Since Yovngchimi burst onto the scene in 2021, his meteoric rise through the Latin trap scene has been nothing short of impressive. In his first rookie year, the Puerto Rican rapper, 28, was already collaborating with established names like Eladio Carrión and Ñengo Flow on hits like “Glizzy Walk 2.5” and “BAPE (Remix)” In 2023, he had his best year yet, teaming up with the legendary DJ Drama for the Gangsta Grillz: Mvrda Gvng mixtape, featured on Bad Bunny's blockbuster album Return to the Trap Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañanaand releases his own debut LP, WLGS (Whole Lotta Gvng Shit).
His raw lyrics and style are what have garnered him so many fans and also made him a beloved artist. His delivery and pacing feel authentic in a way that's hard to fake. whether he's rapping about cruising around town in a Lamborghini Diablo or being blessed by Santería saints before turning the block, he sells the narrative in a way that can get listeners' blood pumping. “Yovngchimi has a very special style, because of the language and vocabulary they speak in Puerto Rico,” says Peso Pluma. Rolling rock. “He makes it very special and uses it perfectly.”
When reflecting on what lessons he's learned from last year's successes, Chimi (as he's known to friends and fans) leans on the importance of discipline. “What I learned was that you don't have to rush your projects,” he says. “Instead, take as much time as you need. Make sure they're great, make sure they go hard and feel like they're yours.”
Raised in San Juan's Luis Lloréns Torres public housing complex, Chimi has been open about how he never thought of becoming a rapper until, well, he did. He didn't set foot in a recording booth until his twenties, and says he “didn't have music in my head” when he was younger. What started as a lark has since led to songs with French Montana and his own gig at San Juan's Coliseo de Puerto Rico, one of Latin music's most heralded venues.
Going into 2024, he is focused and ready to hit the ground running to continue his momentum. “You have to keep being consistent,” he says. “You can't stop working and be comfortable just because you think, 'I already did this' or 'I already recorded with this person.' If you want to continue a hot streak, you have to continue to be consistent and innovate — your music, your visuals, your image.”
Chimi keeps the details of his next moves close to his chest, something he admits he's always treasured. “I don't like to talk too much about my future plans. I prefer to surprise people,” he says. “But I can say that I have very big projects and very big ones [collaborations] coming. A little more mainstream music, but always music for the streets.”
As someone who has barely let a month go by in the last two years without new music dropping, it shouldn't be long before fans start finding out what these teases are all about. This may be due to some advice he got from more established artists — After all, being wildly successful doesn't take away from the fact that he's still green enough to take words of wisdom from those who came before him.
“People have given me advice about creativity and being innovative,” he says. “One thing I remember clearly was that you shouldn't feel like you have to hold back songs because they're 'too good'. You have to put it out there and tell yourself that you're going to keep making even better music as you go.”
As the new year rolls on, Yovngchimi will no doubt continue to be a major presence in the Latin trap scene, with an eye on expanding into the English-speaking market. The way he sees it, which he chooses to be included as part of Rolling rockThis year's Future 25 brings him closer to that goal.
“Even though I'm really confident in how good I am, my team and the work we've done, it's still surprising when things like this happen because we're still new to this game,” he says. “Well, yeah, it's dope!”
from our partners at https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/yovngchimi-latin-trap-puerto-rico-1234981424/