Baby Ranks

Baby Ranks says he's not like most reggaetoneros who think they'll "make millions of dollars after only one album."

Born in Puerto Rico to Dominican parents, David Luciano Acosta knows a little about paying dues. Best known for his work on Luny Tunes' Más Flow compilations, Baby Ranks has spent the last decade collaborating with many of reggaetón's biggest and brightest, including Daddy Yankee, Wisin y Yandel and Zion. The twentysomething says he's focused on pushing reggaetón to evolve, not getting rich: "People are tired of hearing artists who say they're coming with something new and end up copying what others are doing."

Earlier this summer, the cheeky singer-rapper released his debut, Mi Flow: This Is It. Lead single De Fuga is a comfortable reggaetón jam with buzzing synths and hissing hi-hats, while the Flex-ish El Amor Se Fue drips with sweet melodies and heartbreak. True to his word, Baby Ranks offers more than reggaetón on Mi Flow. There's bachata on "Luna Llena," reggae on "Sera La Hora" and straight up pop-rock on "Enamorado De Ti." Guests include Angel Lopez and La India while production is handled by the likes of Luny Tunes and Mambo Kingz.

After years of waiting for his time, Baby Ranks asks for similar patience from those who believe reggaetón is in a creative lull: "[It] will evolve… but it’ll happen slowly."

See: myspace.com/elranks