In 2016, the conservative-leaning New York Post outed Kaseem Ryan‘s career as a New York City firefighter, in which he was a 9/11 first responder and rose to the rank of captain. You see, the Post took umbrage with the “anti-cop” rhetoric in his raps and felt the need to lift the veil of the rapper known as Ka, one of the genre’s most mysterious figures.

Ka approached rap music differently than his peers. He produced most of his songs and music videos, often during his off time from saving lives as a fireman. His words came across as brutal, humble, calm, and wise all at once. His beats evoked a cold winter night when the only people outside were the hustlers and the late-night stragglers looking for that last fix before the sun comes up and the block gets hot again. He would host pop-ups to sell his latest albums and meet his fans. Most of the time the only way to hear his music was to go to his website and buy it directly from him. And he would handle every online order himself. He was truly a man of and for the people, and he believed in the sanctity of hip-hop to his core.

In 2012, while sitting down with Out Da Box TV, Ka explained his creative process and how he felt about the state of hip-hop at the time. “I’m a purist. To me hip-hop is a beautiful artform that I feel isn’t being respected as such now,” he said before going on a minor rant about the trend of not writing rhymes popularized by acts Jay-Z and Lil Wayne. “I was taking offense to all that shit,” he added. “Ayo, B, it takes time to sculpt. [The] Sistine Chapel wasn’t done [on] how fast you could do it; the shit was done over years. David wasn’t sculpted in, you know, ‘Yo, I did that in a day.’ There’s no time on art. When I’m doing a verse, it takes me a long time to do the verse, and as far as doing the verse, I’m speaking from a lifetime of experiences. It took a lifetime to write that.”

His approach was just as profound as his music. There are lines from his work that stick to you. On the song “I’m Ready” from his 2013 album The Knight’s Gambit, towards the end of the chorus he raps, “If judged by a scale I pray my righteousness is heavy/ I’m ready, I’m ready” in his raspy voice as if he was already grappling with the prospect of what awaits him beyond this life. I would say that his righteousness was indeed heavy, judging by the outpouring of kind words from his peers and fans alike. Frequent collaborator and one half of their group Metal Clergy, Roc Marciano called Ka his “big brother” and “guardian angel.” The Alchemist called him “a living prophet.” Fans posted pictures of themselves with him at his pop-ups and mentioned how accessible and friendly he was.

His art resonated with people because they felt the effort he put in and the pain he was holding inside. Sure, he was a captain for the FDNY, but he grew up in Brownsville during the crack era, and seemed to be working through survivor’s remorse in his music. “I wanted them to know this is personal what I’m giving you,” he said in that same Out Da Box interview. “This is blood I’m giving you. I’m not spittin’ this s–t, this is blood. I needed them to know that, to appreciate it, that if you don’t hear a lot from me, it’s because I’m pulling a lot from me and I’m actually expending a lot of energy to give you these songs. So, I just want you to appreciate it.”

And we did.

An artist like Ka wasn’t defined by numbers or trophies — he was defined by the art, by the culture, by the people. In an interview with Passion of the Weiss, he spoke on living two lives and what he wanted his legacy to be. “I’m living two lives, man. I’m trying to be who I am in the day and then trying to feed my soul at night with being the artist that I want to be,” he told the outlet. “I want to respect the culture and give back what it gave to me. The reason I’m alive right now is because of hip-hop.

He continued about the music that saved his life: “It made me want to be a smarter person. It made me want to read, so I would write better rhymes. It was that important to me. It gave me drive; I wanted to be the best MC there ever was. Hip-hop don’t have a museum like this yet but if we have, I want to be a wing. I want to be my own f–king room, the Ka chamber right here. ‘At the time he was doing it, there wasn’t a lot of light on it, but yo, we went back and checked it, that s–t was incredible’ — that’s what I want. Van Gogh, he wasn’t revered, he cut his ear off and killed himself later on. That man wasn’t known until years after his death – he needed to have known what he was during the time he was alive.”

Ka leaves this life behind as being one of the best rappers of his era and as an even better man. It’s our duty now to continue to tell his story and put people on to his music, so that he can live forever.

Mexican music star Pepe Aguilar took the spotlight at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week for an Icon Q&A, in conversation with Billlboard‘s Leila Cobo.

The “Por Mujeres Como Tú” singer spoke at length about his iconic career, legacy, his family dynasty — he is the son of regional Mexican royalty Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre — and why, after being signed to major labels at the beginning of his career — he decided to go and stay indie.

Below, the 8 best quotes from Pepe Aguilar’s Icon Q&A:

On being a workaholic: “I’m a workaholic, what can I say. But the last 20 years of my life, I had dedicated myself 100% to guide and focus on my kids’ careers. I thought I was still doing my thing but I was very focused on them. Now that they are on their own, I will return to focus on my career. I believe in discipline, I believe in work and gratitude in the work culture.

What his new single “Cuídamela Bien” is really about: “It was not dedicated to my son in law (Christian Nodal), but I think it is about a moment in my life. Of course it has to do with my daughter and her wedding. It is something totally new for me, I had never experienced that. After 20 years of being with your child, suddenly bye, it is a life experience that had not touched my life, what better than to express it through music, you already fulfilled as a father now it’s her turn to live her life.”

Ángela Aguilar & Nodal being a power couple: “I love it and I told Christian, if you get to be together, who else is there like you two in Spanish-language music. Christian never ceases to amaze me, for good, I can see the love he has for my daughter.”

His passion for music and business, and passing it on to his children Ángela and Leonardo Aguilar: “I eat, I dream of music, the spectacle and I don’t plan on doing anything else. I don’t know if I’ve been doing this the right or wrong way but I’ve always been involved in everything. In fact the cover art of ‘Cuídamela Bien,’ I did it on chat GPT. I produce my records, I design my shows, I pay for my jaripeo shows, that’s how I taught my children too and now with me, they are the same. They’ll say, ‘Dad this is my idea, whether you like it or not.’ They are doing their life according to how I educated them.”

Going and staying indie: “I once got out of a record deal through a lawsuit, I beat them, owing them 12 albums, and I got out. People would say, ‘He’s ungrateful’ but there’s more context to that case. They did not do a good job for me. Now I sign different deals but none with exclusivity, only licenses.”

His bucket list: “To take my jaripeo-style show to Europe, and not only to Spain, is a goal that seemed unattainable, and also to take it to Asia. Mexicanidad has no borders, the folklore of each country has no borders. I am going to do cumbia, tango, vallenato, flamenco, albums and visualizers, with different artists. It may be one of the most important projects but my jaripeo-style show is one of my greatest achievements, my father would have been happy and proud.”

On his family dynasty: “My father taught us that everyone had their own story. I follow Mexican music because I believe in Mexican folklore, not because my father taught me to. Having that last name was a blessing and a curse because the common denominator was Antonio Aguilar and Flor silvestre, it was always a tremendous pride to be their son. For me it was normal to grow up in the family of two famous people, normal to get to the Madison Square Garden often. I never felt it was a competition with my dad, especially when my dad was 87 years old and I was in my prime, it’s not about comparisons. With my children it’s the same. Even if they have the same last name, people don’t do favors, people will consume what they actually like, whatever your name is, they will support you.”

What’s coming up: “I have a new album coming out, and ‘Cuídamela Bien’ was the first single of this album. There’s a lot of music coming, a lot of touring with stops in South America as well.”

The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.

FloyyMenor is continuing to make waves with his Chilean reggaetón, highlighted in his viral hit “Gata Only” — which has become a sensation on TikTok and the Billboard charts — as well as his debut EP, El Comienzo.

The 2024 breakout Chilean star recently stopped by the Billboard offices to discusses his creative journey and aspirations in New York, his first visit to the bustling metropolis.

“When I was a kid, my dream was always to speak English and come to the United States,” FloyyMenor tells Billboard Español, recalling his childhood dream, now a reality as he experiences the city that matches the movies he watched growing up. To top that off, on Friday (Oct. 11), he made history as the first Chilean to illuminate the Empire State Building in the colors of his national flag.

His musical success began with tracks such as 2023’s “Pa la Europa,” and soared with “Gata Only,” a collaboration with fellow Chilean artist Cris MJ that turned them into brothers in music and made chart history. Impressively, the track became the first by Chileans to enter the top 10 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart in 25 years, since La Ley and Ednita Nazario’s “Tú Sabes Bien.” It also spent 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1.

Having debuted his EP El Comienzo in August, FloyyMenor explores the roots of his career intertwined with fresh sounds, featuring songs such as “Peligrosa” and “Apaga el Cel.” The album speaks volumes of the beginnings, yet each track boldly steps into broader, international realms. “We’re going to keep breaking [records] and making hits; this is also just the beginning, like my album says,” he adds.

FloyyMenor will be joining Billboard Latin Music Week. On Friday (Oct. 18), the singer-rapper will perform at the Billboard Latin Music Week 35th Anniversary Celebration! presented by Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind, alongside Belinda, Elvis Crespo, Tito Double P, Young Miko and comedy set by George Harris at The Fillmore Miami Beach. Get your tickets here.

Watch the full interview above.

Cardinals at the Window: A Benefit for Flood Relief in Western North Carolina, a massive 136-track digital download album benefiting victims of Hurricane Helene, makes a big debut on Billboard‘s charts. The set, which is sold exclusively by Bandcamp for $10, sold nearly 12,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 10, according to Luminate — the biggest sales week for a non-soundtrack compilation album in four years.

Among the acts on the collection, which was released on Oct. 9, are The Decemberists, Iron & Wine, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Phish and R.E.M.

Cardinals debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Compilation Albums chart, and in the top 10 on both Top Album Sales (No. 5) and Americana/Folk Albums (No. 8) — all charts dated Oct. 19.

According to the Bandcamp website, all of the proceeds from the album will be split evenly among Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Rural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR) and BeLoved Asheville.

The last time a non-soundtrack compilation album sold more in a single week was four years ago, when another benefit album sold via Bandcamp, Good Music to Avert the Collapse of American Democracy, Volume 2, sold 13,500 copies in its first week (debuting at No. 1 on the Compilation Albums chart dated Oct. 17, 2020).

On Top Album Sales, Cardinals is the highest charting non-soundtrack compilation of 2024.

Rounding out the top five of the latest Top Album Sales chart: Coldplay’s Moon Music debuts at No. 1 (104,000), Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is a non-mover at No. 2 (13,000; down 27%), The Smile’s Cutouts enters at No. 3 (13,000) and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet is steady at No. 4 (nearly 13,000; down 10%).

Leon Bridges’ Leon bows at No. 6 (10,000), Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works, Volume II debuts at No. 7 (9,000), Stray Kids’ ATE is stationary at No. 8 (nearly 9,000; up 23%), Toosii’s Jaded debuts at No. 9 (8,000) and Finneas’ For Cryin’ Out Loud! bows at No. 10 (8,000).

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units.

Nacho, Danny Ocean, Elena Rose, Mau y Ricky and Lele Pons shared their Venezuelan pride during the Venezuela Rising panel on Wednesday (Oct. 16) at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week.

Moderated by Sigal Ratner-Arias, deputy editor of Billboard Español, the important and timely conversation captured a moment in time as a number of Venezuelan acts not only take over the charts but have become the voice of a generation that has been using their platform and artistry to echo a sentiment of hope for their country after perhaps one of the most consequential presidential elections that took place in July.

Below, find some of the best quotes from the panelists of Venezuela Rising:

Nacho: On a new generation of Venezuelan hitmakers: “I am very proud to see how the country shows that it has talent who have also been carrying all this knowledge that previous generations left us, particularly in what is Venezuelan pop music, we come from that formation even if many have not heard their music, all that has been mutating and evolving what is happening today.”

Elena Rose: On Venezuelan artist’s profound lyrics: “We want you to receive this love that we want to give you. Venezuela is such is a rich country in a thousand ways, especially because we share values such as faith and happiness and it is transmitted through any artist that comes from a country like Venezuela, it makes us unique to see life like this. Our generation has been exposed to adversity, the Venezuelan person is still fighting and looking for reasons to get ahead, they have purpose, intention, we want Venezuela to shine. There is nothing that will stop us, we are stronger. The country deserves to be happy and free.”

Ricky: On artists’ responsibilities to speak up and use their platform to call out injustices: “It is important to be responsible with the instinct that one has, mine and my brother’s (Mau), was to make Hotel Caracas and, apart from making an album, what we wanted was to show people why we are fighting, what we are defending. And it may be different from the responsibility that others felt. “

Lele Pons: On her role as social media influencer: “Everyone has a voice and it is very important to use it. As an influencer, I have done many things in my career. I told my mom and dad that this is the most important thing I can do. When Danny told me he wanted to do something, I said how can I not do it if it is our country. People did not know what was going on? Who is going to tell them? The most important thing I have done in my career is to be a voice for someone who needs a voice. And this was very important for me at that time.”

Mau: On returning to Venezuela after 15 years: “That trip changed my life. Leaving as a child and having people in your family who stayed, or even friends, say you are no longer Venezuelan because you left and you don’t deserve to say that you are Venezuelan or give your opinion on certain things, it fractures you. In time you begin to realize you have those wounds, also that begins to generate a domino effect because you begin to think that you really shouldn’t give you opinion about your country. One lives with anxiety thinking that one is not Venezuelan. This trip for us, we healed, and we went because there came a time when we could not keep postponing this. After the pandemic we were left with an identity crisis and we decided, despite the fear, to return because it was more than 15 years of accumulating that fear. The trip healed many things.”

Danny Ocean: On his momentous and deeply personal EP venequia.: “I needed to get those songs out of my system that had been accumulating inspired by Venezuela, it was the right time to say what I was feeling. My life changed since I released ‘Me Rehuso’ and I have always thought that moment was so drastic. venequia. is for the 8 million Venezuelans who are on the outside and what we crave: being able to spend time there.”

2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.