On Friday, Latin captures King Arcángel released his latest studio album, Sr. Santos” and we have yet to take it out of the replay. That means this would be the perfect time to share our upcoming cover with Señor Santos himself!
Photo by Dylan Schattman
Lucas Villa’s profile will appear in our February/March issue, which will hit newsstands in January 2023. To give you an idea of what to expect from the upcoming article, we’re posting an excerpt below.
On “Sr. Santos’, Arcángel has returned to his Latin trap roots while embracing the man he’s become at 37. Tracks like “Entonces,” where he joins forces with De La Ghetto, and “Digitos,” which shows a growing sophistication and sensuality with up-and-coming Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers.
“I’m not a child anymore,” says Arcángel. “Sometimes I see these artists who are 35 and who want to look like they’re 22. You want your album to reflect where you are now, even in your lyrics. I like to act the way I am now. Actually, I’m Señor. I am a gentleman. I have three children. One of my children is 17, the other is 16 and my daughter is 15. I am Señor Santos because I am 37. i feel very lucky Over time I’ve seen the man I’ve become.”
The most poignant track on the album is “JS4E” which stands for “Justin Santos Forever”. In November 2021, Arcángel’s younger brother Justin Santos died in a car accident after a drunk driver crashed into his vehicle. In the heartfelt ballad, Arcángel sings and raps about keeping his brother’s name alive through his music. A year later, he spent two days getting a portrait of Justin tattooed on his chest. To withstand the pain of his ink tribute, Arcángel chose to remain under anesthesia for each four-hour session.
“This tattoo has the greatest meaning for me,” he says. “It’s the biggest tattoo I have. I can say it’s the most important piece of art I have, his picture on my chest. I made it as a tribute to my brother. Everything I do has to do with him. All [my] body will be consecrated to him.”
Photo by Dylan Schattman
You can pick up the Inked Groundbreakers issue with Arcángel in January. If you want to make sure you don’t miss this or any other upcoming issue, Get a subscription here.