Mixtape: Los Rakas – Ricardo: The Raka Party Mix
Oakland via Panama Duo Celebrate One-Year Anniversary of El Negrito Dun Dun y Ricardo Release With Party Mixtape, Premiered by Okayplayer
3.31.2015
Critical Praise for Los Rakas:
“In a sea of mediocre reggaeton/rap artists who regurgitate lines over cheesy beats, Los Rakas are a glimmer of hope, proof that Latin rap can be sexy, funny, smart and deep.” – NPR
“As their music switched among hip-hop, reggaetón and dancehall beats, their fast rhymes proclaimed solidarity across the hemisphere.” – New York Times
“El Negrito Dun Dun y Ricardo is a triumph of Latino Pride and adventurous movimiento.” – Houston Press
“This Oakland, Calif., duo — rapping cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun — prove that some of the most exciting dance music on the planet is still coursing through the Afro-Latin diaspora.” – Washington Post
“The Panamanian cousins, Raka Rich and Raka Dun, are the embodiment of the new millennial Latino MC—bilingual, genre-bending and, of course, lyrics for days.” – Latina Magazine
“I’ve never actually seen emcees tangle off of each other so slickly, without a miss or pause. The illusion of effortlessness is part of what makes some cool, and they generate inspiring mega-wattage the way most people barely wake up.” – Pop Matters
“It seems like with every album release, Los Rakas bring their Panamanian hip-hop to higher fame…I wouldn’t be surprised if they become the next Drake.” – Wandering Sound
The Mix:
Oakland by way of Panama duo Los Rakas, who were included in Billboard‘s up-and coming reggaetón artists to watch list, released their 22-minute mix, Ricardo: The Raka Party Mix, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their debut album, El Negrito Dun Dun y Ricardo. The mix, which premiered via Okayplayer, presents an up-beat sound that can be put on repeat for an easy ride down the California coastline. Los Rakas adds a feel-good flavor to their remixes of a variety of hits like Everything But the Girl‘s “Missing” and Michael Jackson‘s “Remember the Time,” even adding UK house duo Gorgon City‘s “Ready For Your Love” featuring MNEK to the mix.
Ricardo: The Raka Party Mix opens with a dancehall banger, then transitions into a diverse range of Spanish and English tracks. The duo has been churning out a critically acclaimed fusion of hip-hop, dancehall, and folkloric-tinged bass since 2006, single-handedly moving the Latino hip-hop capital of the U.S. to the Bay Area. “As their music switched among hip-hop, reggaetón, and dancehall beats, their fast rhymes proclaimed solidarity across the hemisphere,” stated the New York Times, while NPR added that “it’s beautiful to remember what true love for music feels likes.” Along with El Negrito Dun Dun y Ricardo, which released on Universal Latino in 2014, Los Rakas released a cinematic three-part music video series about the immigrant experience in America based off their experience growing up in Oakland.
Known for their fresh mix of hip-hop, plena, reggae, and dancehall music with both Spanish and English lyricism, Los Rakas represents the cutting edge of Pan-American flows. The duo, who can be caught live at this year’s Coachella music festival, has set out to inspire fellow “Rakas” by empowering them to become successful despite their circumstances, turning the current Latin hip-hop world on its head. “‘Raka’ comes from the word ‘Rakataka’. They used that word to refer to people from the hood in Panama, but in a negative way,” Raka Dun explains. “We took the word and decided to make it positive…A ‘Raka’ can go to college and be a business man, you know.”
Listen to Ricardo: The Raka Party Mix: https://soundcloud.com/losrakas/ricardo-raka-party-mix
Check out the Okayplayer premiere: http://www.okayplayer.com/news/mixtape-monday-mateo-senolia-los-rakas-yesterday-new-quintet-stream.html/3
Buy El Nigrito Dun Dun y Ricardo on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/el-negrito-dun-dun-ricardo/id855726748
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/198355860″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]Please contact Michelle or Rory if interested in talking with Los Rakas.
Los Rakas Background:
Los Rakas is comprised of cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun, pioneering Panamanians by way of the Bay Area on the frontier of a new Latin urban sound. Known for their fresh mix of hip-hop, plena, reggae and dancehall music with both Spanish and English lyricism, Los Rakas represents the cutting edge of Pan-American flows. Taking their name from the Panamanian word “Rakataka,” a negative slur used to describe someone from the ghetto, Los Rakas have set out to both inspire fellow “Rakas” by empowering them to become successful despite their circumstances, turning the current Latin hip-hop world on its head. In 2012, Los Rakas released their EP, Raka Love, touring nationally and internationally. Their debut album on Universal Latino, El Negrito Dun Dun y Ricardo, released in 2014.
Links:
official website | twitter | facebook | youtube | soundcloud | instagram | bandcamp
Ricardo: The Raka Party Mix: https://soundcloud.com/losrakas/ricardo-raka-party-mix
El Nigrito Dun Dun y Ricardo: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/el-negrito-dun-dun-ricardo/id855726748
Mi Pais (My Country): http://youtu.be/iQ7UaPTQSts
Sueño Americano (American Dream): http://youtu.be/q3M-wri0HZg
Chica de Mi Corazon (Woman of My Heart): http://youtu.be/zElmm3dreVY