Photo Credit: Juan Rentas (@jarh__)
With a bottomless arsenal of flows and a lyric sheet to match, Joyce Santana is one of the finest rappers from Puerto Rico. He’s racking up co-signs from some of the biggest names in Latin music and in 2022, he looks to make a major impact stateside. Signed to Rimas Ent., home to artists like Bad Bunny, Santana is an expert toe-tagger, his clipped cadences and rolled “r’s” weaving between reggaeton riddims but always landing on time. A versatile voice who is currently trending at #2 on YouTube’s trending chart in Puerto Rico with his new “BabyMama” (Remix), and others, Joyce Santana should be on your radar.
A fiery mix of reggaeton and modern R&B sounds, with guest appearances from heavy-hitters Farruko, Luar La L, Myke Towers, Eladio Carrión, and Ñengo Flow, “BabyMama” (Remix) already has over 2 million views on its YouTube audio and over 1.2 million streams on Spotify since its release in late December. In addition to Puerto Rico, the remix has reached YouTube’s trending chart in markets like Spain, Chile, Colombia, and Peru.
“BabyMama” (Remix) is the latest step in a rise to prominence that started when he was a teenager. Joyce Santana was a poet before he ever started rapping. His mother wouldn’t let him use swear words in the home, so Joyce decided to write his thoughts down–these thoughts became his poems, and eventually his lyrics. Over the past several years, the artist has been building a reputation as one of the best bar-for-bar wordsmiths on his home island. His 2015 debut album Luz En La Oscuridad was a personal and densely lyrical work that established him among tastemakers in Puerto Rico as an artist to watch. In subsequent years, the artist looked outward, creating several hits, including “Vicky,” a viral track that tells the story of a seemingly wholesome woman with a party girl streak. In 2019, Santana made a memorable appearance on “El Perreo Intenso,” offering incendiary political commentary in a vicious 16-bar verse.
“BabyMama” originally appeared on Nadie Se Salva, Joyce’s 2021 EP, out now on all platforms. Though it only spans 5 songs, the EP demonstrates Joyce’s striking versatility, moving from drill on opener “Heavy,” to trap beats on the single “Contesta El Cel” and the closer “Mi Mentalidad.” Nadie Se Salva continues Joyce’s fruitful relationship with Young Martino, a popular producer who produced the billion-plus streamer “Te Bote,” and features guest spots from Darell, Brray, Lyanno, and Hozwal. Nadie Se Salva EP is available everywhere via Rimas Ent.
Joyce is currently preparing a new album to release later this year, and armed with his notebook of bars and a willingness to experiment, he’s ready to put the worlds of hip-hop and reggaeton on notice. Stay tuned for much more from Joyce Santana in the coming year.`
Listen to Joyce Santana x Farruko x Luar La L – “BabyMama” (Remix) ft. Myke Towers, Eladio Carrión & Ñengo Flow: https://youtu.be/
Buy/Stream “BabyMama (Remix)”: https://rimas.io/
© 2022, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
