Mateo Palacios Corazzina, aka Trueno, has had a whirlwind past few years.
In 2019, the Buenos Aires-born artist won Argentina’s national freestyling competition, Batalla de los Gallos, and the same year, he collaborated with Bizarrap on the producer’s viral hit Bzrp Freestyle Session No. 6. In 2025, four chart-topping albums later and with over one billion YouTube views, Trueno has emerged as one of South America’s biggest talents.
The past year has seen the 22-year-old on a world tour promoting his latest album, El Último Baile. Despite his superstar status back home, he remains relatively unknown to the British public. Regardless, the show is sold out and it seems the entirety of London’s Hispanic diaspora are there to support him, queuing up outside well before doors open.
Tonight’s stop is nothing short of a slick and entertaining performance. Trueno (meaning thunder in Spanish), is a natural entertainer and exudes charisma from the get-go. He swaggers on stage with a boombox, pretending to rewind and skip iconic US hip-hop songs, before launching into his own high-energy rap number Plo Plo.
In fact, everything from his look – a Nike headband and baggy black sports kit – to his funky beats is inspired by the scene. Picture this: classic US hip-hop meets South American sensibilities, and updated for the 2025 listener.
He invites on stage his fellow Argentine rapper Kami420 and, interestingly, his own father. Señor Palacios is not just here to provide moral support and soothe any stage nerves, he’s actually a rap legend himself. Known professionally as MC Peligro, he pioneered Argentina’s rap scene in the 90s as part of the collective Comuna 4. Despite their attempts to act cool, the father-son act is rather endearing, mostly because of how much fun they seem to be having.
There’s no warm-up act, but it doesn’t matter. The infectious energy of all three of them on stage electrifies the crowd and by the only second song, the room is bouncing. You wouldn’t believe it was a Tuesday night.
Granted, while having a famous father probably helped accelerate his music career, the rapper’s success is well deserved. Beyond his easy-going stage presence, the live experience underscores his sheer artistic talent. Between shuffle dancing and high kicks, the rapper is spitting bars at a breakneck speed.
Trueno’s rhymes range from decrying inequalities and political injustice on the folk-infused number Tierra Zanta, for example, to let loose on the dance floor on Spanglish hit OHH BABY or crowd favourite TRANKY FUNKY.
Regardless of whether you understand Spanish lyrics, his tireless enthusiasm and knack for splitting bars are an impressive feat to witness.
Evolving from record to record, via 2022’s politically charged album BIEN O MAL and hip-hop love letter EL ÚLTIMO BAILE, alongside a killer live show, Trueno is one-to-watch and the next few years will be pivotal for his international breakthrough.
