“My life is what it is because of hip-hop, so making this love letter of an album was very important to me,” Trueno tells Apple Music. “I’ve belonged to this movement since I was in my mother’s womb. My ideals, my way of thinking and expressing myself are tied closely to the precepts of this culture.” From his first breakdancing moves in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood of La Boca to his rise as one of Latin rap’s key MCs, Mateo Palacios always knew that his days would be defined by music. Hip-hop was not only the domain of his father, Uruguayan rapper MC Peligro, but it also formed the ideals that gave his life meaning. Now, he celebrates 50 years of hip-hop on EL ÚLTIMO BAILE, an album that dissects in four segments the many aspects of the culture, from its various forms of expression (graffiti, breakdance, turntablism, beatbox, streetwear and rap) to its codes (language, street smarts, ideals and entrepreneurial spirit), but also its influences and contributions to music. “The album also touches on the many genres—disco, jazz and the blues—that enriched the sound of hip-hop, and references recent developments like trap and drill,” says Trueno. Here, he walks us through the four segments that make up his project. First Segment: The ABC “This initial group of songs includes ‘PLO PLO!’, ‘TRANKY FUNKY’, ‘NO CAP’ and ‘THE ROOF IS ON FIRE’. It addresses the era dominated by boom-bap. The message is radical, raw and competitive. It’s the basis of rap, the very essence. These four tracks go to the core of the genre, like the ABC. Here you get to see Trueno the warrior, the confrontational Trueno that sums me up and embodies my artistic persona. It’s one of the ways in which I can express myself through music, and the aspect that I enjoy the most—I just love boom-bap. I started the album in this mode in order to infuse it with strength. This is what we do best, our signature style.” Second Segment: The Roots “This is the foundation: Jamaica, dancehall music, the roots and dub systems. We carry the speakers to the sidewalk, set up a mic, ask the DJ to hook up a pen drive and sing for my people—throw a block party. This is the precedent, and not paying tribute to the soul of this culture in a hip-hop record would have been disrespectful. I also wanted to delve into that sound because I’m a big fan of artists like Sean Paul, who actually guests on the album. I think that’s a beautiful thing. I also wanted to show the world that hip-hop is Latino as well. Two communities that contributed in equal measure to shaping the genre: people of Afro and Latin descent. People from both backgrounds live in the Bronx, and I feel more emphasis should be placed in the Latin contribution to the culture. There’s buck jump in ‘COMO ANTES’, New Orleans mixed in with some murga—and also dembow, which stems from Jamaica and found fertile ground in other places, just like hip-hop itself.” Third Segment: The Genesis “An attempt to vindicate hip-hop’s formative years. The idea is travelling backwards, rewinding history and guiding people on a journey through different eras. ‘OHH BABY’ embodies disco music, Grandmaster Flash, ‘The Message’; the first commercial hip-hop tracks that were played on the radio and at parties. I love disco, funk and the fusion of both. It’s the party side of rap. ‘CUANDO EL BAJO SUENA’ addresses the techno sound that arrived a bit later. ‘LA NOTA’ reflects electronica from 2010 onwards, while still vindicating the roots. I try to grasp the primordial aspects of this culture, bringing its beginnings to the present times so that people can know how it all started.” Final Segment “The last segment is actually one song, ‘RAIN III’. All I can say is that this track represents the soul of Mateo. There’s the blues, and a single person—that would be me—talking to the world about his emotions. Exposing himself by showing his wounds, every single scar. I think that’s what makes an artist stronger. There’s nothing as powerful as telling the truth—revealing who we really are.”