7 Latin American Hip Hop Artists to Look Out for in 2018

Hailing from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, Mare Advertencia Lirika is an indigenous Zapotec who uses her music to fight for female empowerment. She has collaborated with Guatemalan rapper Rebeca Lane and Costa Rican artist Nakury, among others.

The top young rapper in Guatemala has been growing in stature for the last few years. With a great stage presence and collaborations with other rising stars of the Guatemalan music scene, such as Sara Curruchich, his work continues to develop.

The Argentinian rapper hails from the northern city of Jujuy, and most of her own output is part of the current trend for Latin trap. Her videos have millions of hits on YouTube, with “Killa” a particular favourite with the public.

Lil Ark comes from the region of Chocó on Colombia’s Pacific coast. He uses the traditional Afro-Colombian sounds of the area and combines them with rap, trap and Caribbean influences to make a unique set of tracks.

https://youtu.be/ce03cH3Hv7E

Dominican rapper Shecka Sanchez started out sharing her songs over social media, and now she is planning a US tour. A great composer who writes all her own songs as well as rapping, Sanchez has been collaborating with other artists from around the Caribbean.

This young rapper grew on the outskirts of the Peruvian capital of Lima, in an area populated largely by economic migrants from the Andean region. Many of them speak in Quechua, although use of the language is declining. Liberato Kani makes hip hop in Quechua as a way of protecting it from extinction and raising its value in Peruvian society.

Cuban rapper Marichal has been an outspoken critic of the government in recent years, using his music to criticize the policies of the Communist regime. For now he still lives in Cuba, but that might have to change if he continues to speak out.