Porta – Equilibrio (Edición Especial) (2016)

Rapper Porta found underground fame as a teenager on the Internet, via MySpace and YouTube, before signing a recording contract with Universal Music Group and releasing his major-label debut, En Boca de Tantos, in 2008. Born in 1988 in Barcelona, Spain, Porta was inspired by hip-hop culture at a young age, influenced by the American rap scene. As a teenager he began performing as a rapper and eventually began compiling his demo recordings, resulting in his first underground release, No Es Cuestión de Edades (2006). Around this same time, he joined MySpace, where he streamed his music and began drawing a following among young Spanish rap listeners. A second underground release, No Hay Truco (2007), spawned further interest in Porta, as did an animated video for "Dragon Ball Rap," which accumulated over five million views. At this point, with a strong fan following for the young rapper already in place, Universal offered Porta a recording contract. His aforementioned major-label debut album resulted and -- heavily promoted on MySpace and YouTube -- became a Top Ten hit in Spain. The title track was chosen as the lead single. A second Universal album, Trastorno Bipolar, appeared in 2009, with Reset, recorded at Studio Lebuge in Barcelona, appearing in 2012. Fourth studio album Algo Ha Cambiado, led by single "La Primera Vez," surfaced in 2014, and was another Top Ten success in Spain and across Latin and South America. ~ Jason Birchmeier.