From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and more, Billboard editors highlight the latest news buzz in Latin music every week. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week:
“Michael X”
Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, the Puerto Rican rapper turns his feelings into song rapping about racism and police brutality. In his new song “Michael X,” Myke Towers raps about slavery and having dealt with discrimination himself. Towers kicks off the track with words from Malcolm X’s famous 1962 speech: “We are oppressed. We are exploited. We are downtrodden.” He then goes on saying he needs to speak out against racism and can no longer hide how he’s feeling. The song drops amid national dialogue on anti-Black racism following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who was killed at the hands of police May 25.
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“Ay, Dios Mío!”
In an exclusive interview with Billboard, Karol G talked about her new song “Ay, Díos Mío!” inspired by her relationship with Anuel. The Colombian star also gushed about her love for Anuel and revealed details about their first date, including the outfit she wore to the special day. The couple will soon celebrate their two-year anniversary.
“Two well-invested years,” she told Billboard. “We have a great time. Even more in these times,” she says. “Instead of saying ‘We’re sick of each other,’ we’ve come closer together.” Check out the entire interview here.
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A Tribute to Michael Jackson
Colombian singer-songwriter Greeicy‘s admiration for Michael Jackson was inked in a new tattoo she showed off to her followers on social media. The tattoo is an image of Jackson when he was a little kid reminiscent of the The Jackson 5. The “Los Besos” singer documented her tattoo session via Instagram where she also shared with fans the other tattoo she got of two butterflies in flight.
“20 Segundos O Más”
As coronavirus cases continue to see a surge in the U.S., a group of Latin artists joined forces to raise awareness about the pandemic releasing a video titled “20 Seconds O Más (20 seconds or more).” To the beat of the classic salsa “La Murga” by Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe, the song fuses Latin rhythms and Hip Hop beats, encouraging the Latin community nationwide to follow the hand-washing and other protocols necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19. Read more about the campaign here.
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An Underwater Party
In partnership with Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon, NEON16 brings to life the SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run soundtrack. With music by Tyga, J Balvin, Lil Mosey, Snoop Dogg and Kenny, among others, the soundtrack was executive produced by award-winning producer Tainy and renowned industry leader Lex Borrero marking the first time the Latin multimedia company and talent incubator founded in 2019 partners with the animated franchise.
SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run will debut digitally in the U.S via premium video on demand in early 2021 and then move exclusively to CBS All Access, ViacomCBS’ subscription video on demand and live-streaming service, following the premium video-on-demand window.
Listen to “Agua” below:
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