Los Rakas

Media resources

Biography

Grammy-nominated duo Los Rakas, Panamanian cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun, mix hip-hop, plena, reggae and dancehall. In 2015 they became the first Spanish-speaking artists to perform at Coachella, and their self-titled 2017 album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album.

Grammy-nominated duo Los Rakas, cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun, are known for their mix of hip-hop, plena, reggae and dancehall. Their name comes from the Panamanian word "Rakataka," a slur for someone from the ghetto, and they set out to inspire fellow "Rakas" to succeed despite their circumstances. In 2015 they became the first Spanish-speaking artists to perform at Coachella. In 2016 they were musical guests at a White House summit for innovators of color. Their self-titled 2017 album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album, and Remezcla called their 2019 album Manes De Negocio a "socially conscious trap soiree." They have performed with Dave Chappelle, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Cypress Hill, Kali Uchis, Kehlani and Shaggy, and collaborated with Blondie, Amara La Negra and D-Smoke. Their single "Uno2Tres" was slated for the FIFA 22 soundtrack.

Grammy-nominated duo Los Rakas represents the cutting edge of Pan-American flows. Known for their fresh mix of hip-hop, plena, reggae and dancehall music, Los Rakas, are leaders of the Latino Urban Sound. Formed by cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun, Los Rakas are breaking boundaries by integrating different genres of music, and in 2015 their pioneering made them the first Spanish speaking artists to Perform at Coachella, breaking down the doors for performers like JBalvin, and Bad Bunny to name a few. 

Taking their name from the Panamanian word “Rakataka,” a negative slur used to describe someone from the ghetto, Los Rakas have set out to inspire fellow “Rakas” by empowering them to become successful despite their circumstances. In 2016 Los Rakas we’re invited to the White House to be musical guests at the first Brioxy White House Summit for Innovators of Color. The Summit convened 100 leaders of color in their twenties and thirties, who spent the day discussing national issues like Black Lives Matter, immigration policy, and food equity. 

Their self-titled album in 2017, Los Rakas earned them a Grammy nomination for “Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album,” and their 2019 album Manes De Negocio is best described by Remezcla as a “socially conscious trap soiree.” The New York Times has called Los Rakas rhymes a “proclaiming solidarity across the hemisphere,”reinforcing that the duo are not only conscious but know how to get people on their feet. Los Rakas has performed with artists like Dave Chappelle, Snoop Dogg, Berner, JBalvin, Kehlani, Zion & LennoxCypress Hill, E40, Ice Cube, Kali Uchis, Shaggy, and Nina Sky to name a few. They have also collaborated with artists such as Blondie, Amara La Negra, Carmack, Kafu Banton, Kat Dahlia, D-Smoke, Goapele, P-Lo and in 2022 their hit single Uno2Tres will be featured in the FIFA 22 soundtrack. 

Videos

Press photos

Los Rakas (Credit: Raka Pitu)
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Credit: Raka Pitu
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Los Rakas (Credit: Tagry Shots)
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Credit: Tagry Shots
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Los Rakas (Credit: Alex Hernandez)
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Credit: Alex Hernandez
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Los Rakas (Credit: Alex Hernandez)
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Credit: Alex Hernandez
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Los Rakas (Credit: Lauren Enriquez)
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Credit: Lauren Enriquez
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Los Rakas (Credit: Yazid Johnson)
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Credit: Yazid Johnson
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Press quotes

“This Oakland, California, 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
“Los Rakas are building a serious reputation for themselves by mixing the rhythms of reggae and Caribbean dancehall with ferocious, bilingual, emcee-devouring microphone skills.”
MTV
“As their music switched among hip-hop, reggaetón and dancehall beats, their fast rhymes proclaimed solidarity across the hemisphere.”
The New York Times
“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
“Los Rakas are single-handedly taking back Reggaeton to it’s Panamanian roots.”
National Geographic
“Estamos rakiando con ustedes!”
CNN
“The Panamanian Rap Duo That’s Changing How We Think About Hip-Hop”
New York Observer

Quick facts

  • Grammy nominee: Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
  • First Spanish-speaking act to play Coachella (2015)
  • White House musical guests (2016)
  • Performed with Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Dave Chappelle
  • Cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun, Panama to Oakland
  • Hip-hop, plena, reggae and dancehall

Latest release

“Candela” (2022) cover

“Candela” (2022)

Materials updated October 2026