LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 12: Akapellah performs onstage at the Premiere Ceremony during the 27th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Conference Center on November 12, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy)
Alyssa Olona & Victor Hugo Carranza Juarez
Speaking exclusively moments after performing his nominated track “El Pana Deiby” in Las Vegas, the Venezuelan MC pushed back against commercial formulas: “Having someone tell you about it isn’t the same as living it in the flesh.”
Minutes after delivering a live rendition of his nominated track “El Pana Deiby” at the 27th Annual Latin GRAMMY Premiere on Thursday evening, Venezuelan rapper Akapellah stepped onto the MGM Grand Garden Arena red carpet with a blunt message about how hip-hop holds its ground on Latin music’s biggest commercial night: skip the script.
Nominated tonight for Best Rap/Hip Hop Song alongside heavyweights including Feid, Lil Supa, Arcángel, Tokischa, and Kase.O, the Maracay-born lyricist spoke exclusively from the carpet about keeping densely layered, distinctly Venezuelan narratives sharp enough to compete next to the industry’s biggest pop juggernauts.
“Look, I try to tell a story — one that isn’t scripted, just whatever is happening around me, you know?” Akapellah said, reacting to praise for his lyrical precision amid the star-heavy Las Vegas rollout. “Since I was a kid, I’ve been good at storytelling. Rap is just the medium I use to tell those stories, and I love it. I really love when people immerse themselves and picture what I’m narrating.”
That uncompromising focus on lived detail defines “El Pana Deiby,” the track he just brought to the Premiere stage. In the interview, Akapellah pointed to the song’s reception as proof that hyper-local Venezuelan experiences — particularly the realities of migration and starting over abroad — translate far beyond borders when told without filters.
“I love that it connected — that people understood the journey of a Venezuelan when they leave home and everything they have to go through,” he added on the carpet. “I mean, having someone tell you about it isn’t the same as living it in the flesh.”
Akapellah’s Premiere performance and red carpet appearance kick off a major night for Venezuelan acts at the 2026 ceremony, where fellow compatriots Elena Rose and Rawayana are also slated to take the stage as the main broadcast gets underway in Las Vegas.
You can watch the official music video for Akapellah’s nominated track below to see the street-level storytelling he discussed on the red carpet.
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