La vida es una

“I get inspired from the hustle,” Myke Towers tells Apple Music. “When you\'re a hustler, you got the spirit inside—don’t matter how much money you make, how done you are, you going to get back up in the game.” That drive defines the Puerto Rican rapper’s career thus far, from his hungry trapero beginnings at the age of 19 to his current status as one of the biggest names in Latin music. Over time, he’s gone from being a streetwise spitter to pursuing even greater commercial ambitions, successfully standing out from the proverbial pack as a result. In a way, *LA VIDA ES UNA* exists in reaction to its predecessor, 2021’s *LYKE MIKE*, which prominently showcased Towers’ authentic and flawless rap bona fides. “I was releasing a lot of music with pop artists because they made reggaetón too,” he says of his logic behind putting out that rawer album ahead of a decidedly poppier one. “I knew I was coming with a lot of songs like that and I said, ‘Nah, I need to feed the streets.’” Having sufficiently served his base, Towers transitioned to *LA VIDA ES UNA* mode, defying genre pigeonholing and demonstrating the diversity of his talents. It radically pivots away from those rawer hip-hop roots and allows him to fully embrace his superstar status through the thumping pop-house of “SÁBADO,” the reworked dancehall reggae of “FLOW JAMAICAN,” and the slick reggaetón of “AGUARDIENTE.” The collaborations mirror the gains made by underground and independent artists who rose to international superstardom, as on the “DON & TEGO” with Arcángel and on “ULALA” with his self-described mentor Daddy Yankee. Of course, he hasn’t abandoned his hip-hop origins altogether, spitting effortlessly dope verses for “CAMA KING” and the inventive “MI DROGA.” Yet regardless of the beat or genre, this is Myke Towers operating at the proverbial peak of his powers and international artistry. “This is global music, but with my island vibes,” Towers says. “This is my essence.”