Premio Lo Nuestro Celebrates Arcángel’s Legacy as a Reggaeton Trailblazer

Premio Lo Nuestro Celebrates Arcángel’s Legacy as a Reggaeton Trailblazer
Credit: TU Live Music Events (Special Events)

Arcángel built his career during the years when reggaeton was still fighting for recognition. His voice became part of the foundation that allowed the genre to grow into a global force. Artists such as Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderón, and Don Omar defined the era, and Arcángel stood alongside them as one of the figures who helped shape the sound heard today. Premio Lo Nuestro 2026 recognized his impact with the Urban Icon award and a tribute performed by artists who built their careers in the genre he influenced.

Premio Lo Nuestro Honors a Career That Helped Define Reggaeton

The audience inside the Kaseya Center watched as Arcángel accepted the Urban Icon award, recognizing a career that helped define reggaeton across multiple generations. His influence remains visible through the artists who followed him and through the songs that continue circulating across global audiences.

J Balvin, Eladio Carrión, Jay Wheeler, Jhayco, Mora, and Sech joined together to perform a medley of his music, revisiting songs such as “Por Amar a Ciegas” and “Pa’ Que La Pases Bien.” Their tribute came from artists whose careers developed within the sound he helped establish.

Arcángel also appeared alongside Feid to perform their new collaboration “Mírame Baby,” bringing his current work into a night focused on his legacy.

During the ceremony, he spoke about the team behind his career, explaining that his success came through collective effort and the support of people who helped guide his decisions and growth over time.

A Career That Began During Reggaeton’s Early Years

Austin Agustín Santos was born in New York on December 23, 1985, and moved to Puerto Rico in 1999 to pursue reggaeton while honoring his Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage. That move placed him inside a genre still forming its identity.

His solo career gained momentum in 2007 with Chica Virtual, produced alongside DJ Nelson and released on Flow La Discoteka 2. The song gained traction on urban radio and established him among reggaeton audiences across Puerto Rico and the United States.

He later signed with Pina Records and appeared on La Fórmula before releasing Sentimiento, Elegancia y Maldad in 2013. The album featured collaborations with Daddy Yankee, De La Ghetto, and Ñengo Flow, reaching the top position in iTunes presales.

His collaboration with DJ Luian on Los Favoritos expanded his reach further, producing songs that reinforced his position within reggaeton’s evolving sound.

A Night That Brought His Career Full Circle

Arcángel stood onstage as artists who built their careers on his music performed in his honor. Each song brought the audience back to the years when his voice first became part of reggaeton’s foundation. He accepted the Urban Icon award while carrying the memory of his brother Justin Santos, whose absence remains tied to his life and work.

The moment belonged to an artist who helped define reggaeton and continues to stand inside the genre he helped create.

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