Queens-hailing producer Plat Ramos unveils a cookbook of Latin-inspired hip-hop beats in his new instrumental tape Mofongo. Inspired by the versatile Puerto Rican dish and an Action Bronson track of the same name, Mofongo melds the melodies of the island with the brash sounds of New York City. Each track is named for a different type of mofongo, symbolizing the diversity of both Latin music and Plat’s own style.
The set is a lively amalgam of salsa and bolero samples, sound bites from TV and pop culture, voicemails, and East Coast hip-hop classics. One of President Obama’s patented clapbacks and the infamous “Mexican or Mexican’t” line from Once Upon a Time in Mexico are among the most memorable. From defiant (“De Cangrejo”), prideful (“De Yuca”), determined (“De Chorizo”) to the slightly drunk (“Digestif”), there’s a dish for every one of your moods here.
In the same way Sango blends Brazilian rhythms with the crunchy beats of stateside hip-hop, Ramos is able to successfully mix the sensibilities of American boom bap with the sounds of the Caribbean. It’s like Marc Anthony’s band sat down with Dipset and took a master class in beat construction – a marriage that is beautifully poetic, and we hope it will only proliferate as the audiences for both genres continue to become more and more intertwined. In the meantime, we’re ready for a second course of Plat Ramos’ tunes.