Rapper Noreaga, a.k.a. N.O.R.E., brings a nuanced approach to relaying gritty street tales. Born Victor Santiago, Jr. in 1977 in Queens, New York, the MC started rhyming in the mid-’90s as one-half of Capone-N-Noreaga, a hard-hitting hip-hop duo who shared their hardened experiences over boom-bap production. Noreaga moved into a solo career in 1998, releasing N.O.R.E., an at-times contemplative album that showcased his storytelling abilities, as evinced by the high-octane posse cut “Banned from Tv” and the Neptunes-produced party anthem “Superthug”. He would go on to release God’s Favorite in 2002, home to the confrontational single “Nothin’” featuring Pharrell. With his 2006 album N.O.R.E. y la Familia, Noreaga transitioned to crafting infectious reggaetón, like the crossover single “Oye Mi Canto”. By 2021, Noreaga had returned to his traditional hip-hop roots, dropping the boastful single “Outta Line” alongside fellow Empire State icons Method Man and Conway the Machine.