Los Rakas

Los Rakas represent pan-American flows. Two cousins who grew up in Panama before

spending their teens in Oakland, California, Dun Dun and Rico put a distinctive "Panabay" twist on hip-hop and reggae, bridging the streetwise sounds of the places they've called home.

Drawing on Panamanian plena's faithful approach to reggae classics and the Bay Area's

independent and idiosyncratic hip-hop scene, Los Rakas merge familiar dancehall melodies

with a lyricism all their own. Los Rakas make music born of migration and tradition, critique

and celebration, joy and pain. They make New World music. American music. Panamanian

Jamaican Californian music. Music for b-boys and rude boys, dancers and romancers,

mainlanders and islanders and isthmus folk alike.

Last year was a flagship year for the group, winning the 2010 Latin Alternative Music

Conference’s Jack Daniel’s 'Discovery Artist' prize in New York City (an award that goes to the

most promising group at the conference and the first time awarded to an urban group), with

endorsements from Gibson Guitar and SHURE; culminating with their breakout performance at

The Bowery Ballroom with a 6 piece band. They have also rocked alongside artists like The

Roots, Outkast, Ice Cube, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, E40, Pharaoh Monch, Fat Joe and others.

Tastemakers like the FADER, XLR8R, Okayplayer to more traditional outlets like The New

York Times, NPR & National Geographic have hailed the group. Their hit summer single,

'Abrazame' ft Favi (Uproot Andy Hold Yuh), a latin take on the Gyptian 'Hold Yuh' smash, is

currently in rotation at 106 KMEL (San Francisco) and La Mega 97.9 (New York) and spreading

fast. The future is bright for this young duo. They are currently on the 2011 'Playback Tour'

with reggae star, Collie Buddz, bringing their dynamic show to audiences across the country.

RAKA RICH

Born in Northern California, Raka Rich began his international journey early on in life,

immediately moving to Panama City, where he lived until he was 12. From childhood, he was

drawn to music and seduced by the variations between sound and rhythm. Soon, his own lyrics

spawned, sewing the seeds of an emerging new sound.

RAKA DUN

One of ten children raised in the barrio of Nuevo Veranillo, Panama, Raka Dun (pronounced

Doon) of Los Rakas, has his sights firmly set on international stardom. More than just a dream,

Panama understands the kind of commitment and hard work it takes to succeed. Raka Dun

began entertaining at the age of 10, touring his home country with a traditional folkloric dance

group.