Peso Pluma has recently been the subject of major headlines. The Mexican singer and rapper canceled his upcoming Tijuana concert following threats from a drug cartel. Last week, people spotted banners containing threats directed towards Peso Pluma. These banners warned him to “refrain from appearing this October 14,” they read in Spanish. The New York Times reported that the banners “were signed with the initials of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel,” known for being “one of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels and a rival of El Chapo’s Sinaloa Cartel.” This is also not the first time that Peso Pluma has had to cancel a concert in Tijuana.
Peso Pluma is set to resume his debut headline tour of North America next week. The Mexican singer and rapper is currently in the spotlight more than ever before, reaching mainstream audiences and commercial success this year. He is currently one of the most popular and in-demand in the contemporary Latin music scene. Today, we are looking into Peso Pluma’s career and journey so far.
A Rising Star
Peso Pluma is leading the charge for the regional Mexican style of corridos tumbados. The genre combines traditional corridos with Latin urban music. With international appeal that has allowed him to cross over to American audiences, the 24-year-old rapper and singer is now one of the biggest Mexican artists. Peso Pluma got his start in 2020 when he released his debut studio album, Ah y Qué. Not long after, he came right back with his second album, 2021’s Efectos Secundarios. Both of these releases established Peso Pluma’s distinct sound, positioning his future takeover of not only Mexico but the United States and Latin America.
Peso Pluma And Narco Culture
Many of Peso Pluma’s songs tackle subjects of narco culture and the overall presence of drug cartels in Mexico. The video for his 2022 hit single, “El Belicón” saw him and Raul Vega depicting this presence before going viral on social media and entering the Billboard charts. That same year, his song “Siempre Pendientes” gained controversial attention due to its lyrics that directly glorified El Chapo, mentioning the drug lord by name. The song not only received backlash from law enforcement, but also from Chapo's rivals, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Peso defended his lyrics and even used the response to his advantage as the song performed well on the Billboard charts. The relationship between corridos tumbados and narco culture is clearly a contentious one, but Peso Pluma has been able to thrive as an artist and continuously rise in popularity.
Peso Pluma Is Having His Moment
Peso Pluma’s first tasted mainstream success this year as he rapidly rose to the top of the charts. His song “AMG” marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and his first No. 1 single on the Hot Latin Songs chart. The consecutive success of songs like “PRC,” “El Hechizo,” “Por Las Noches,” and “Ella Baila Sola” led to his achievement of having the most Spanish-language songs on the Hot 100 for any Mexican artist. Peso Pluma has also been actively performing at major events and award shows. Becky G brought him out at both this year’s Coachella and the Latin American Music Awards to perform their hit single, “Chanel.” Additionally, he recently performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and the MTV Video Music Awards, becoming the first regional Mexican artist to do so.
With the release of his third studio album, Génesis and the launch of his own independent record label, Double P Records, it is safe to say that 2023 has been Peso Pluma’s year. He has racked up many accolades, platinum hits, and a whopping 21 different nominations at this year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards. His headlining tour has helped increase his visibility, even with the cancellation of his Tijuana show. Peso Pluma is certainly having his moment this year, but it seems that he is only just getting started.