Darell Essentials

Editors’ Notes In the 21st century, reggaetón took a hard turn toward romance, but this Puerto Rican rapper’s ascendence proves there’s still room for artists who hew to the genre’s rough, street-ready origins. With a gruff voice reminiscent of artists like Voltio and Tego Calderón and commanding, intricately rhymed verses, Darell was one half of the duo Belto y Darell in the early 2010s, but it wasn’t until he signed with Nengo Flow’s Real G4 Life in 2016 that he got the mentorship he needed. His career took off with 2017’s “Te Boté,” which took over dance floors even without radio support (it was too racy) and exploded thanks to a 2018 remix.