Rauw Alejandro’s Cosa Nuestra: A Review

Rauw Alejandro really said “I got something to say,” and with Cosa Nuestra, he meant it. This isn’t just another glossy Latin pop release—this is Rauw throwing on his shades, lighting a candle for la vieja escuela, and teleporting us straight to a world where Puerto Rican street soul meets futuristic funk, and reggaetón isn’t just sampled—it’s lived in. From the first track, it’s clear: this is not for the algorithm. It’s for the culture.

Sonically, Cosa Nuestra feels like what happens when a Boricua raised on Tego, Vico C, and early Daddy Yankee starts making music not to chase trends but to honor his musical DNA. There’s grit. There’s groove. And most of all, there’s a deep respect for the rhythms that raised him. The production is lush without being overproduced—every snare, every synth, every throwback drum pattern lands with purpose. You can hear the joy in his voice, but also the knowing—like he’s aware this one’s different. And it is.

What makes Cosa Nuestra such a satisfying listen is its intention. Rauw is curating, not copying. He brings in textures from ’90s rap, boom bap, electro-funk, and salsa samples, but never in a way that feels forced. It’s like he cracked open a time capsule, but instead of dusting it off and walking away, he lived inside it for a while, picked up the language, the swag, and brought it back with futuristic polish. Songs glide seamlessly between moods—one moment you’re vibing low in a vintage whip, the next you’re sweating it out in a Santurce club at 2AM.

His vocals are at their best—less robotic, more textured, warm, and personal. There’s a hunger in his tone that recalls his Afrodisíaco days but evolved with sharper precision. You can feel he’s not aiming to top charts here—he’s aiming to prove something. And guess what? He did.

Cosa Nuestra is a reset. It’s Rauw Alejandro saying, “Don’t box me in,” and reminding everyone that before the glitz, before the choreo, before the headlines—he was a kid from Carolina who grew up breathing this. It’s full-circle, full-heart, and full-swing. If this is the direction he’s headed? We’re all lucky to be on the ride.