Arcángel Essentials

From his promising beginnings in a mid-2000s reggaetón duo with the like-minded De La Ghetto, Arcángel seemed destined for greatness. Born in New York City to Dominican parents before relocating to Puerto Rico, he struck out on his own musically, swiftly scoring his first solo single of note with “Por Amar a Ciegas,” a genre-splicing mix of power balladry and R&B urgency. With a vocal tone that exudes tenderness, pain, and pride, he’s helmed or bolstered countless singles for more than a decade and a half, singing his truth on “Contigo Quiero Amores,” the hedonistic posse cut “Tacos Altos," and “Sigues Con Él” with Sech. At the same time, he raps with casual menace alongside Anuel AA on “Rojo” and flexes with Bad Bunny on “Original.” One of the progenitors of Latin trap, as furthered by Ares and its pensive follow-up Historias de un Capricornio, he remains one of the urbano movement’s mightiest.