Ladji Mouflet

Toronto-based producer, DJ, and beatmaker Ladji Mouflet releases "Hatuey," a new single named after a key figure in Caribbean history.

The track is driven by the percussion and deep bass that shape Ladji's sound. It is made for the dance floor, but it also draws on a deeper personal and cultural history.

The title has real meaning. Hatuey was a Taíno Indigenous chief who resisted Spanish colonizers in the 1500s. He was burned at the stake after refusing to surrender. Ladji has Taíno roots through his mother, and the cover art reflects that connection. It combines Taíno imagery with the tattoos he and his brother wear to honour their heritage.

Ladji made "Hatuey" himself, writing, producing, and arranging the track in the studio. He then worked with his family, team, and label to release it. The song brings together baile-inspired rhythms and the electronic style he has developed over the years, with Afro percussion and clean, modern production.

His musical background started long before he began producing. Raised between Harlem, the South Bronx, and the Lower East Side, Ladji grew up around music and dance. His Dominican mother loved salsa artists such as Tito Puente and Celia Cruz. His father, who is Senegalese and Martinican, started a dance and music school that brought together West African traditions, ballet, and jazz. Now living in Toronto, Ladji draws from sounds across Latin America, West Africa, the Caribbean, and New York.

He has built a large following without major-label support. His breakout single "Baiana 2022" has more than 35 million streams and became an unofficial World Cup anthem, shared by Tom Brady, Lamine Yamal, and Wayne Rooney. "French Bossa Nova" has reached more than 44 million streams. Ladji now has 1.5–2.2 million monthly Spotify listeners, over 350,000 social media followers, and nine songs with more than one million streams. He has done it independently through Alkebulan Records.

"Hatuey" is the first single from Ladji's upcoming album, The Pilgrimage. The album looks back at his family roots, one track at a time. While his earlier releases introduced him as a producer and DJ, this project is more personal. "Hatuey" sets the direction: music shaped by heritage, strength, and celebration.

With "Hatuey" out now, Ladji Mouflet continues to make global electronic music his own way—one rhythm, one story, and one record at a time.