Afterclass: The Medellín Collective Redefining Latin American Hip Hop

In Medellín, a city where rap has long carried the weight of testimony, resistance, and reinvention, few movements have shaped the last decade as decisively as Afterclass. Formed by Luis7Lunes, Vic Deal, Maco Maat, Kid Sánchez, Eztone, and Ignorancia Sofisticada, the collective stands today not only as a cornerstone of Antioquia-based rap, but as one of the most respected creative forces in the South American underground.

Each member brings more than ten years of work, discipline, and lived experience — catalogues that have become reference points, and voices that have carved their own lanes far from trends or shortcuts. Together, they operate less like a label and more like a creative alliance, a self-built infrastructure where craft, honesty, and independence sit at the center.

To speak about Colombian hip hop in 2025 without mentioning Afterclass is simply impossible:

Luis7Lunes: The Architect of Introspection

Few rappers in the region have shaped a sonic identity as singular as Luis7Lunes. Since his 2015 debut Ruidos en Hamelin, he’s developed a style rooted in reflection, vulnerability, and precision.
His collaborations, from El Armador del Sol with Vic Deal to 2020’s Audio Descriptivo alongside Alcolyrikoz and No Rules Clan, have become modern classics.

In 2025, Luis presented MIEDO, created with Ignorancia Sofisticada: a raw, emotional 12-track album that widens his already expansive universe. After years of touring Colombia, the U.S. and Spain, he remains one of the essential voices of Spanish-language rap today.

Vic Deal: The Razor-Edge Poet and Producer

Born in Turbo and raised between sarcasm, sharp punchlines, and uncompromising honesty, Vic Deal has become one of the most influential rappers and beatmakers of his generation. From the early days of Uno, Dos (2012) to the now-iconic De Ego Tripas (2017), his catalogue is a masterclass in personality and craft.

As a producer, he’s equally formidable, sculpting the sound of projects like El Armador del Sol and Kamikaze, and most recently delivering Medallas de Oro (2024), a record that reaffirms his place as a pillar of contemporary Latin rap.

If something is clear about this crew, it’s the fact that they owe a big deal of their sound and identity to him.

Maco Maat: Brutal Honesty and Emotional Resistance

If Afterclass has a darker emotional core, Maco Maat is the one holding it. Since his early work at Maat Records, he’s explored themes many artists avoid: depression, rage, collapse, reconstruction, always with lyrical depth and psychological insight. His background in psychology, his raw storytelling, and even his recordings inside a prison (Celda 4-8) make him one of the most singular voices in Colombian rap.

With albums like Realismo Sucio, Soberano, and Kamikaze, Maco has become an anchor for listeners who grew up navigating their own storms.

Kid Sánchez: The Pulse of the Party and the Power Behind the Boards

From Panama’s early jam culture to Medellín’s clubs and plazas, Kid Sánchez is pure movement. A founding member of UNI2 and a long-standing presence in FM Krew and Afterclass, his work as a producer and DJ has shaped some of the strongest releases in recent Colombian rap.

On stage, he’s a force — precise, electrifying, and able to flip any room into celebration mode. As the head of La 15 Records, he carries the DNA of golden-era rap into a language that feels timeless and universal.

Eztone: Andean Textures and the Art of Reinvention

Born in the Ecuadorian Andes, based in Medellín, and shaped by two decades of experimentation, Eztone brings a different temperature to the collective. His music borrows from soul, jazz, British trip hop, and the classic Boom Bap structure, bending and deconstructing it with synth layers and cinematic sampling.

From early trip hop explorations with Munn (Espirales) to recent releases like Supernova, his production expands the Afterclass palette into atmospheric and exploratory territory.

Ignorancia Sofisticada: A Legendary Beatmaker in Evolution

A fundamental presence since the early 2000s, Ignorancia Sofisticada has produced some of the most emblematic sounds of Medellín’s underground. His fusion of rap and trip hop forms dense, introspective atmospheres — the kind that stay under the skin.

As founder of D.A. Distrikt, he has collaborated with No Rules Clan (Pantone), Mano Armada (Cuba), RLX, Anyone/Cualkiera, and more. His work even scored the documentary Escobar Expuesto. In 2025, his collaboration with Luis7Lunes on MIEDO adds another milestone to a two-decade-long legacy.

If Afterclass resonates so deeply, it’s not only because the music is strong, but rather because the work is constant and disciplined, the shows are packed, and the community surrounding them grows with every release.

From headlining rooms in Bogotá and Medellín to international dates in Spain, and festival performances like Medayoung’s massive 30,000-cap crowd, the collective stands as a model of independence done right.

Their catalogues define different emotional languages, but their mission is shared: to build a rap culture rooted in craft, honesty, and longevity.

For Medellín, for Colombia, and increasingly for the continent, Afterclass represents a scene shaping itself from the inside — one record, one verse, one beat at a time.

You can find out more information about this outstanding crew at their official website.

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