Re/imagining a Mundo Maya: Maya rappers in the Yucatán Peninsula

Just a few days earlier, I was in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, where I visited Pat Boy’s recording and production studio, ADN MAYA Producciones. Pat Boy, a prominent figure in the world of Maya rap in the Peninsula, had graciously accepted my invitation for an informal interview. Although I had interviewed Pat Boy before, this was my first visit to his recording studio. More than just a space to produce music, Pat Boy also hosts workshops to promote Maya language revitalization through rap improvisation and rhyming. Through these workshops, Pat Boy has successfully supported young Maya rappers across the Peninsula, many of whom have independently started their own recording and production studios. Paalil K'iin, a Maya rapper from the municipality of Tahdziú, is one of them. As such, this report will discuss my informal meeting with Paalil K'iin and offer further reflections on what I learned from him.