Puerto Rican rapper PJ Sin Suela had the best year of his career in 2024, with his album Toda Época Tiene Su Encanto receiving rave reviews (even making it onto Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Latin Albums of 2024 list at No. 15.) But now he’s keeping the momentum going, this time with a feverish, drum-and-bass/perreo fusion called “FAVORiTE” that sees him joining forces again with breakthrough powerhouse RaiNao.
The song is a victory lap for both artists; RaiNao, whose album CAPICÚ also made the list, performed multiple times at Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico residency, including this past weekend’s livestreamed “Una Más” show, where Benito called her “my favorite artist from Puerto Rico.”
But there’s more to “FAVORiTE” than just PJ and RaiNao being at the top of their game.
The song was released Sept. 23, an important date for many Puerto Ricans. It’s the anniversary of what has become known as the “Grito de Lares (Cry of Lares),” referring to a short-lived but major revolt that occurred in 1868 in the town of Lares. On that day, some 500 rebels took over the town to kickstart an island-wide revolution that would take back control from then-governing Spanish rule and establish a new and independent Republic of Puerto Rico. A strong response from the Spanish military took back control just 24 hours later, but the showing was enough to provoke additional freedoms and reforms to be conceded to Puerto Rican citizens.
“We started writing it in Vega Baja, at a music retreat with other musicians. While we were there Nao wrote the line ‘We started in Jayuya and ended up in Lares. That inspired us to start talking about the Grito de Lares,” PJ says.
For its music video, directed by longtime PJ collaborator Edgar “Edgo” Cruz Robles, the artists pay homage to the Grito de Lares in various ways. Their wardrobe evokes two leading figures associated with the revolt: PJ’s green suit with stylish stethoscope adornment and slicked-back hair recalls Ramón Emeterio Betances, one of the co-leaders of the revolt who (like PJ himself) was also a medical doctor. RaiNao wears a gold dress, with her right arm especially bedecked in gold jewelry in addition to a lavish choker around her neck. The look is inspired by Mariana Bracetti, who is credited (with some dispute) as having sewn the Grito de Lares flag used that day, and which for 27 years afterwards was considered the first official flag of the archipelago, until it was replaced by the current one in 1895.
Bracetti’s nickname was “the Golden Arm,” and the video shows Nao posing next to a vintage sewing machine with the Grito de Lares flag — which is still widely popular amongst those who support independence for Puerto Rico — draped over it.
“We’re both very vocal about our culture and our country, and have never been afraid of defending Puerto Rico,” RaiNao tells Rolling Stone. “I think that’s a connective point between us, and also what we want our listeners to know; to not just hear our music but also know our history and Puerto Rico’s battles, because they’re not over. We have to stay vigilant, and learn from these figures from the past that inspire us.”
The last time PJ and RaiNao collaborated was for the politically conscious rap “Es La Hora.” PJ has several performances coming up, including playing Crown Hill Theatre on Oct. 10 in New York.
