Arcángel
Arcángel in 2023
Born	Austin Agustín Santos (1985-12-23)December 23, 1985 (age 39) New York City, U.S.
Other names	La Maravilla[1] Arca La Marash Mr. Cash and Carry
Occupations	Rapper singer songwriter
Years active	2004–present
Works	Discography
Spouses	Alejandra Pascual ​ ​ (m. 2006; div. 2020)​ Janexsy Figueroa ​ (m. 2021)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	Reggaeton Latin trap hip-hop R&B
Labels	Flow Factory Mas Flow Machete Universal Latino Pina Sony Latin Rimas
Formerly of	Arcángel & De la Ghetto
Musical artist

Austin Agustín Santos (born December 23, 1985), better known by his stage nameArcángel, is an American rapper and singer. He is often described as one of the most influential artists in theLatin urban genre, as well inLatin music overall, and one of the pioneers ofLatin trap music.^[2][3] Around 2002, he became interested in becoming a performer ofreggaeton. While living in Puerto Rico, he met fellow singerDe la Ghetto, where they eventually formed a popular then-underground reggaeton duo,Arcángel & De la Ghetto.

While releasing music with De la Ghetto during the mid-2000s, they would release songs that eventually became popular in the United States and Puerto Rico, including "Aparentemente", "Agresivo", "Sorpresa" and "Mi Fanática". The duo went on to pursue solo careers following their separation in 2007; Arcángel would also start a record label of his own. Since the start of his solo career in 2008, he has released hit singles such as "Pa' Que la Pases Bien", "Por Amar a Ciegas", "Hace Mucho Tiempo", "Me Prefieres a Mí", "Me Acostumbré", "Tú No Vive' Así", "Sigues Con Él", "La Jumpa", and "ALV". Arcángel's second major-label albumSentimiento, Elegancia & Maldad (2013) peaked at number one on the USTop Latin Albums chart, with his later solo studio albums—Ares (2018),Historias de un Capricornio (2019), andLos Favoritos 2 (2020)—appearing on the chart's top five.

Austin Agustín Santos Rosas was born on December 23, 1985, inNew York City toDominican parents.^[4] He and his family moved toPuerto Rico when he was 3 months old, and eventually began moving back and forth between New York City and Puerto Rico, starting when he was 12. His mother, Carmen Rosa, was a former member of the all-womenmerengue group,las Chicas del Can, who were popular during the mid-1980s to the early 1990s.^[5][2] Santos grew up listening to various types of music and has been a fan ofrock music, particularlyDraco Rosa, a Puerto Ricanpop rock artist and a former member ofMenudo.^[6] Santos was not always a fan ofreggaeton; he claims that it is not his favorite type of music, but it is easy to sing to.^[7] During the early 2000s, Santos grew fond of the new kind of music.

After returning to Puerto Rico in 2002, Santos had decided to follow in the footsteps of the upbringing ofreggaeton music.^[7] He went on to form part of an underground reggaeton act withDe la Ghetto,Arcángel & De la Ghetto. The duo was signed to reggaeton artistZion's record label, Baby Records, a subsidiary ofUniversal Music Group. The duo were also involved withMachete Music in 2004 during the time that they were recording for reggaeton compilation albums. Arcángel & De la Ghetto rose to fame in 2006 on the reggaeton compilation album hosted byHéctor el Father,Sangre Nueva, with their hit song, "Ven Pégate".^[8][9] They were also featured on theLuny Tunes-hosted compilationMas Flow: Los Benjamins in 2006.^[8]

Though an active musical duo, Arcángel & De la Ghetto never released a studio album since the formation of the duo. Any production they had been involved with only resulted in tracks and recordings being included on compilation albums orleaked onto the Internet. This was due to a conflict with Baby Records because the company was not releasing any material by Arcángel & De la Ghetto onto an album of their own. Arcángel claimed to have even spent $150,000 on producing an albumK-Libre (2006), which resulted in the label not releasing it to market. The tracks produced were said to have been leaked onto the Internet instead.^[6] Arcángel had then filed a lawsuit with Baby Records in 2007 for US$1,000,000 and eventually left the record company in December 2006, when he announced that he was embarking on a solo career and founding a label of his own.^[6][8]

After the separation of the duo in early 2007, Arcángel began his solo career, working with various reggaeton producers and performers on compilation albums. Most notable of them was a compilation album produced in 2007,Flow la Discoteka 2, which was produced by songwriter and record producerDJ Nelson.^[10] The album was an upbringing of different artists trying to rise to fame, one of those including Arcángel, who made a track titled "Chica Virtual", which went on to be one of his most recognizable songs, as well as being a popular airplay single on American Latin Urban radio stations, charting at number 9 on theBillboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart.^[11] It also charted at number 22 on theBillboardHot Latin Tracks chart.^[12]

In July 2008, Arcángel toldBillboard that he was working on his debut albumLa Maravilla, which was set to be aLatin urban album and was set to release in September or October 2008.^[13] The album was eventually cancelled due to tracks of the album being leaked onto the internet that same year.^[14] One of the internet leaks, a song titled "Pa' Que la Pases Bien", went on to be a popular airplay track on American Latin Urban radio stations across the United States. The unreleased album being leaked onto the internet resulted in making Arcángel more popular among reggaeton fans in the United States, as well as Puerto Rico.^[8]

Arcángel founded Flow Factory Inc. in 2006, and his mother became his manager afterward.^[6] He claimed that it was easier having his mother be his manager so that he would not have to pay 20 percent of money received from record sales to his record label and manager.^[6] He went on to release his debut album,El Fenómeno, in late 2008.^[8] The album included songs that were produced in the last quarter of 2007 and the first quarter of 2008, including the DJ Nelson produced "Chica Virtual". Half of the album was tracks that he originally produced for an album that was to be released in the first quarter of 2008. The other half of the album also included newly produced tracks, ones including "Por Amar a Ciegas", which went on to become a successful airplay single on Latin urban radio stations across the United States.^[8]

In mid-January 2009, Arcángel announced plans of a European tour sometime during 2009, in promotion of his debut album,El Fenómeno, and to receive more exposure across the world from reggaeton fans.^[15] To comment on the tour, he claimed that in order for it to be successful, good equipment would be highly important, and by going on the tour, he would be able to learn more about a continental tour experience.^[15] Arcángel confirmed to be touring in several countries, including Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, England, the Netherlands and Denmark. His mixtapeThe Problem Child was released in April 2010, with his following mixtapeOptimus A.R.C.A. released in October 2010.^[8]

In February 2012, Arcangel signed withPina Records, which is based inSan Juan, Puerto Rico and operates offices in Colombia and Venezuela. Through the label, Arcángel released "Hace Mucho Tiempo", the lead single from his 2013 album^[16]Sentimiento, Elegancia & Maldad, which both performed successfully.^[17][18] The album debuted at number one on the USTop Latin Albums chart, making it his first number-one, and first top-10, studio album.^[19]

In 2015, Arcángel and fellow producerDJ Luian would release their collaborative albumLos Favoritos, which featuresNicky Jam, fellow Puerto Rican artistFarruko, and Colombian singerMaluma.^[20] The album was successful, debuting atop the USLatin Rhythm Albums chart^[21] and at number two on the USTop Latin Albums chart.^[19] In 2016, he signed with Hear This Music and released "La Ocasión" along with Ozuna,De la Ghetto, andAnuel AA, which was a big hit.^[22] In 2017, he collaborated withOzuna andJ Balvin on theChris Jedi-produced track "Ahora Dice",^[23] and also collaborated withSnow Tha Product on "Nuestra Canción Pt. 2".^[24]

In 2018, he released his third studio albumAres, which was composed mostly ofLatin trap, something much different compared to his past albums which were mostly reggaeton. The album featured Puerto Rican artistBad Bunny and Colombian artistJ Balvin.^[25][26]

In 2019, he would collaborate withMyke Towers,Farruko,Sech andZion on the remix for "Si Se Da".^[27] That same year, he would end his contract with Pina Records and sign withRimas Entertainment, where he released singles to promote his fourth studio album,Historias de un Capricornio, which contains collaborations withOzuna,Bad Bunny, Myke Towers, among others.^[28][29] He would release "Te Esperaré" on August 16, 2019, as the album's lead single;^[30] "Memoria Rota" with Towers was released on October 25, 2019, as its second single.^[31][32] Within the album, its fourth single, "Sigues Con Él" featuring Sech, would mark a major breakthrough for Arcángel, as it peaked at number 78 on theBillboard Hot 100, which marked his first appearance on the chart.^[33]

In April 2020, Arcángel and Sech would release a remix version of "Sigues Con Él" withRomeo Santos.^[34] After, the rapper would release a few more singles to promote his fifth studio albumLos Favoritos 2, which is a sequel to his 2015 album with DJ Luian,Los Favoritos; the singles "Tussi" and "Amantes y Amigos" were released on September and October 2020.^[35][36] The album, which was originally planned to be released in 2017, contains a sequel to "Aparentemente" withYaga & Mackie andDe la Ghetto titled "Aparentemente 2,"^[37][38] as well as other collaborations withCosculluela,Ozuna,Wisin & Yandel,Romeo Santos, among others.^[39]

In April 2021, Arcángel and Colombian rapperFarina would release their collaborative EPFloWres, which was supported by their single "La Boca".^[40] In September of the same year, he released his sixth studio albumLos Favoritos 2.5, which was supported by the single "Insegura" and contains collaborations withZion & Lennox,Nicky Jam,Tempo, among others.^[41][42] In November 2021, Arcángel's younger brother, Justin Santos, died in a car accident while on a visit to Puerto Rico.^[43]

A year after the death of Justin Santos, Arcángel would release the single "JS4E" and would also announce his seventh studio albumSr. Santos to be a tribute to his brother, in November 2022.^[44] A week later, he released the album's second single, "La Jumpa" withBad Bunny, which became another hit single for Arcángel, peaking at number 68 on the USBillboard Hot 100.^[45]Sr. Santos was released on December 1, 2022, containing other collaborations withMyke Towers,Young Miko,Eladio Carrión,Bizarrap, among others.^[46] The album peaked at number three on the US Top Latin Albums chart, achieving his sixth top 10 on the chart.^[19]

In March 2023, Arcángel would join Bizarrap to release his54th "Music Sessions", which was originally teased on social media before release.^[47][48] After the release of several singles, the singer would announce his eighth studio album,Sentimiento, Elegancia y Más Maldad, which is a sequel to his second albumSentimiento, Elegancia & Maldad. Following the announcement, Arcángel would release the album's lead single, "La Chamba" withPeso Pluma, which was announced with a trailer which featured American actorDanny Trejo, being released on October 30, 2023.^[49] The album was released on November 17, 2023, with most of the album's production done byDímelo Flow.^[50][51] Within the album, "ALV" withGrupo Frontera would become a hit in other countries.^[52]

Since 2007, Arcángel has released a series oftiraderas (diss tracks) under the title "Feliz Navidad", with most of them being produced by DJ Luian.Farruko,Wisin,Tito El Bambino, among others has been mentioned by Arcángel in at least one of his diss tracks.^[53] In December 2023, Arcángel released "Feliz Navidad 8", which is a diss track againstAnuel AA, Rochy RD andOzuna. The release of the track would start a feud against the singer and Anuel; its reason for release is due to Anuel ending his business relationship with his longtime manager Frabián Eli, who is Arcángel's brother-in-law.^[54] Anuel would respond with the release of the "Glock, Glock, Glock", where he mentions that withoutBad Bunny, Arcángel cannot make a hit single. Titled after thesubstance of the same name, Arcángel would respond with "El Narcan", where its lyrics claim that Anuel hassubstance abuse issues.^[55] Anuel responded again with a second diss track "Arcángel Es Chota", a song where he mentionsKarol G andCosculluela, and also mentions Arcángel's arrest in 2019 fordomestic battery. Also responding to the singer again through anInstagram post, Anuel claims that nobody noticed that he released his album,Sentimiento, Elegancia y Más Maldad, adding that "[he's] waiting for Bad Bunny to collaborate with him to revive his career."^[56] Arcángel would release a third diss track titled "3 a 0", where he mentions Anuel's ex-partnerYailin La Más Viral and defends Karol G andFeid in the track.^[57]

Arcángel has two children. The first was born while in a relationship with Alejandra Pascual,^[58] while the second was born during Arcángel's relationship with Janexsy Figueroa.^[59] He is also stepfather to the son of Figueroa andNicky Jam.^[60][61] Justin Santos, who was Arcángel's brother, died at the age of 21 on November 21, 2021, in acar accident on theTeodoro Moscoso Bridge in Puerto Rico.^[62][63][9]

In July 2010, Arcángel was arrested inSan Juan, Puerto Rico, for driving under the influence of alcohol and speeding. In February 2012, he was arrested again for something similar, despite refusing to take afield sobriety test.^[64] In 2019, Arcángel got into legal trouble fordomestic battery and was set to appear in court in June 2020.^[65][66][67]

• K-libre (2006)
• El Fenómeno (2008)
• Sentimiento, Elegancia & Maldad (2013)
• Ares (2018)
• Historias de un Capricornio (2019)
• Los Favoritos 2 (2020)
• Los Favoritos 2.5 (2021)
• Sr. Santos (2022)
• Sentimiento, Elegancia y Más Maldad (2023)
• Papi Arca (2024)

• Arcángel discography atDiscogs
• Arcángel discography atMusicBrainz

• 1985 births
• Living people
• American hip-hop singers
• American reggaeton musicians
• American singers of Dominican Republic descent
• Latin trap musicians
• Latin music songwriters
• Machete Music artists
• People from East Harlem
• Puerto Rican people of Dominican Republic descent
• Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
• Singers from New York City
• Songwriters from New York (state)
• Sony Music Latin artists
• Spanish-language singers of the United States
• Universal Music Latino artists
• 21st-century American rappers
• Rimas Entertainment artists
• Musicians from Santurce, Puerto Rico

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