Musicianship: It is easy to be reminded of class acts, such as the Outkast, when listening to Los Rakas. They can exhibit duality by smoothly mending contrasting elements. For example, on their newest single, “Besamé,” Rich and Dun seamlessly transition between serenading and rapping in English and Spanish. Combined with a fluid mixture of live and electronic instrumentations, “Besamé” proves that Los Rakas are able to capture and integrate the essence of multiple genres.
Performance: Energies were high in the intimate venue of Los Globos. Los Rakas took control with club bangers like “Rakas Party,” while calming things down by grooving to the live band’s free spirited jam outs. A highlight of the night was the “Besamé” performance as Rich and Dun smoothly interchanged performing their parts at the front of the stage before unifying together at the end to sing with the crowd. Los Rakas ended the night with a bang by performing the crowd favorite “We Dem Rakas.”
Summary: Overall, the duo is tight. The performance was entertaining throughout and the accompaniment of the live band was a nice touch––there was no dull moment. The best part of it all was these artists seemed like they were having the best time performing for their audience. This show proved that Raka Rich and Raka Dun are experienced performers who know how to entertain and navigate the crowd’s energy.
The Players: Raka Dun, vocals; Raka Rich, vocals; Stylo, sound machine; Dame Drummer, drums; Bruce Wayne, sax; Young Fyah, DJ.
Photo by Don Q. Dao
Venue: Los Globos
City: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: [email protected]
Web: losrakas.com
