By Álvaro Ramal
Puerto Rican rapper Álvaro Diaz is playing a sold-out 9:30 Club on the 28th of September, as part of his ongoing North American tour. Diaz got his start on Soundcloud in 2012, like many of his Puerto Rican contemporaries. He is often credited with the tracks that kickstarted Puerto Rican trap as a whole, a genre that blew up under names like Anuel AA, Bad Bunny, and Bryant Myers. After releasing his first two albums, Hato Rey and Diaz Antes, and writing hits for artists like Karol G and Rauw Alejandro, it was his 2021 release, Felicilandia, that certified him as the multifaceted artist that he is known as today. Now, fresh from the long-awaited release of his most recent album and the second installment of the Felicilandia storyline, Diaz encapsulates all that defines modern heartbreak in the island with Sayonara. The album mixes elements of drum & bass, alternative rock, Frank Ocean-esque love ballads, techno, and basically what is a Spanish cover of A$AP Rocky’s “L$D”, all while simultaneously sticking to his roots of OG reggaetón, rap, and Puerto Rican trap. After Rolling Stone hailed the album as one of the best of 2024 so far, and his performance in an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, Diaz looks to capitalize on his recent acclaim by releasing his best music to date, broadening his reach to a more international level, and spear-heading the genre to new heights.
Find tickets to see Álvaro Diaz here
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