Paulo Londra is back. He has in his hands Versus, an EP of six songs in which he seeks to connect his past with the present through an internal struggle against himself: a battle between Paulo and “El Lyrics”, his rap alter ego. Released in early March under Dale Play Records, this is his third full-length work after the albums Homerun (2019) and Back To The Game (2022). In the six tracks, all influenced by trap music, Londra freestyles to put his personal history into play and transmit the powerful message of going for your dreams and fighting for them until the end. In this journey, marked by each song as if they were chapters, he retraces the path that brought him here and bids farewell with gratitude.
As for the title, “it has something very Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat. Anything that has to do with fighting video games, I always liked it, and I also like sports, so I mix them,” explains Londra. “The message of this album is internal competition, against oneself. I want to compete against myself, because I know my weaknesses and I want to beat them. It’s ‘Paulo versus Lyrics’.”
In the coming months, Londra has confirmed dates in Spain and Mexico, and on June 7th he will return to Buenos Aires with a show at the Movistar Arena. In an interview with Billboard Argentina, the artist breaks down Versus track by track, talks about the moment he is in his life, how he feels about being a father, and, as a good Cordoban, reveals his secret to making the best fernet: “It’s with sugar-free soda, that’s when it’s just right.”
Do you remember the best advice you were given on this journey? I can’t tell you just one, but the most beautiful thing I have as a foundation is my family. They are always supporting me and making me feel secure. Because in this industry there are a lot of people who know, who give their opinions… And maybe they give you recommendations that go against your essence. And I felt very strong to always follow a path where I felt safe, represented, and satisfied. My family gave me that, my dad, my mom, my sister, my daughters. They are crucial to me.
What are those links that have strengthened in your journey to become a rapper? How did Paulo end up being who he is today? That’s where, in addition to my family, my friendships also come into play. I feel like God sent me friendships that are very healthy, they are all very supportive and they like the same things as me. So I never let go of that: anyone who knows me knows that since I was 8 years old, I haven’t changed my friends, I go everywhere with them and whenever I can, I bring them, take them, and invite them. Because they remind me of that, of sharing something we all like. And they were the ones who told me: “Go for it, keep going, enjoy it, you don’t have to do what they tell you.” They helped me a lot. Since I was a kid, I’ve been very close to my friends, I take them with me everywhere, and they remind me to enjoy what I do and not to let anyone change me.