As the next generation of Boricua rappers carves out a space in the hip-hop world, Audri Nix is poised to become the scene’s leading lady. Though Puerto Rico has long been home to hip-hop pioneers (like icon Lisa M) Audri’s moody, revenge-driven soundscapes reflect more of the global, borderless trends taking over the genre today.

Fresh off the release of her first EP, El Nuevo Orden, Vol. 1, which garnered buzz from Tidal, Apple Music, and Vibe, Nix packed her bags for SXSW. We caught up with the perceptive 20-year-old MC ahead of her second performance ever, and she dished about her hopes, expectations, and her journey as the one of the only artists repping women in la isla del encanto’s new hip-hop community.

Thumbnail photo by Itzel Alejandra Martinez