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Indigenous voices: Xiuhtezcatl on reclaiming language, and identity through music
One-on-one with Xiuhtezcatl. His thought-provoking lyrics are anchored by the Mexica roots on his father's side and the environmental justice work his mother raised him in.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Indigenous musicians like Colorado-raised rapper and climate activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and Peruvian rapper Renata Flores are redefining success in the streaming era by centering community, language, and cultural roots.
In his latest collaboration with singer-songwriter Cain Culto, Xiuhtezcatl switches between Spanish and English to confront systemic racism, colonialism, and immigration. The track, "¡Basta Ya!", reflects the current political climate, calling out the criminalization of Indigenous and immigrant communities and challenging power structures built on stolen land.
Xiuhtezcatl says the message is personal. As the son of an Indigenous immigrant, he explains that U.S. immigration policy and colonial violence have shaped his life since childhood. Music, he says, has become a way to express the anger surrounding mass deportations while also creating space for celebration—where Indigenous communities affirm their belonging and their ancient connection to the land, far older than modern borders.
He adds that Indigenous voices are finally reclaiming their narratives. For generations, Indigenous stories were told by others, but a growing movement of artists across North and South America is changing that. Xiuhtezcatl says this resurgence allows Indigenous people to define themselves in the present and project a future where they are seen not as relics of history, but as living cultures.
That same mission drives Renata Flores, a 24-year-old artist who raps in Quechua, the language of the Incas. Flores was named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women in Peru in 2022, and The New York Times has called her the "Queen of Quechua Rap."
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From Peru to California, Renata Flores gives voice to Quechua people
Peruvian rap singer, Renata Flores, talks music, identity, and Resistance. Flores, has collaborated with Shawn Mendes in her home country, and most recently, at the Hollywood Bowl.
Flores describes her music as both traditional and transgressive—blending Latin trap, rap, and reggaeton with the sounds and language of the Andean countryside. She says music is a form of resistance, one that has taken her from Peru to global stages and sparked collaborations with artists like Shawn Mendes, both in Peru and most recently in Los Angeles, where she performed alongside Xiuhtezcatl.
Reflecting on that collaboration, Flores says it gave her a platform to speak out against actions by the Peruvian government impacting Indigenous communities, especially Quechua and Aymara people. She says concerts can be powerful spaces for protest and awareness.
Flores adds that younger generations are increasingly reclaiming their Indigenous roots, pushing back against histories that frame Indigenous culture as something of the past. She says Indigenous identity is still alive, embedded in the land, languages, and place names across the Americas—even on lands that were stolen.
Both Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and Renata Flores are preparing shows for next year. Fans are waiting to see whether they’ll make Bay Area stops, a region home to large Indigenous communities, including people from Peru and Mexico.