Tiago PZK

Rising to popularity among Argentina’s buzzing early-2020s rap scene, Monte Grande-born Tiago PZK built his rap skills in his country’s dominant freestyle circuit before committing to writing material of his own. After breaking out with “Sola,” Tiago found international fame during the early 2020s, using his vocal versatility to capture the global spotlight with hits like “Además de Mí (Remix),” “No Me Conocen (Remix),” and “Entre Nosotros.” The latter cut appeared on his 2022 long-player Portales.
Having first found hip-hop through Eminem’s legendary rap battles in the film 8 Mile, Argentina’s Tiago PZK began to hone his own talents at the age of 13, competing in freestyle competitions across his home country. After several years in these proving grounds, the rapper began to write and release original material. He made a viral debut with the trap anthem “Andamo en la Cima” at just 15, and continued that buzz with subsequent tracks “Bandolero” and “Bendiceme.” Further showings at competitions like El Quinto Escalón and Batalla de Maestros built his reputation among rap circles, while Tiago developed his catalog with the Valor de la Calle EP and singles like “Finde” and “Te Fuiste.” But it was 2019′s “Sola” that marked Tiago’s breakout moment; a candid reflection on his father’s domestic violence, the song soon racked up millions of streams online and was used by the United Nations in a campaign against domestic abuse.
Through the early 2020s, the vocalist continued to build his name with a relentless string of singles, including “En la Oscuridad” and “Viento.” The “Cerca de Tí (Remix)” proved a compelling showcase of Argentina’s new wave of rappers: with appearances from LIT Killah, Seven Kayne, Rusherking, Bhavi, and Tobi, Tiago’s track soon garnered over 100 million streams. In 2021, a period of intense collaboration in the Argentinian music scene, the rapper enjoyed a spell of international dominance. An appearance on Rusherking’s “Además de Mí (Remix)” — itself another showcase of Argentina’s young talents — gave Tiago his first number one-charting single that March, with the track soon garnering over 300 million streams online. A second number one hit arrived in July’s “No Me Conocen (Remix),” with the rapper appearing alongside BANDIDO, Duki, and Rei. Tiago soon supplanted the track’s two-week run at the top with his own “Entre Nosotros,” a duet with LIT Killah that racked up several hundred million streams and spent seven weeks at the number one spot on Argentina’s charts. Further collaborations with Argentinian artists — among them FMK’s “Yo Se Que Tu” and “Prende la Cámara,” as well as María Becerra’s “Cazame” — continued to build Tiago’s profile as one of his country’s most renowned new voices. In 2022, he issued the full-length Portales, which included the hit single “Sex & Love.” ~ David Crone