On the same day that the Los Angeles Galaxy was celebrating a return to Dignity Health Sports Park with a 3-2 win over the New York Red Bulls with a Javier “Chicharito” Hernández hat trick, L.A. Rapper Arquitekto Verbal released the 1996 EP.
It’s fair to say that the record has been in pretty constant rotation on G’s playlists.
“I really didn’t expect this kind of response from the Galaxy community,” Arquitekto confided.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but I’m happy that they (the Galaxy community) have responded well to it. One thing that the pandemic gave me is time to work on this project to create something that shows that the Galaxy is my club, the local club of Los Angeles.”
The listener immediately realizes that the 30-year-old Arquitekto AKA Duo Language AKA Miguel Garcia is a true Galaxy fan (the lesser-known Galaxy player references like Greg Cochrane lend credibility) and a rapper in full control of his gifts.
Where the current trend in hip-hop is to mumble so that people are left guessing, El Arquitekto is in dexterous command of his flow in both English and Spanish. The way the rapper plays with words and puns while riding the beat shows an assured veteran in either language.
And although he started rapping in English first, he quickly realized that he wasn’t truly utilizing his talents correctly by wasting his abilities to rap in Spanish as well.
For a rapper that enjoyed an eclectic range from Tupac to Immortal Technique, adding the language to his arsenal became necessary.
Ten years into his music career, Arquitekto has found a way to refine the perfect balance between the two languages and his musical influences.
This is why “1996” is a delicate playlist of songs. Almost every song is named after a supporter group; two in English, two in Spanish, and one with a verse in each language that leaves the listener wishing for more at the end.
“I wanted all people to hear it, in both English and Spanish, to listen to it and to actually appreciate it, Arquitekto shared hopefully.
The wordplay that the rapper has on display makes it almost imperceptible when he switches in and out of the languages.
But what is perceptible is Arquitekto’s love for the Galaxy.
It’s on full display all over the EP, with seemingly every Galaxy legend getting a shout-out and a couple of Galaxy rivals getting called out.
What really captures the spirit of the EP though, is the song Arquitekto considers its anthem, Riot at the Tailgate.
The song is centered around a sample of the classic Tropical song “En Silencio te Amare” by Colombian Group El Combo De Las Estrellas.
The song’s title meaning “I will love you in silence,” is anything but loving the club quietly.
Instead, Arquitekto’s deft flow in English over Latin rhythms on the track is a loud declaration of love to the 5-time MLS Cup Champions that will make any G move and swell with pride at the rich history of the club that the rapper unfolds over its two minutes and 38 seconds of playtime.
The authenticity on display is raw, while the talent is certainly real.
His well-received live studio performance on the Communi-G podcast last Friday was evidence of his resonance with the G fanbase.
Much like a player that is “enjoying his football,” Arquitekto is a rapper that is having fun on the microphone doing something he enjoys, speaking about the Galaxy.
The man with many aliases, but only one club in his heart hopes that he can perform “1996” soon at a Galaxy home game and entertain his fellow G’s.
With the help of the Galaxy Outlawz, that hope may one day be a reality.
