Mala Rodríguez (María Rodríguez Garrido) is a rapper and singer from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, a pioneer of Spanish-language hip-hop and the first urban artist to win Spain’s National Music Award.
Background
She was born on 13 February 1979 in Jerez and grew up in Seville, where she joined the hip-hop scene as a teenager. She took the name “La Mala” at 17, when she first performed on stage. In 1998–1999 she appeared on albums by La Gota Que Colma, SFDK and La Alta Escuela, and her solo debut was the maxi-single A Jierro/Toma la Traca (1999). She is now based in Barcelona.
Releases and milestones
She signed with Universal Music Spain and released her debut album Lujo Ibérico in 2000, followed by Alevosía (2003), Malamarismo (2007), Dirty Bailarina (2010), Bruja (2013), Mala (2020) and Un Mundo Raro (2024). “Por la noche” reached No. 1 on the Spanish chart in 2006, and in 2015 she featured on President Barack Obama’s summer Spotify playlist. After a four-year break she returned with “Gitanas” in 2018, won Spain’s National Music Award in 2019, and published the memoir Cómo ser Mala in 2021. Collaborators include Julieta Venegas, Calle 13 and Stylo G.
Where to start
Watch “Contigo” below, then listen to “Tengo un trato” and “La Niña”.
Sources
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Established
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