Peso Pluma

Peso Pluma is the stage name of Mexican Regional singer, songwriter, and guitarist Hassan Laija from Guadalajara, in Jalisco. His nom de musica translates as “featherweight” in Portuguese, a self-referential nickname referring to his tall, slim frame and reedy baritone singing voice. Pluma was born in 1999 and became a guitarist just after he started school. He began writing songs as a young teen and later posted videos to social media, building a large following of fans with music lovers and industry heavies alike. Pluma’s songs, as evidenced by his first two self-released albums, 2020′s Discos en Vivo and Ah y Que? are rich in poetic metaphor, gritty romance, complex rhythms, humor, clever rhymes, and devastating tales of urban crime, drug trafficking, and violence. He quickly established himself through his videos and singles as a major voice in the corridos tumbados (trap corridos) movement. In 2021 and 2022 he issued 14 singles on his own or in collaboration. He registered more than six million streams a month on various streaming services, while his videos have garnered hundreds of millions of views. While a handful of early singles registered on streaming charts, it was 2021′s “Por Las Noches” that had well over a hundred million streams and became his first chart hit. In February 2022, “El Belicon,” in collaboration with Raul Vega, topped it. He followed with the Sembrando EP in April and “Sentosa,” a true rap corrido with Tornillo, Polo Gonzalez, and Garena Free Fire, in May. It became a West Coast hit. In August, “Siempre Pendientis,” a duet with Luis R. Conriquez, racked up more than 300 million streams. In October, Pluma was criticized by the Mexican government and various media outlets for a live set at Mexico’s 8 Music Fest that “glorified” drug trafficking and murder. That same month, Pluma returned the favor and appeared on Conriquez’s smash single “El Gavilan” alongside Tony Aquire. His star rose not only for his own compelling, provocative songs, but for his collaborations, too. In November he joined Jaziel Avilez and Codiciado on “Ando Enfocado.” Later that month, he joined corrido tumbados inventor Natanael Cano and Gabito Ballesteros on the smash “AMG” that went to number three. His final single of the year was December’s “Destiny” with Aleman, a doomy, spooky rap corrido. Pluma kicked off 2023 in style with January’s “PRC” with Cano, a scorching mariachi that wove together cumbia and trap rhythms. Upon its release, industry publications were in awe that Pluma had no less than five singles in the Mexican Regional streaming Top 40. He joined Junior H on the single “El Azul” in February and in early March was a featured duet partner with Ovy on the Drums on the exotic psychedelic trap cumbia “El Hechizo.” ~ Thom Jurek