Less than a year after releasing Latin Grammy nominee for Album of the Year, “Cosa Nuestra”, Rauw Alejandro has followed up with “Cosa Nuestra: Capítulo 0”, the official prequel album to his project. “Capítulo 0” was released on September 26th, 2025. Following its release, many opinions, including mine, have shifted. This new album serves as an “origin story” to the album that came before it, surprising fans with sounds ranging from salsa, to bachata, reggaeton, plena, bomba and more. The album features 14 tracks that I believe are creatively curated to represent Rauw’s vision and pay tribute to his Afro-Caribbean and Puerto Rican culture.
Track 1: Carita Linda – 9/10
This track lives up to the expectations of being the lead single and album opener. The pre-chorus is probably my favorite part of the song because of the imagery behind Rauw’s descriptions of “Bajo las estrellas / La luna llena”. I would have liked it if he kept his romantic vocals in the outro as well, but other than that, I think the song encapsulates the feeling of being in love. In an interview with Rauw made by LOS40, he shares, “In Carita Linda, I dive into the sound of Bomba as a way to honor my African ancestors and share a new creative vision with communities that still carry this important part of our Puerto Rican identity.”
Track 2: Caribeño ft. Saso – 5/10
The track begins with heavy bomba beats and the first collaboration on the album with Bronx rapper, Saso. I admire the purpose of the song, which, according to Pitchfork, is meant to empower and honor the singers’ Caribbean identity. However, I only enjoyed Rauw’s parts of the song when he took over in the second half of the song.
Track 3: GuabanS*xxx – 7.5/10
When I first heard this single on release, it immediately caught my attention because of its distinct sound. In this track, Rauw makes references to Taina, a Taíno goddess of storm and chaos, which I think fits into his storytelling style. The recurrent “Santa Maria, libranos de todo mal” gets very repetitive, which, for me, affects the song’s replayability.
Track 4: Buenos Términos – 9.5/10
One of my favorites on the album, the song is both emotional and catchy. I think this song embodies what most of the album is about, portraying a stormy relationship– or as Rauw described in a WhatsApp teaser, “a little toxic” (ELLE). The stormy symbolism especially comes through in the music video for “Buenos Términos”, where Rauw is seen sitting on a rooftop with a dark sky above him. As the video progresses, you can see a storm starting, with lightning flashing in the background.
Track 5: SILENCIO – 10/10
Marking Rauw’s first bachata song, he raises the bar for what other artists should do when experimenting with new genres. The song begins with “Shh”, which is a perfect intro, seeing as how the song is about remaining in silence with someone because of a fading spark. However, Rauw isn’t asking for silence because of avoidance– he thinks that silent intimacy is better than continuing to argue. His pleas when exclaiming, “Silencio, cálmate / Hoy no se discute, no me lleves la contraria” are very powerful– you can hear the pain in his voice.
Track 6: El Cuc0.0 ft. Jey One – 8.5/10
Rauw’s collaboration with Jey One suits this upbeat track. I could see this song being played in a club or party with its fast-paced beat and rhythm. Following “Buenos Términos” and “SILENCIO”, this track brings a change in energy that quickly powers the album as a whole.
Track 7: CONTRABANDO ft. Wisin, Ñengo Flow – 10/10
Building on the energy from the previous track, “CONTRABANDO” definitely marks the climax of the whole album. Since it’s a bit more on the explicit side, I wouldn’t recommend this track to listeners who aren’t into reggaeton or prefer chiller sounds. The track opens with a funky beat, but as the featured artists take over, the beat grows in intensity. Wisin’s verses in the second half of the song, along with Rauw’s parts, still blow me away every time I hear them, to be honest. The street energy of the whole track reminds me of the reggaeton me and my cousins listen to.
Track 8: Nostalgia de Otoño ft. De La Rose – 7/10
This song offers a slower-paced change in sound following the previous track; it’s kind of like the calm that comes after a storm. Despite the softer tempo, it’s full of longing and the ache of missing someone. I am not a big fan of De La Rose’s vocals, but she still complements Rauw’s voice in a unique way, especially in the chorus. The rumbling of thunder in the outro adds a nice touch to the recurring storm imagery of the album.
Track 9: NÁUFRAGOS – 9/10
The opening beats of this song are uplifting, making me imagine some sort of beach or bright summer day. While the rest of the album focuses on complicated relationships and intense emotions, this track offers a refreshing break with lyrics about living in the moment with someone: “El tiempo volando contigo se me va / Dos náufragos entre cuerpos, sin dejarnos encontrar.”
Track 10: Besito en la Frente – 10/10
The chorus is definitely my favorite part of the track, as Rauw’s expressive vocals go really well with the percussion in the background. The meaning of the song is especially heartfelt. According to a review by LOS40, “At its heart, the song is about cherishing a relationship so deeply that even a small gesture—like a kiss on the forehead—feels loaded with meaning.” I wish the song was a bit longer, as “Besito en la Frente” is shorter compared to some of the other tracks. However, its most noteworthy element is the outro, which transitions perfectly to the next track, “Santa”.
Track 11: Santa ft. Rvssian, Arya Starr – 11/10
My initial reaction to seeing “Santa”, a single from 2024 on this album, was, “What the heck is this doing here?” One would think that “Santa” would’ve been released in Rauw’s 2024 album, “Cosa Nuestra”– however, that album leans more towards salsa and reggaeton. “Capítulo 0” is more focused on Rauw’s Afro-Caribbean and Puerto Rican roots, which is why he saved this single featuring Arya Starr, an artist of Nigerian nationality, for his prequel album. The track doesn’t feel out of place either. It fits the sound of his album, and the transition from the previous track confirms that a lot of thought went into the chronological storyline of these albums.
Track 12: Callejón de los Secretos ft. Mon Laferte – 9.5/10
Being one of Rauw’s “first-ever original salsa tracks” (SONY MUSIC), this song is a great addition to the album and fits well with the wide variety of genres he’s experimenting with. The bridge is probably my favorite part, as the instrumentals quiet down briefly and Mon Laferte and Rauw trade lines back and forth, almost like a conversation, while the male background voices repeat, “Discúlpame / Me equivoqué”. I could see myself playing this song while I’m doing chores– it would fit well in my house.
Track 13: FALSEDAD – 8/10
I would say that this is one of the more underrated songs on the album since I haven’t seen much recognition for it. This track is full of imagery– the lyrics describe someone as a snake, not necessarily in a bad way, but for pretending to not be hurt after a breakup: “Serpiente maliciosa eras en otra vida / Caí en tus mentiras, no escuché el cascabel”. The beat and rhythm have a catchy and happy-sounding tone, but upon closer inspection, you can hear Rauw’s pleas of wanting to get back together.
Track 14: Mirando Al Cielo – 6.7/10
“Mirando Al Cielo” is a great, cinematic ending track to the album. It ties back to the original purpose of the album, which is to celebrate and empower Puerto Rican culture. The song was created with father-and-son duo Nino Segarra and Dímelo Ninow, according to a LOS40 review. Their contributions, along with the salsa instrumentals and vocal energy, bring a taste of Puerto Rican and Caribbean culture to all ears.
Overall, “Cosa Nuestra: Capítulo 0” is full of emotion, meaning, and versatility. Rauw proves that he is more than capable of telling a story with his albums, and with the release of this prequel, who knows if we’ll get a “Cosa Nuestra: Part 3”. Of course, I’ll definitely have to collab with Rauw some day, so that would be a perfect opportunity! If you have made it this far, I think you should give Rauw’s new album a listen. If you aren’t too fond of the album, let’s remember what Rauw said in his critically acclaimed 2024 album: “Esto es cosa nuestra, no creo que lo entiendan.”
