Reggaeton Pioneer and OG, De La Ghetto, Talks New Music and His Legacy

Formally known as Rafael Torres, De La Ghetto has and continues to be a well-respected name in the Latin Music industry. A true artist, he is a singer, and rapper. Spanning a career close to two decades, his career continues to grow and thrive. Coming from the early days where music had no shortcuts, he’s built like a machine; always ready to hustle.

Born and raised in the Bronx from a Puerto Rican father and Dominican mother, a New Yorker’s true spirit is embodied in De La Ghetto. He was raised for some time in Puerto Rico yet still maintains that New York State of mind. The energy of motivation and perseverance are exuded in his personality and behavior. As he began to fall in love with music, his stage name came from a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reference.

During the start of his career, pre-social media, he enjoyed the ride for what it was. Uniting with Arcangel and forming a duo started it all. Handing out mixtapes, performing for free wherever they could, all to get their name out there. Moments of success and recognition became more of a common factor.

Inspiration is a word I can associate with De La Ghetto. His determination to succeed is relentless. Additionally, he is one to further the Latin culture and not only the current one. Along with his achievements, De La Ghetto pushes further to make the playing field easier for future generations of talent. As great as the dream is, music is a business, and his understanding of how the game works sets the direction for how he approaches ventures.

Describing it as 80% business and 20% music, and his entrepreneurship mind state keeps the wheel turning. De La Ghetto refers to having an American mentality to let his dreams turn into a reality but with the Latin crowd, a recipe that speaks for itself. His name does not go without recognition or respect because of his genre-bending styles since his first emergence on the scene.

Ready to show the world that he is a true pioneer, De La Ghetto is tackling his dreams at full force. Free to make his own rules. It’s safe to say the Los Chulitos rapper is cementing his legacy.