500 Artists That Are Better Than Maluma; The Lie That Maluma is a GOAT partially supported by Rolling Stone and Billboard Magazine

 This entry was motivated by the Maluma fandom who are very vocal in their world about their favorite artist, but their voices trickle down to ours; the authentic Rap & Reggaeton world.  Basically, I made this list to prove that there is this unnatural bias towards Maluma and his works.  I am sick of writers from Rolling Stone, Billboard, social media influencers and the like trying to sell this narrative that Maluma is one of the greatest artists in Latin Pop or Reggaeton/Rap.  The majority of Reggaeton listeners today have no knowledge of prior history except their era.  And many of them believe this false narrative that Maluma is an all-time great because they lack reference.  These people never heard Playero, Vico C, most of them don't even know what 'Mas Flow' is.  And these are the algorithms the big corporations are seeking to satisfy which is why the genre becomes more dilluted as time goes on.

Now, please don't interpret what is written here as homophobia.  I know how you Maluma fans are.  When you guys run out of excuses and defenses for your favorite artist, you immediately accuse those of us who aren't Maluma fans of being homophobic.  This is because a large portion of Maluma fans are of a certain demographic.  And that's fine.  I listed artists of that ilk here.  Even though Maluma isn't out of the closet, his image is heavily sold to a certain kind of male that purchases him possibly more than the female fans we are led to believe is Maluma's prime base...yea right and I'm a secret reverse vampire that has lived for 3000 years.  I'm 3224 years old.

So you can't use that defense anymore.  It's over!  Talk about bars, skill, catalogue, lyrics!  Not looks, popularity and all that other bullshit that doesn't define the greatness of an artist!  I see you Maluma fans trying to convince people he's better than Don Omar and Daddy Yankee.  This isn't about who you want to bang more...  It's who is the best artist.  But you Maluma fans are so blinded by your lust towards him.  So I will do the work for you and judge him as an artist, not a performer.

I made a mistake with my handle on Reddit.  On a hard to find post, I rated Maluma a 6/10 and labeled it as an "Artist Rating".  That was an oversight on my behalf.  I was rating his overall performance and accompanying aesthetics.  I'll admit it, he's a decent performer.  His song choices are shit and his vocal performance is redundant, but he's solid like a singer on Broadway.  This time I will correctly rate him as an artist,  And be forewarned if you're one of these obsessive Maluma fans; I will be brutally honest.

My Rating of Maluma as an overall artist:

Artistic Presentation:  6/10  I'll give it to Maluma, he knows how to sell his image.  It helps that he was discovered by Walter Kolm, arguably the most successful Latin Exec of all-time behind big time sucess stories like Cristian Castro, Shakira, Juanes, Enrique Iglesias and RKM & Ken-Y in the Reggaeton world.  He was the man that gave the green light to transform the Reggaeton duo into Latin Pop icons.  The guy knows what he's doing.  The image that Maluma sells is carefully curated.  He's the Latin Lover a young Antonio Banderas would play in movies that steals your unsatisfied wife by a whim, and equally satisfies a wealthy dowager or a hot sorority chick on 'Spring Break'.  It's not the reality.  Antonio Banderas was a faithful and loyal husband to Melanie Griffith all those years he played the Ultimate Hispanic hunk on the big screen.  And I don't know what the hell Maluma is.  I don't care!  I just want these fake experts to stop lying and claiming he made more history than Wisin & Yandel.  No he didn't.  But he has the aesthetics that any major exec seeks.  On the surface, he is what an exec seeking the next great Pop Icon seeks.  But he loses a couple of points as his disinterest in the genre he represents is very obvious.  I bet he never heard "Barrio Fino" all the way through from beginning to the end and doesn't know a single song beyond the singles.  Worst if we're talking about more respected artists like Vico C and Tego Calderon.  Maluma, the Reggaeton artist, does not like Reggaeton!  And he loses a couple of points because of that.

Catalogue and Body of Work:  2.5/10  Maluma has some decent tracks.  But his ratio of quality is about 1 to 25.  He makes 1 decent to good song for every 25 he is featured on.  I can't blame him.  He reached the top sucking!  And how can he learn to do Reggaeton good, when he doesn't even care for the genre!?  'Don Juan' was the best work of his career, and it is a mere 5/10.  I wanted to like Maluma because he reached the commercial peak any artist of this genre could possibly hope to achieve, but it was all for naught.  Only true Reggaeton enthusiasts will understand this paragraph, even if they don't all agree.  I made the sacrifice and heard 4 Maluma albums all the way through.  It is like trying to get blood out of a stone.  To someone like me who grew up on Playero, Chiclin, Vico C;  Maluma is an affront to this culture.  Everyone knows he doesn't write.  But his songs sound like Robi Draco Rosa trying to prove a point of how worthless Reggaeton is thus he used Maluma as his muse to express his metaphorical live shits on record which is what half of Maluma's compositions are.  I understand how someone can dislike Reggaeton, especially when they are not from our environment.  I do not think there is one true Reggaeton aficionado that listens to Maluma and genuinely thinks he's great.  If you listen to Maluma like an Ed Wood picture, I get it.  That's the only way I could see someone liking beyond a few songs of his.

Talent/Skill Level:  4/10  Even though Maluma doesn't write shit, he can perform his songs quite competently.  That takes some level of talent.  I saw that video of him helicopter rapping... there was no beat but he flowed well though the rhymes was ass.  But it's ok, not everyone can be a Residente level lyricist; Maluma's buddy J Balvin learned that the hard way.  You can have basic lyrics but make them live through a unique flow, or voice or everything in between.  Maluma has none of that.  His talent ends in that he can memorize a demo by one of his ghostwriters like Kenai and recreate it.  He has horrible song choices.  His music is derivative and lacks any sort of insight into imagination or creativity.  I literally think Jhayco improvises the Maluma songs he ghostwrites while taking a shit, except for "Borro Cassettte", that one took some effort.  But everything else is just Jhayco freestyling something while he's on the can and the magical Maluma marketing from Fantasy Lollipop land turns it into gold.  I can't blame them because the formula worked for so long.  It doesn't mean he doesn't suck, however.

Live Performance:  5/10  I hate Maluma with every fiber of my soul!  But he's a decent live performer.  His vocals are very limited in range but for what he does, he performs it as competently as anyone could at his level.  If his catalogue wasn't so ass, he probably would get a 7 in my book.

Overall Rating:  4/10  Ok.  This is his final rating.  I did the arithmetic.  This is what it adds up to according to my parameters.  A 4 might have multi platinum success.  He could have millions and millions of dollars.  He could be popular.  But he is not the GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!!  He isn't even Top 50 and in my book he is certainly not Top 100.  So I compiled a list of 500 Rap & Reggaeton artists that are undeniably better than Maluma.  I will eventually write brief descriptions for all of them.

500 Artists That Are Better Than Maluma (in no particular order)

1  Yamil & Delfin - Maluma never made one song as good as "Dale Eric Dale" and that's not even the duo's best track.

2  Voltio - A lyrical genius equally as competent at perreo as he is in socially conscious Rap.  The day Maluma raps a verse 1/4 as good as "Julito Maraña", I will give him some props.

3  Las Guanabanas

4  El General

5  Big Boy

6  Nando Boom - Probably the best toaster in Spanish Reggae history.  If you don't know Nando, you don't know Real Reggaeton.  And you shouldn't be judging who are the goats like you frauds at Rolling Stone.  Stick to Rock and Indie Alternative Rolling Stone.  Stick to what you know.

7  SFDK

8  Natos y Waor

9  La Etnnia

10  Brytiago

11  Mariah Angeliq -  She's just a bellaqueo artist.  True.  But she's twice the bellaqueo artist Maluma will ever be.

12  Eddie Dee

13  El Roockie

14  Karol G

15  J Balvin - Balvin kinda sucks.  He was only the #1 for a period of time because he was the most non threatening artist to the establishment and he was good enough to not make true Reggaeton heads reject him.  He is the weakest artist in history to have ever been the #1 guy in the game.  But even with all that, he is literally 3x the artist Maluma shall ever be.  And that hurts you deep inside doesn't it Maluma?  Because you know its true.

16  Farruko

17  Tego Calderon

18  Daddy Yankee

19  Baby J

20  Calito Soul

21  Mickey Perfecto

22  Nandee Rhythms

23  Shaka Black

24  Point Breakers

25  Ñengo Flow

26  Los Implacables

27  Baby Ganzta - I saw this guy perform on Urba Live and he's considerably better than Maluma live.  He is on The Noise 1 so he beats Maluma's body of work with that alone.  Sadly, Spotfy mislabels as Baby Rasta.

28  Ñejo

29  Temperamento

30  Baby Rasta

31  Gringo

32  Bujuman

33  La Sista

34  Cano D

35  Cano Man

36  Panny

37  Eddie Nesta

38  Glory 'Glou'

39  Don Omar

40  Flex 'Nigga'

41  Makano

42  Kafu Banton

43  Gaby

44  Falo The Leader

45  Bobby Jack & Chinito (RIP Bobby Jack)

46  Jowell & Randy

47  Bimbo El Oso Mañoso

48  K-Mill

49  Valerie

50  Dorey

51  Cruzito - Maluma wishes he was half as good as Cruzito.  When you do bubblegum pop over Reggaeton beats, study Cruzito, not Maluma, because Cruzito does it right.

52  Yudi

53  Arcangel

54  Castro

55  Tommy Viera

56  Orishas

57  Don Dinero

58  Pitbull

59  El Chacal

60  Tiro De Gracia

61  Anita Tijoux y Makiza

62  Saiko

63  Kaydy Cain

64  Yassir

65  Yung Beef

66  Emilia

67  Elena Rose

68  Camilo

69  Mora

70  Karel

71  Villano Antillano

72  Young Miko

73  Eladio Carrion

74  Pocho Pan

75  Rigo Man

76  Renato

77  Keribel

78  Magnate

79  Valentino

80  Mario VI

81  Jadiel (RIP)

82  Tempo

83  Getto

84  Gastam

85  Eloy

86  Kario & Yaret

87  Franco 'El Gorila'

88  Brrray

89  Coo-Kee

90  No Mel Syndicate

91  Cuba El Carnicero

92  Sanguinario

93  OGM (Omar Garcia) & Oakley (RIP Oakley)

94  Gente De Zona

95  Lomiiel

96  El Alfa

97  Secreto 'El Famoso' Biberon

98  Hector 'El Father'

99  Nach

100  Tito El Bambino

101  Ivy Queen

102  Teddy Gee

103  Memo & Vale

104  Jam & Suppose

105  Demphra

106  Joycee

107  Joey Montana

108  Mr.  Phillips

109  Vinny Rivera

110  NORE - I understand people, mostly from Latin America, that hates NORE's involvement in Reggaeton and look at him like evil gringo imperialist invader coming to steal our natural resources.  But NORE is a bonafide Hip Hop legend.  I was glad when he lent Reggaeton a hand and put us under new spotlight.  Could we have made it that far without him?  Probably yes.  But he was the first American from the United States with the genius idea to monetize this Reggaeton thing.  I think NORE's Reggaeton output was fairly competent.  He understood Reggaeton is basically Rap with a different beat.  And his only Reggaeton album is waaay better than anyhthing Maluma ever did.

111  Yaga & Mackie

112  Ruben  DJ

113  Off & On

114  Baby Gringo

115  Ali AKA Mind

116  Ghostpell

117  Dano

118  Ergo Pro

119  Mala Rodriguez

120  Akapellah

121  Lalo Ebratt

122  Canserbero (RIP)

123  Luigi 21 Plus

124  Genio & Baby Johnny

125  Kenai 'La Voz'

126  J Alvarez

127  Jory Boy

128  Sech

129  Akim

130  Boza

131  Mucho Muchacho

132  Wisin

133  Yandel

134  Baby Ranks

135  Mr. Biggie

136  Divino

137  La Nana

138  Two Much Flava

139  Bam Bam AKA Manec

140  Alberto Stylee

141  Jae-P

142  Akwid

143  Sinful 'El Pecador'

144  Aleman

145  Peso Pluma

146  De La Ghetto

147  Alex Kyza

148  Kendo Kaponi

149  Brujo y D-Voiz

150  Mega Sexx

151  Gadiel

152  Tony Dize

153  Chencho Corleone

154  Maldy

155  Amaro

156  Great Kilo

157  Sir Speedy

158  Lorna

159  Cracker Jack & Jr. Crack

160  Gangsta Crack

161  Japanesse (RIP)

162  Cigarette El Cigamatic (RIP)

163  Jimmy Bad Boy

164  Nicky Jam

165  Master Joe

166  OG Black

167  Guayo Man

168  Maicol y Manuel

169  Blanco Flake

170  Nico Canada

171  Yaviah

172  Gummy Man

173  Grupo Nizze

174  Nieto & Faze

175  Casper & Fen-X

176  Calvo 'El Filarican'

177  Nikki Nicole

178  Tokischa

179  Guelo Star

180  J King y Maximan

181  Maestro

182  Burufat

183  Doble Impacto

184  Cavalucci

185  Baby Shabba

186  Black Page

187  Lapiz Conciente

188  Mozart 'La Para'

189  Monkey Black (RIP)

190  Arca

191  Isabella Lovestory

192  Jhayco

193  Joyce Santana

194  Roa

195  Danny Fornaris

196  Auudii

197  LG 'El Extrasensorial'

198  Original Q

199  Bernie Man

200  Kamikaze

201  Mexicano 777

202  Horny Man & Panty Man

203  Kartier

204  Mr. Notty

205  Miguel Play

206  Ariel 'El Puro'

207  Abrante

208  Newtone

209  Zion

210  Lennox

211  Carlos & Omy

212  Johnny Prez

213  Pedro Prez (RIP)

214  MC Ceja

215  Jackie 'La Original'

216  Lito MC Cassidy

217  Polaco 'Polakan'

218  TNT

219  Felo Man

220  Wise Da Gansta AKA 'The Gold Pen'

221  Jenay (RIP)

222  Yeruza (RIP)

223  YVNG CHVMI

224  Dei V

225  Los Chikoz Del Maiz

226  Kinto Sol

227  Cartel De Santa

228  Control Machete

229  RaiNao

230  Feid

231  Tidy Man

232  Frankie Boy

233  Cano Man

234  Rey Pirin

235  Camaleon

236  Tony Bull

237  Red Boy

238  Danger Man (RIP)

239  Latin Fresh

240  Family Business

241  Aldo Ranks

242  Toby King

243  Dicky Ranking

244  Apache Ness

245  Papa Chan (RIP)

246  Barbero

247  Lil Phas

248  Papa Crack

249  Chicho Man

250  Black Omar

251  Babycat "El #1"

252  Gran Omar

253  Rubio & Joel

254  WIDZ

255  2 Sweet

256  Alma

257  White T Girl

258  Don Chezina

259  Angel & Khriz

260  Aldo & Dandy

261  Duke

262  Danny Banton

263  Joshy D & Spike

264  TNG

265  Shotta

266  Tote King

267  ZPU

268  Presion

269  La Alta Escuela

270  Juan Solo

271  La Familia

272  Yanuri

273  Double Flavor

274  Chyno Nyno

275  Willie Sante

276  Kase.O

277  Sho-Hai

278  MC Randy

279  Brewley MC

280  Portorock Blades & Latin Empire

281  Supernafamacho

282  Ariana Puello

283  El Meswy

284  Frank T

285  Paco King

286  Kamikaze

287  Mr. Rango

288  Morodo

289  Sindicato Argentino De Hip Hop

290  RBO Brothers

291  K.I.D

292  Memo B

293  Nico Canada

294  Richie Valent

295  Omar Little Grass

296  Nano MC AKA D' Great

297  Carlitos & Luiso

298  Tito Macoli

299  Los Sabios

300  Lisa M

301  Kid Melaza (RIP)

302  Magic Juan

303  Fulanito

304  Almighty

305  Alexio 'La Bruja' (RIP)

306  Hurricane G

307  Sick Jacken

308  Kemo The Blaxican

309  Cypress Hill

310  Tres Coronas

311  Reychesta Secret Weapon

312  John Eric

313  Dalmata

314  Pancho Indio Crew

315  David Deambulante

316  Pacho 'El Antifeka'

317  Cosculluela

318  Angel Doze

319  El Mayor Clasico

320  Gabylonia

321  Kiko El Crazy

322  Fanta Rosario

323  Vei Habache

324  Luar La L

325  NTG

326  Flow 28

327  Ceky Viciny

328  Hades66

329  Slick La Mina

330  Blackinny

331  Milo J

332  Trueno

333  Myke Towers

334  Rauw Alejandro

335  Duki

336  Shakira

337  Quevedo

338  Kidd Voodoo

339  Residente Calle 13

340  Paulo Londra

341  Anuel AA

342  Lito Kirino

343  Snow Tha Product

344  L-Gante

345  Polima Westcoast

346  Pimp Flaco

347  Bryant Myers

348  C.  Tangana

349  Pablo Chill E

350  Jon Z

351  N Wise Allah

352  Mir Nicolas

353  Kid J (Panama)

354  Rene Renegado

355  Aspirante

356  Original Dan

357  Reggae Kid

358  El Maleante de Panama

359  Rude Girl 'La Atrevida'

360  De La Rose

361  Pressure 9X19

362  Calvo El Filarican

363  LDA (Baby Psycho & Orquidea Negra)

364  Gotas De Rap

365  Delinquent Habits (Ives Irie tambien a veces rapea en Español)

366  Fat Joe (Es Muy Bueno Cuando Rapea En Español)

367  Cuban Link (tambien)

368  Los Nandez

369  Immortal Technique (he's better in Spanish than most Rappers)

370  The Beatnuts

371  Tony Touch

372  Full Nelson

373  Omar Montes

374  Kale 'El Mr. Party' y Ataque Rasta

375  JQ The #1 Contender

376  Los Boys (RIP Angel & Jason, Rafi Love sigue vivo)

377  Street Clan People

378  Mayordomo

379  Manuel Turizo

380  Darell

381  Ozuna

382  Pusho

383  D.Ozi

384  Prieto Valdez

385  Kalil

386  Ranking Stone

387  Cheka

388  Alexis & Fido

389  Los Yetzons

390  Andy Boy

391  Poeta Callejero

392  Vakero

393  Toxic Crow

394  J Noa

395  Sambo & Ceniza (RIP Ceniza)

396  Noriega

397  DJ  Blass

398  Bebe (The Noise)

399  Alvaro Diaz

400  Jesse Baez

401  Latin Mafia 

402  Dunvo

403  Eli Musicologo

404  Jay Wheeler

405  Lyanno

406  Lary Over

407  Yo-Seph 'The One'

408  Alex Killer

409  Jomar 'El Caballo Negro'

410  Gocho

411  Naldo Sangre Nueva

412  Manny Montes

413  Redimi2

414  Wiso G

415  Roka & Gammy

416  Latin Crew

417  Ganja Kids

418  Baby Banton

419  Lenny Tavarez & Dyland

420  Justin Quiles

421  Hamilton

422  Kapo

423  Endo & Lele

424  HCP

425  Genio AKA Geniokil@

426  Ruben Sam

427  Fresh J

428  David J

429  Mr. Luis

430  Murder Man AKA Ronald (Fatal Fantassy)

431  Principal (Panama)

432  Tommy Real

433  Impacto MC

434  Crooked Stilo

435  Varon (Mas Flow Family)

436  Joan Ortiz

437  Oneill

438  Wibal y Alex

439  Wassa Banga

440  Jr. Ranks

441  Fragancia

442  Goodfella

443  Eddy Lover

444  Almirante

445  Q Mac Daddy

446  RKM & Ken-Y

447  Flavor Kid N Redy

448  Gotay El Autentiko

449  Echo (Artilleria Secreta)

450  Blade Pacino

451  Benny Benni

452  Yomo

453  Delirious

454  Chillin

455  Fronti

456  Cris MJ

457  Bb Trickz

458   Beéle

459  ROSALÍA

460  Alleh

461  Bad Gyal

462  Gigolo y La Exce

463  Sebastian Yatra

464  El Sayajin Champeta

465  Juanka

466  Noriel

467  Miky Woodz

468  Ele A El Dominio

469  6ix9ne

470  Cardi B

471  Shadow Blow

472  Amenazzy

473  Nio Garcia

474  Farina

475  Marconi Impara

476  Fuego

477  Trebol Clan

478  Notch

479  Asesino (La Industria)

480  Shabakan

481  Filosofia Misteriosa

482  K-2 Young

483  Xhelazz

484  Rapsuklei

485  Los Aldeanos

486  Dyablo

487  Apache

488  Lil Supa

489  Alcolyricoz

490  King Kong Click

491  Movimiento Original

492  Chimbala

493  Baby Ice

494  Vico C

495  Dante Spinetta & Ilya Kuriyaki

496  Rey Blasto

497  D.I

498  Gizmo J

499  Real Phantom (Comando Tiburon)

500  Panamasta  y por si acaso el rumor de que Panamasta es Kafu Banton sea cierto...

501  Blessd

Still a work in progress as of 10/11/26