Back in the summer of 2024, when J Balvin dropped the refocused and revitalized *Rayo*, he revealed to Apple Music that he had three more albums’ worth of material at the ready. Given how diverse that full-length was, the Colombian hitmaker hinted that what could follow might be similarly expansive from a genre perspective. Yet regardless of whether or not *Mixteip* contains any of those recordings, this relatively shorter follow-up seizes upon the flexibility of its titular format to show a range of styles over which he can shine and thrive. Well-timed with a certain cinematic superhero’s reboot, opener “Bruz Wein” harkens back to his rise during the Latin trap surge of the mid- to late 2010s as he proffers hazy, nocturnal bars. Naturally, his status as an elite reggaetonero ensures there are plenty of dembow-driven moments like “No Te Olvido,” the slinky single “Rio,” and the comparatively poppier “Zun Zun” with Lenny Tavárez and Justin Quiles. Subtly calling back to “La Canción,” the slo-mo “PQBL” shifts into a more balladic mode to match its heartbroken theme without sacrificing the rhythm. More surprising are Balvin’s successful forays into genres less characteristic of his catalog, generally achieved through credible collaborations with known entities. Veteran salsero Gilberto Santa Rosa gradually guides him into a tropical space with the timely “Misterio” while Dominican merengue Omega raises the tempo considerably for their irresistible “KLK.” The unmistakably British hip-hop sound of “Uuu” benefits both from Stormzy’s prominent feature and the ease with which his host adjusts to the urgency of its beat.
Bay Swag has tangentially been related to the rap game since he was a young boy, but his career took off in earnest in 2024 when he was featured on Cash Cobain’s New York City takeover hit, “Fisherrr.” Hip-hop devotees will also know Bay from another source: His father is Lloyd “Bay Lloyd” McKenzie, a legendary New York rap figure who has been incarcerated since 2017. It was about this time that his son began rapping, and on Bay Swag’s 2025 LP, *Damaged Thoughts*, he goes about forging his own identity while still paying homage to the person he most wishes was by his side. On the Meek Mill-assisted “Seventeen,” Swag quickly establishes the way he operates in the game, spitting, “I don’t just think for self, I put on the whole damn team.” Elsewhere, the Queens native continues to help pioneer the sexy drill subgenre he helped galvanize, like on “Billie Jean,” which features a link-up with fellow New York mainstay Sheff G.