrapper.com LatinRapper.com]—Source for Latin rap news and interviews
*[http://www.brownpride.com/latinrap/default.asp BrownPride.com] at BrownPride.com—a collection of texts and links about Latin rap

{{Hip hop}}
{{Music in Spanish}}
{{Amerisalsa}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Latin Hip Hop}}
[[Category:Latin hip-hop| ]]
[[Category:Hip-hop genres]]
[[Category:Urbano music genres]]
[[Category:Hispanic American music]]
[[Category:Latin American styles of music|Hip hop]]
[[Category:Latin music genres]]