Kevin and Chan are a duo of producers who have given life to a long list of songs that have ended up becoming international anthems. The beginnings of Maluma they went hand in hand with The Rudeboyz. In fact, songs like Erase Cassette, Blackmail with Shakira and I fell in love from Barranquilla are some of the songs that have the seal of these producers in their credits.
Both have revolutionized the genre and have created a project that makes them unique. They work with artists from scratch to build a concept and their passion for music has meant that they have spent 24 years dedicating their daily lives to this artistic expression. At WECB Urban we have chatted with them after the launch of Malianteo with JC Reyes and Ryan Castro, a collaboration with which they show that The Rudeboyz do not understand borders.
Question (P): Guys, congratulations on Malianteo with JC Reyes and Ryan Castro. How does the collaboration arise?
Chan: The truth is that we are very happy with Malianteo, resuming the project of artist producers. We went to Spain to investigate a little what was happening with artists there, with emerging ones. We like to feed on new artists, I think that’s what helps give longevity to our genre. There they spoke very well to us about JC Reyes, we listened to his project and we loved it. We went to Seville, to his neighborhood, to create this song. When we arrived in Medellín we really liked the idea. We wanted to add someone from Colombia as well, who represented the street a little bit. We decided to include Ryan Castro, who is called the artist of the ghetto and what better than to unite these two cultures, which is what we want in our projects.
Q: How do you see the music scene in Spain?
Kevin: We were there in May 2023 and we went with the reference of Quevedo and a little bit of Saiko, but when we got there we found a much broader scene. Obviously we started listening to Juseph, JC Reyes, Cruz Cafuné, Soge Culebra and a large number of artists. They are doing what Colombia did in 2013, which was to oxygenate reggaeton. It’s the same genre but they are giving it a very particular touch, from the interpretation, lyrics and production. And the truth is, personally both me and Chan, today I think that that one, along with the one in Mexico, are the ones we like the most at the moment.
Q: Do you have anything prepared with anyone here?
Kevin: Clear.
Chan: There are a couple of surprises coming up. With Soge Culebra we have made a couple of songs. Cruz Cafuné… who is making a lot of noise over there. We were also with Saiko, with the girls: Lola Índigo, who we have known for a long time, because surely there are things coming with her too. We are very interested in the idea of continuing to investigate and work on everything that sounds popular there in Spain.
Kevin: And to this I add that Juseph visited us in December. We were in the studio with him. But he did come to Medellín. We want to invade the Spanish market in a good way.
Q: Throughout all these years, how have you noticed the evolution of the figure of the producer?
Kevin: I think that from the beginning of our career we were always clear that we wanted to be artist producers, to have an album in which we express ourselves and that the music that people listen to is the music that we like. Because many times when we work with an artist, suddenly we stick to a concept and an idea that he brings and we embark on the world that he is showing us. This time it’s the opposite. We started making the songs, we even got the ideas for the videos as directors. We capture that and call on artists to join this wave. Obviously, it must be said that in the Anglo-speaking world it had already been done many times. In Latin, we have examples of Tainy, Dimelo Flow, Luian… They have done very well and have opened that path for us.
Q: Do you notice now that they take you more seriously with the rise of the figure of the producer?
Chan: I think it’s not that they see us as important but rather it’s more about making people known. Within the industry, the producer has a very respected and successful range when it comes to producing, it’s like the root, the rhythm, the composition, everything starts from there. Now the task with these artists and producers that have been emerging is to show people that we can also release our songs, we can also be the image of a project, like giving the Latin part how that role of artist producer works.
Spanish artists are doing what Colombia did in 2013, which was to oxygenate reggaeton.
— The Rudeboyz
Q: You have worked with numerous artists. What is the most surreal thing that has happened to you in all these years?
Kevin: I think the most surreal thing that has happened to us is one time we were in Los Angeles and on the same day, we first went to the studio where Michael Jackson recorded several albums and there were things about him there. We left the studio and found Tyga and Easy leaving the studio. I’m talking about the same day. We met Timbaland, who is literally an influence on us. We are producers largely because we grew up listening to him. And that in a matter of six, seven hours. It was meeting two of your influences and like four artists that you only see on television. Seven hours was too much for one day.
The Rudeboyz, ready for the new era of their careers
Q: What is your method of working with artists?
Chan: Literally each artist is a different world. Sometimes we sit down with artists and show them rhythms because there are many who write their songs, or we already have chorus ideas and we show the ideas to the artists. Many times we send the songs and they record them remotely or we send a package of rhythms and they send it to composers and they receive it to record. We sat down with the artist in the studio and started making everything from scratch. It can be a different world for each artist. We like to flow, we do not stay in a single system but we flow in many ways.
Q: Which artist have you noticed a special vibe with in the studio?
Kevin: Needless to say, we have worked on 80 or 90% of Maluma’s discography, so Maluma is a brother of ours in music. But obviously we cannot leave aside artists like Myke Towers, who are artists who come from working very differently. He still composes in his same notebook, copies by hand, doesn’t pick up the phone, super agile. A high performance athlete. Archangel himself too.
Chan: Zion… There are several. We are left with those. It’s a pleasure to work with them. Shakira is also obviously the queen, she is the super tough legend in the studio.
Q Which artist have you noticed an evolution in their career?
Chan: With Maluma because literally from his first song we are there. It’s been seeing her since she was 15 years old and now she recently turned 30. It’s like seeing all those steps, like seeing it from here in Colombia to starting to internationalize, seeing their tours with few people and now filling venues with many people. We feel super proud and part of that development. It’s very nice for us, really.
Kevin: We also have to add Blessd. He is an artist who has grown relatively quickly. We met in 2020, in the pandemic, which was viralized by a freestyle that he was doing on a social network and he is already an artist with two albums on the street, also touring. So, I think it’s also nice to see that evolution of artists.
We feel super proud of Maluma and part of that development.
— The Rudeboyz
Q: You have also evolved. What defines the essence of The Rudeboyz?
Kevin: I think what makes us unique as producers is that we at both Maluma and Reykon have created a concept from scratch with the artist, so we know the artist’s DNA and we leverage that. It is what differentiates us from other producers, because there are others who make global hits but we help make a career together, hand in hand with the artist. A team work. There are a few that do it too, but I think that’s the differentiating factor for the Rudeboyz.
Chan: I think it is also a question of rhythm, it is through which we can express ourselves. I like that the rhythm generates dance, that it encourages healthy rumba. I think that is reflected in the lyrics. We continue to use cleanliness and the commercial sound stands out a lot for us.
Q: What’s next for The Rudeboyz now?
Kevin: It’s super clear. There are many songs to come out. At least, speaking in the short term, in the first semester we can be coming out with three or four songs between now and July. With very interesting artists, international artists, with people from Colombia too. We are making meetings that no one expects. Bringing together cultures and meetings that do not exist. We are worrying about doing what has not been done. And at the end of the year or starting in 2025 with the album, take the singles that there are and compile them.
