Blending raw street energy with genre-bending sonics, THEKOIWAY and Jamez Manuel have joined forces for a powerful new release titled “La Calle Quema”. The track arrives as a multi-sensory project, complete with two distinct music videos, one of which includes Chilean sign language interpretation, cementing the duo’s commitment to accessibility, authenticity, and cultural storytelling. This acts as the follow-up to THEKOIWAY’s single titled “The Game of Life”, and Jamex Manuel’s collaborative album titled “Full Special”, which saw him team up with Ricci Motora and WINE.
Written by THEKOIWAY and Jamez Manuel, while the former also produced it, the song—which translates to “The Street Burns”—dives headfirst into themes of urban survival and resilience. Through evocative lyricism, it confronts stark realities like poverty, inequality, and street culture, while also highlighting glimmers of communal strength and celebration. Referencing motochorros (motorbike thieves), Bronx blocks, communal kitchens, and street takeovers, the track captures the chaotic beauty of life on the margins.
With clear experimental Latin American rhythms mixed around addictive hip-hop, THEKOIWAY doesn’t shy away from trying new concepts with his production, and in doing so, it pays off hugely. The melody is tuneful, allowing clean rap to match the style with both Jamez Manuel and THEKOIWAY showcasing their rapping skills by keeping time, keeping flow, and keeping finesse throughout. The unexpected saxophone instrumental towards the end adds surprise and versatility, reflecting the ups and downs of street life, something of which the lyrics divulge right into, as well as hope and social dynamics.
Leading the genre-blending project THEKOIWAY, Victor Vildósola opens up about the release, saying, “’La Calle Quema’ was born from lived experience—moving between Santiago and New York, seeing how the street shapes people, how it breaks some and builds others.”
He continued by saying, “I was chasing a raw, groove-heavy sound that fused funk and hip hop with Latin American lyrical cadence. I wanted it to feel sweaty, intense, and unpolished—but still polished enough to move people.”
That same ethos of rawness extends into the visuals. The primary music video draws from Latin American realism and street-shot aesthetics, rejecting polished narratives in favour of mood and texture. Alongside it, an inclusive version featuring sign language interpreter Ludo Ibarra ensures the message of “La Calle Quema” reaches as many people as possible, championing music as a shared, universal language. We watch Jamez Manuel and Victor Vildósola bring their rap performance energy into the streets of New York City and Santiago, Chile. It’s down-to-earth, real, and honest, allowing both artists to bring integrity and genuineness to the visual.
Led by Brooklyn-based Chilean multi-instrumentalist and producer Victor Vildósola, THEKOIWAY has steadily gained recognition for crafting music that defies borders, both geographic and stylistic. Rooted in Latin Alternative, the project draws influence from funk, hip-hop, Latin folk, and traditional Andean instruments, merging them into a globally informed yet streetwise sound that’s undeniably modern.
But THEKOIWAY isn’t simply a studio project. It’s an evolving performance entity that thrives on immersive experiences. With past live sets enhanced by choreography from Tumi Vil Nkomo and storytelling rooted in identity and resistance, THEKOIWAY continues to bridge culture, community, and sound.
This song release is the product of over a decade of artistic chemistry between Victor Vildósola and Jamez Manuel, best known as a member of Chilean hip-hop collective Zonora Point. Originally sparked in a Mexico City studio back in 2012, the collaboration has since evolved and found new fire in Brooklyn. The track’s production features a compelling fusion of live drums, searing verses, and sharp sonic polish courtesy of mixing engineer Rocky Gallo (Norah Jones, CeeLo Green) and mastering by Tom Waltz (Fleetwood Mac, Alicia Keys).
This collaboration stands as a bold statement, one that captures the heat of the streets and translates it into something fierce, rhythmic, and real.
“La Calle Quema”, by THEKOIWAY and Jamez Manuel, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms, via Isla Negra Entertainment. Also, if you are in New York City next month, you can catch THEKOIWAY performing at The Mercury Lounge on July 19, 2025, where he will be the support act alongside Out of the Ashes for Loui Daniels. You can find out more information about this event on the official Mercury East Presents website.
As for Jamez Manuel, he will be hosting a “Full Special Party” at La Casona de Hilda Parra, Santiago, Chile, on July 12, 2025. Tickets can be bought from the PortalDisc ticket website. That’s not all, though; the event is happening before Manuel sets off to Mexico, where he will be performing at Levu VIP on July 18, 2025, as part of the TRAP HOUSE MX event hosted by Marlon Breeze; tickets, of which, can be bought from Starticket Mexico.