Los Rakas

The Panamanian-American pair Los Rakas merges hip-hop, reggaeton, and R&B while delivering rhymes in both Spanish and English. Formed in 2006, the group centers on Raka Dun (aka Abdull Rubén Domínguez), who was born in Panama and arrived in Oakland, California during his teenage years, alongside his cousin Raka Rich (aka Ricardo Betancourt), a lifelong Californian whose parents had emigrated from Panama. Although “Rakataka” functions in Panama as a slur aimed at street dwellers or ghetto inhabitants, the duo adopted the label to celebrate their roots and began creating music after crossing paths at a family gathering. They coined the term “Pana-Bay” to describe their sound, reflecting their dual ties to Panama and the San Francisco Bay Area, then performed regularly at clubs and youth events across Northern California while also recording and independently circulating mixtapes such as the 2006 release Panabay Twist and its 2009 follow-up Panabay Twist 2: La Tanda del Bus. Their track “Bounce” became a regional favorite, which led Snoop Dogg to book them for his 2010 Smoke Out Festival alongside Cypress Hill, Erykah Badu, and Manu Chao. Their debut EP, Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada, arrived in 2011, followed the next year by the Raka Love EP, issued as a Valentine’s Day offering to supporters. Over time Raka Dun and Raka Rich joined forces with artists including Major Lazer on the 2013 single “Desorden” and Blondie on the 2014 album Ghosts of Download. After signing with Universal, the label released the duo’s self-titled major-label debut in 2016. They returned with another collection of romantic material, Raka Love 2, in 2017, then issued Manes de Negocio two years later, which included appearances by Jhoni the Voice, Tree Thomas, Youngin Floe, and additional guests.