Rayden Essentials

Rayden Essentials

A vital figure in the Spanish hip-hop scene, Rayden cut his teeth as part of A3Bandas before taking top honours in the 2006 Red Bull Batalla de los Gallos competition. Four years later, the artist known to the taxman as David Martínez Álvarez would reveal a knack for reflective, poetic and socially charged lyrics on solo debut Estaba Escrito. As showcased here, Rayden boasts a penchant for hard-hitting urban rhymes and clever sampled slices of '70s soul. Sophisticated pop arrangements aren't beyond him, either, as heard on collaborations with the likes of Mäbu and veteran rapper Hermano L.

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