The Northeast Cartel’s ‘Narco Raps’: From Odes to Their Leaders to Money Laundering

Although the discussion has focused on narco ballads, the truth is that criminal organizations also resort to other musical genres to spread their narratives.

Cases like those of Chalino Sánchez, Valentín Elizalde, and Sergio Vega ‘El Shaka’ have linked regional Mexican music to one of Mexico’s harshest realities: the presence and siege of organized crime. Their murders, in one way or another, ended up being attributed to members of criminal organizations operating in the country.

Beyond the investigations carried out by authorities to clarify the homicides, the media coverage of the cases ended up creating a stereotype about the popular genre, which, although there are artists who include stories about organized crime in their repertoires, isn’t the only musical style in which these types of narratives have been disseminated.

The clearest example takes shape in the Northeast Cartel, a criminal organization that emerged as a splinter group of Los Zetas and has concentrated its operations in states in eastern Mexico. While its portfolio of criminal activities resembles that of other groups that also have a presence in the country, its way of disseminating messages and praising its leaders has been different.

Instead of regional Mexican music, the Northeast Cartel has opted for rap.

The Northeast Cartel’s Raps

“Orders to obey, whatever the cost. I’m in the game, absolute Northeast Cartel, tough guys, come on and see how many fight, you’ll chicken out, just look at the team […] Every now and then a private party at the ranch and if something happens, the Chuckys jump into action, over there in Nuevo León we bring them bread and bullets, the fifty-caliber bullet, those with the anchor symbol hit them, that’s how the whole thing moves, you get it now, so I can tell you how everything moves around Zacatecas,” is heard throughout a song performed by Jesp7Tearz. With beats replacing guitars, tubas, and double basses, various songs praise members of the Northeast Cartel in their lyrics. Through platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music, several local artists have disseminated these tracks, which contrast with the classic “narcocorrido” (drug ballad).

These songs not only stand out for their musical style but also for the numerous references they make to the criminal organization, its operations, the areas where it wields influence, and even its armed wing: Los Chuckys.

Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and even Zacatecas are the states that the songs typically allude to, as well as a criminal lifestyle where armed confrontations are a constant.

“I like war, and I joined to fight. I’ve already finished school, I wasted my time there, but I was always a thug even before I got involved. Little by little, I rose through the ranks of the cartel. Now I’m the terror of the neighborhood, honestly, they don’t want to know me […] I’m from the Northeast Cartel, I’m dedicated to it and eager, my crazy crew,” is heard in another of the songs dedicated to leaders of the criminal organization.

Among the members most frequently referenced in these songs is Ricardo González Sauceda, alias El Ricky, who was arrested in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, on February 3, 2025, after being identified as the leader of Los Chuckys and the second-in-command within the Northeast Cartel.

Regarding the artists who perform these songs, it is noteworthy that, although most are local singers, one in particular raised red flags for authorities, not only because of the controversial nature of his lyrics but also because he played a significant role in the criminal organization.

Makabelico and Money Laundering

Last August, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against three high-ranking members and a “prominent associate” of the Northeast Cartel.

“The CDN is a violent terrorist organization based primarily in the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo León. For decades, the CDN has been involved in the trafficking of narcotics and other illicit drugs, including fentanyl, crystal meth, heroin, marijuana, and cocaine. The CDN is also involved in human trafficking, extortion, arms trafficking, and kidnapping for ransom,” U.S. authorities stated in a press release about the criminal organization.

On that occasion, the Northeast Cartel leaders who were blacklisted by the Treasury Department were Abdón Federico Rodríguez García, alias Cucho; Antonio Romero Sánchez, also known as Romeo; and Francisco Daniel Esqueda, alias Franky Esqueda or Franky de la Joya.

All of them were linked to criminal activities such as drug trafficking, armed confrontations, homicides, and money laundering. While their sanction represented a blow to the leadership of the criminal organization, attention ultimately focused on the “prominent associate” who was also sanctioned by the Treasury Department.

That individual is Ricardo Hernández Medrano, but on streaming platforms and social media, he was better known as Makabelico or Comando Exclusivo. He is a rapper who, according to U.S. investigations, used his concerts and events to launder money for the Northeast Cartel.

“Hernández’s concerts and events are used to launder money on behalf of the organization, and 50 percent of his royalties from streaming platforms go directly to the group,” the statement detailed.

Although this sanction ultimately exposed the relationship between Makabelico and the Northeast Cartel, his repertoire is full of songs with references to the criminal organization. Whether rapping or performing regional Mexican music, the singer gained great popularity in eastern Mexico not only for his versatility but also for his distinctive style.

During his shows, Makabelico often takes the stage with his face covered or wearing chains with a symbol he adopted as his trademark: an animated ghost from the Mario Bros. universe. Song after song, his violent lyrics made their way into the music libraries of dozens of his followers until, after the sanction announced by the Treasury Department, they were removed.

The Makabelico case not only revealed that the Northeast Cartel prefers rap to spread its narratives, but also showed how some artists provide criminal organizations with more than just songs.

Source: Milenio