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.