Born in 1975 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico to a humble family, Rafael Sierra Pascual was already writing and publishing poetry by the age of 11. It was around this time that, like many Black and Latino kids, hip-hop took a hold of Lito’s mind. The first MCs who captured his attention were a few of the genre’s best—L.L. Cool J and N.W.A. During this time, spurred by fellow Boricua artists such as Vico C, Ruben DJ and 3-2 Get Funky, Lito eventually found an artistic home with DJ Eric y La Industria.Still, initially Lito treated his music career as a hobby as the streets kept on calling him, he says. Signing with Raphy Pina, Lito joined forces with Polaco and released Masacrando MCs (Special Edition) to rave reviews. The duo went on to produce classic after classic (Mundo Frio, Fuere de Serie, and many more). Yet, while the genre we know today as reggaeton was becoming known worldwide, Lito was also turning himself into one of its premier wordsmiths—an MC with a lyrical density only rivaled by his English language counterparts like the late Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z and Scarface. Mundo Frio’s “Ella Vive Sola”, which talks about AIDS, had its own space because no one was speaking on those topics,” he says. “Everyone else was talking about T&A. When people tell me that ‘Mundo Frio’ taught them about the streets and to be afraid of them, I think to myself, ‘Wow, it had so much impact.’ Today, I’m continuing with that same inspiration so that when people listen to my music it touches them. Yet, for over 10 years Lito decided to put music on pause and dedicate his life to be a father, quite an admirable feat for a man at the height of his fame with Lito y Polaco He decided to leave the fame behind and focus on his children. He doesn’t regret his decision; as a matter of fact, Lito gains power from his son, Rafael Cassidy Sierra. With his son’s blessing, Lito posted on his Instagram page that he was ready to get back to work. Four days later BMG offered him a contract, then virtually every big name in reggaeton where willing to collaborate with him.
Today, Lito along with his son run his own companies, Lito Music LLC, RapCinema and Saigon Music and is reinvigorated to stake his claim as the genre’s master of stories. He’s working on a new album, and is presently producing La Jaula de los Vivos, a social series featuring his expertise—storytelling. La Jaula is a prime example of RapCinema, a sub-genre he created. Not only is Lito admired and respected by the biggest and most legendary acts in Latin hip-hop, but pundits often name him in the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) discussion along with the biggest names in the industry past and present. Lito acknowledges that his time is now and there’s no looking back. “I want to leave behind the legacy of being the best at what I do,” Lito says passionately. Lito is back, ready to write a new chapter in his book and for la cultura. His pedigree and all the years doing what he does best, carry merit. Lito is the Best Storyteller in the game.
