17 Best Latino Rappers

Latino rappers are everywhere, with many appearing in charts around the world. Some you may know, others are more upcoming. Today we’ll cover some of the best Latino rappers ever.

1. Cypress Hill

Let’s start the list with the first Latin-American rap group to hit the Billboard rap and Hot 100 Charts. Born and raised in South Gate, Ca, the original trio consisted of Cuban Sen Dog, Mexican rapper B-Real, and DJ Muggs.

The trio burst onto the scene with their self-titled debut album in 1991. The album featured the hit single “How I Could Just Kill a Man,” which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot Rap charts. 

From there, Cypress Hill continued to release a string of critically acclaimed albums that inspired the West Coast sound of the 1990s.

2. Big Pun

Born and raised in New York City, Big Pun was a Puerto Rican rapper destined for greatness. He began his rap career in the 1980s, composing lyrics for other rappers.

Big Pun finally succeeded with the release of “Capital Punishment” in 1997. The album features the hit song “I'm Not a Player” and peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200. “Capital Punishment” was also the first rap album by a Latino to go platinum.  Pun also received his first Grammy Album thanks to the album.

3. Immortal Technique

One of the most prolific conscious rappers, Immortal Technique uses his songs to tackle controversial topics, including global politics, conspiracy theories, and civil rights issues. Born in Harlem, Immortal Technique’s parents are of African and Peruvian descent. 

Immortal Technique released his first album, “Revolutionary Vol. 1,” in 2001. The album was released independently and is an acclaimed critical masterpiece. Since the initial album, Immortal Technique released two other albums.

4. Fat Joe

Fat Joe is a Puerto Rican-Cuban rapper from New York City. He started his career in the early 1990s and formed a record label, Terror Squad, in 1997. Joe had limited success with his first few albums but reached superstardom in 2001 with the release of his fourth album, “Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E).”

This album included the smash hit “What’s Luv?” which reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Fat Joe is still busy and recorded ten studio albums. He also received four Grammy Award nominations since breaking through to the mainstream.

5. Daddy Yankee

Puerto Rican-born Daddy Yankee is a rapper and one of the most popular reggaeton artists in the world. His music fuses hip-hop, Caribbean, and Jamaican influences into a fun, danceable groove.

In the scene since 1990, Daddy Yankee broke through to the mainstream with his hit, “Gasolina.” This song is credited as the song that introduced reggaeton to the world. Yankee went on to be one of the biggest-selling artists in the world.

After millions of records were sold and billions of streams of his music, Daddy Yankee retired from the music industry.

6. N.O.R.E

Born in New York, N.O.R.E. is a rapper of African and Puerto Rican descent. He began his career in 1995 along with fellow musician Capone. The duo found underground success in the late 1990s.

N.O.R.E. released a solo album in 1998. Reaching #3 on the Billboard 200, N.O.R.E. scored his first platinum album and his first Billboard Hot 100 hit,
“Superthug.”

7. Chino XL

Chino XL is a Puerto Rican-African rapper from The Bronx. He started his career early after signing to Rick Rubin’s label at sixteen. The first album, “Here to Save You All,” found critical success and limited commercial success in 1996.

Chino XL released four studio albums and several singles over his career. While never breaking through to mainstream success, Chino XL is a prolific and inspired rapper who receives praise in the underground hip-hop scene.

8. Snow Tha Product

Our first woman on the list, Snow Tha Product is a Mexican rapper born in San Jose, CA. She began her career in 2007 and found early success in Mexico with “Alguien.”

In 2011, Snow found commercial success. She released her debut album, “Unorthodox.” The album included the song “Holy Shit,” which features a guest spot from 50 Cent. She’s released three studio albums since and was nominated for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song at the 2021 Latin Grammy Awards.

9. Bad Bunny

As one of the biggest rap acts of the 2020s, Bad Bunny is one of the most successful Latino rappers. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny started his musical career in 2013 fourteen.

Bad Bunny had his first Billboard hit after collaborating with Cardi B on the track “I Like It” in 2018  Bad Bunny’s first album, “X100pre,” was released in the same year and received critical and commercial success.

Bad Bunny continues to release albums and is currently the most streamed artist on Spotify. 

10. Pitbull

No one mixes hip-hop, reggaeton, and EDM into Spanish party songs better than Pitbull. He started his musical career in the early 2000s with the release of his first album, “M.I.A.M.I.” Pitbull released four Latin-pop albums before finding commercial success with the track, “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho).”

From here, Pitbull focused on English albums and quickly gained commercial success with the album “Planet Pit.” This album included the #1 hit “Give Me Everything” and solidified Pitbull as a superstar.

11. Gera MX

Mexican-born rapper Gera MX is an influential and famous rapper born in the Monterey suburb of San Nicolás de los Garza. As a member of the collective, Mexamafia, Gera MX released four studio albums since 2017.

Gera MX combines Mexican vibes with underground West Coast hip-hop beats to create a new and exciting musical genre. While Gera MX has yet to reach the US charts, he is one of the most successful rappers in Mexico and was named rapper of the year in 2018 by Ritmo Urbano magazine.

12. Santa Fe Klan

Mexican rapper, Santa Fe Klan, was born in Guanajuato, Sinaloa. He started his musical career at twelve and released his first single a year later.

By 2019, Santa Fe Klan released his first solo album, “Mundo,” to critical acclaim and local commercial success in Mexico. In 2021, Santa Fe Klan had his first chart hit and was named Best New Artist Mexico Regional by Premio Juventud.

13. Alemán

Hailing from Cabo San Lucas, Alemán is a Mexican rapper that began his career in 2014. Self-produced and released, “Pase de abroad” was his first album that received critical acclaim in his home country.

Alemán found breakout success with his third album, “Eclip$e,” in 2018. This album hit the charts in Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and Spain. Alemán is still producing and recently collaborated with Snoop Dogg on the track “Mi Tio Snoop” in 2020.

14. OhGeesy

Mexican rapper OhGeesy was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He began his career in 2012 after joining Shoreline Mafia.

OhGeesy left Shoreline Mafia in 2021 and began a solo career. He released his first single, “Get Fly,” in May 2021. He also released his first album in 2021. “Greezyworld” features guest appearances from A Boogie with da Hoodie, DaBaby, and Central Cee.

15. South Park Mexican

South Park Mexican (SPM) is a Mexican rapper born and raised in Houston, TX. He began his rap career as a Christian rapper in the 1990s.

In 1995, SPM recorded his first singles and founded a record label, Dope House Records. After the initial release, SPM released ten other albums.

Unfortunately, SPM was arrested and convicted of crimes and is serving a forty-five-year sentence in prison.

16. Lil Rob

Mexican-American rapper Lil Rob was born and raised in San Diego, CA. Throughout the 90s, Lil Rob had limited success in the Chicano rapper scene in California.

After several collaborations with major stars including Pitbull and The Game, Lil Rob started to gain commercial success. By 2005, Lil Rob scored his first Billboard hit with “Summer Nights.”

Lil Rob continues to record and release his latest album, “R.I.P (Recording in Progress),” in 2014.

17. Baby Bash

Baby Bash is a Mexican rapper from Vallejo, CA. After meeting South Park Mexican in 1998, Baby Bash joined Dope House Records.

In 2003 he signed with Universal Records and received his first major hit. “The Smokin’ Nephew” debuted at #48 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold in 2005. The biggest hit of the album, “Suga Suga,” reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Best Latino Rappers, Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a Bad Bunny or Cypress Hill fan, Latino rappers offer a diverse range of sounds and experiences through their music. From danceable reggaeton to conscious rap that makes you think, these Latino rappers have you covered.

Did we miss your favorite Latino Rapper? Or do you