From street battles in Buenos Aires to winning Latin GRAMMYs and soundtracking Apple’s Super Bowl campaign, Trueno has carved a path no one saw coming—but he did. His fusion of protest lyrics, melodic trap, and fierce Argentinian pride has made him a voice for a generation and a standout in Latin rap’s global takeover. We caught up with him ahead of his EL ÚLTIMO BAILE WORLD TOUR to talk about “EN LA CITY,” artistic activism, and why every win still feels rooted in the same dream: to be a rapper.
You’ve gone from freestyle battles in Buenos Aires to global stages. What’s kept you grounded through this massive rise?
I think what always kept me grounded was the same focus and the same dream I have had since I was a little kid — to be a rapper. I didn’t want to be famous, and I didn’t want to be the champion of any battle. I just used to watch my dad, watch my childhood idols, and I wanted to be just like them. I wanted to record songs, I wanted to shoot music videos, and I wanted to become what I admired at that time. So I think that with that vision of my dream and my future, all the achievements and everything I was able to do happened in a real and genuine way — because it was never about chasing a reward, but about pursuing a dream that I’m now living.
Your lyrics often tackle social and political themes. How do you balance activism with the high energy of your music?
I like my music to vary a lot based on the feeling. I believe that art is born from the need to express an emotion — whether it’s protest, nostalgia, happiness. So I always try to say what I feel, no matter the moment. If I’m in a place where I need to protest, I do it through my music. And if I’m in another kind of moment, I try to make the feeling just as genuine as it is in protest — just expressed through a different style and with different intentions.
“EN LA CITY” with Young Miko is fire. What was the vibe like in the studio—and what message do you hope fans take from it?
Collaborating with Young Miko was an incredible experience — from her willingness to be on the track to what she contributed lyrically, filming the video in Puerto Rico too. And part of what I try to do with these collaborations and features that appeared in El Último Baile Deluxe is to show other artists that they’re welcome in the world of Proyecto Trueno and in hip hop. I also want to build connections with artists from other countries and genres. It might seem like we’re far apart, but we end up just as close as with local artists, and we create the same kind of energy. So it’s always with the intention of building unity and forming bonds between genres and between countries.
Latin music is dominating globally right now. What makes this moment feel different for artists coming out of Argentina?
I believe Argentina has a special gene — the hunger that artists here have. We always go all-in, whether it’s in art, in football, or in anything. We’re incredibly passionate. And I think that also helps drive the Latin movement as a whole. Argentina has that DNA of always going into battle. And I think you can really feel that same spirit in our music.
You’ve worked with heavyweights like Feid, Bizarrap, and now Marshmello. What do you look for in a collaboration?
Your sound blends Latin rhythms with gritty urban beats. How do your Buenos Aires roots shape your musical identity today?
I try to fuse my influences a lot, since I grew up in a family where I was exposed to different types of musical learning. One side was more urban — probably from my father’s side — rooted in protest, with hip hop, reggaetón, and everything urban playing a big role in my life. And on the other hand, from my mother’s side, I had more alternative music, Argentine rock, and more expansive types of music, so to speak, along with other varied genres. So I try not to just stick to one thing or stay fixed in one style, but instead to combine all the different learnings I’ve had throughout my life.
With sold-out stops across the UK and Europe, what’s surprised you most about the energy from international crowds?
Whenever I’m abroad — whether it’s in England, Spain, Belgium, like we were this time with El Último Baile, or Amsterdam — it’s wild to see how music can transmit beyond language, how a message in a song can cross an ocean. And I’m always grateful when we’re at shows and we feel at home, even if we’re thousands of kilometers away from Argentina — we feel the same as we do here with our local audience. That’s all thanks to the power of music and how people interpret it and feel it in their own way.
From the Latin GRAMMYs to Apple’s Super Bowl campaign—what’s been your most surreal “I made it” moment so far?
I think I’ve had several surreal moments in my life that I never imagined would happen — like playing my first stadium in Argentina, winning a Latin GRMMY winning a Gardel de Oro (one of the most important awards in Argentina), performing in massive arenas across Europe, and being able to tour the world with my music. All of it comes as a blessing, because like I mentioned, I just wanted to be a rapper. So I’m happy to let everything come as a surprise, and to let the “achievements,” so to speak, arrive as a result of the work we do. That way, every success that comes along is just as joyful as the last.
xxx
Trueno’s latest EP titled “EUB Deluxe” with focus track “Fresh”, set to release on May 23rd and May 22nd, respectively.
