MALICIA
EL ARKA (Ito, Polo & Oz KillA) · Official video
Watch on YouTube ↗Electronic press kit / Miami
EL ARKA.
Hip-hop · Cumbia · Salsa
EL ARKA is a Miami-based Venezuelan collective bringing hip-hop together with cumbia and salsa. Polo, Ito and Oz KillA connect rap, Latin rhythms and a shared creative history that began in late 2014.
Booking & press ↗
At a glance
Venezuelan roots.
Miami energy.
- Based in
- Miami, Florida
- Sound
- Hip-hop / Cumbia / Salsa
- Origins
- Late 2014
Band biography
EL ARKA grew out of Miami's Venezuelan hip-hop community in late 2014. The collective's sound brings rap into conversation with cumbia and salsa, connecting its Venezuelan roots with Miami's Latin music culture. Its catalog includes Superfresh, Cumbia Latina and MALICIA. Polo, Ito and Oz KillA continue that creative thread across music and video. The band's live history includes five separate tours with Dread Mar I, a multi-city West Coast tour with Gondwana, and appearances at festivals and venues across the United States.
Listen & watch
The sound of EL ARKA.
Superfresh
Film by Ohrangutang · Produced by DJ 13
Watch on YouTube ↗Tour history
On the road.
- Five separate tours with Dread Mar I
- One multi-city West Coast tour with Gondwana
Shared stages
Live connections.
- Rawayana · Grand Central, Miami
- Los Cafres & Mcklopedia · La Covacha, Miami
- Cultura Profética
- Los Amigos Invisibles & Maffio · Twelve, Miami
- Maffio · Cultura Profética 20th anniversary
- Mala Rodríguez & Sara Socas · Urban Beach Music Fest · Miami Beach Bandshell · October 7, 2023
- Delinquent Habits · Highfellas Fest · Esquina de Abuela, Miami · May 13, 2023
Booking / Press / Festivals
Bring EL ARKA to your stage.
For booking, media requests and current production requirements, get in touch.
Tour archive / 2015–2023
The miles behind the music.
Five separate tours with Dread Mar I, plus the 2015 West Coast tour with Gondwana. Explore the dated routes preserved in the band’s own posts and flyers.
West Coast tour · GondwanaSeptember 6–9, 2015
- Sep 6 · House of Blues · Anaheim
- Sep 7 · House of Blues · San Diego
- Sep 8 · Club Bahia · Los Angeles
- Sep 9 · Mezzanine · San Francisco
West Coast tour · Dread Mar IJune 2018
- Jun 26 · Moe’s Alley · Santa Cruz · with Dread Mar I and Fayuca
- Tour recap published July 5, 2018
USA Tour 2018 · Dread Mar IAugust 30–September 14, 2018
- Aug 30 · Harlow’s · Sacramento
- Aug 31 · The Ritz · San Jose
- Sep 1 · Mezzanine · San Francisco
- Sep 2 · Rock Star University · Santa Rosa
- Sep 6 · House of Blues · Anaheim
- Sep 7 · The Music Box · San Diego
- Sep 8 · Marquee Theater · Phoenix
- Sep 9 · The Regent · Los Angeles
- Sep 12 · Warehouse Live · Houston
- Sep 13 · Canton Hall · Dallas
- Sep 14 · Revolution Live · Fort Lauderdale
East Coast tour · Dread Mar IMay 2019
- May 9 · Sony Hall · New York
- May 10 · The Palace · Virginia
- May 11 · Brooklyn
Sweet Manteka Tour · Dread Mar IJune 2023
- Jun 15 · The Observatory North Park · San Diego
- Jun 16 · The Wiltern · Los Angeles
- Jun 18 · House of Blues · Anaheim
Energía Rica Tour · Dread Mar IOctober 2023
- Oct 11 · The Novo · Los Angeles
- Oct 12 · Fox Theater · Pomona
- Oct 13 · Beach House · San Diego
- Oct 15 · San Jose Civic · San Jose
- Oct 22 · Sony Hall · New York
Dates and routes reflect original historical announcements. Where a later post changed an earlier flyer, that difference is noted. These are past tours.
Performance history
On stage.
Festivals, clubs and stages from the band’s saved press biography. Past appearances; not an upcoming tour schedule.
- Calle Ocho Festival · Mainstage
- Fuego Festival · Mainstage
- Mega Rumba Festival · Mainstage
Explore all 29 past appearances
- Sr. Frogs · Miami
- Grand Central · Miami
- Baru · Miami
- Cafeina · Miami
- El Patio · Miami
- Blind Pig · Miami
- La Poderosa · Miami
- La Covacha · Miami
- Twelve · Miami
- Flamingo Theater · Miami
- Revolution Live · Fort Lauderdale
- House of Blues · Anaheim / San Diego
- Music Box · San Diego
- Mezzanine · San Francisco
- The Ritz · San Jose
- Moe’s Alley · Santa Cruz
- Harlow’s · Sacramento
- The Regent · Los Angeles
- Canton Hall · Dallas
- Club Bahia · Los Angeles
- SOB’s · New York
- Sony Hall · New York
- Parranda Boat Party · Hudson River
- The Palace · Woodbridge
- Warehouse Live · Houston
- Esquina de Abuela · Miami
Press archive
The early story.
El Estímulo documented the collective’s Venezuelan hip-hop roots and its beginnings in Miami in 2015.
Read the feature · May 14, 2015 ↗Media resources
Photos, logo & artwork.
For current band portraits, photographer credits, image permissions, or technical materials, contact the band.
Live archive
The stage. The people. The energy.
A look back at EL ARKA on stage. These historical photos include touring musicians and guests.
Festival Calle Ocho · Miami
From the stage to the crowd · Posted March 13, 2016
Credit: @militantosh
San Diego Beach House
On stage · Posted October 15, 2023
Credit: @mayerpictures
The Wiltern · Los Angeles
The band and the crowd · Posted June 17, 2023
Credit: @mayerpictures
Festival Calle Ocho · Miami
On stage · Posted March 14, 2016
Credit: @militantosh
Grand Central · Miami
Live archive · Posted July 12, 2015
Credit: @muuublanco
San Diego Beach House
With the audience · Posted October 15, 2023
Credit: @mayerpictures
Festival Calle Ocho · Miami
Crowd perspective · Posted September 4, 2016
Credit: @militantosh
Broccoli Party · Grand Central
Video still · June 4, 2015 show
Credit: @muuublanco
Cultura Profética · 20 años
Stage archive · Posted May 31, 2016
Credit: @urbanfokus
Cultura Profética / Rawayana / EL ARKA
Soundcheck · Posted May 21, 2016
Posted dates refer to Instagram publication dates. Open a photo to view it in full.
Show posters / Archive
The flyer archive.
Original flyers from past shows and tours. These are historical events.
Delinquent Habits + EL ARKA · Highfellas Fest
Esquina de Abuela · Miami · May 13, 2023
Design: Luis Ruz · Weapon Klath Films (@weaponklathfilms)
Mala Rodríguez + Sara Socas + EL ARKA
Urban Beach Music Fest · October 7, 2023 · Miami Beach Bandshell
Original event listing ↗
EL ARKA · Energía Rica Tour
Tour announcement · October 2023
Design: @hijounico.works
Dread Mar I + EL ARKA · The Novo
Los Angeles · October 11, 2023
Design: @hijounico.works
Dread Mar I + EL ARKA · Fox Theater
Pomona · October 12, 2023
Original post ↗
Dread Mar I + EL ARKA · Beach House
San Diego · October 13, 2023
Original post ↗
Dread Mar I + EL ARKA · San Jose Civic
San Jose · October 15, 2023
Original post ↗
Dread Mar I + EL ARKA · Sony Hall
New York · October 22, 2023
Design: @hijounico.works
EL ARKA · West Coast Tour 2015
California · September 6–9, 2015
Design: @suppersolo
EL ARKA · East Coast Tour 2019
East Coast · May 2019
Design: @weaponklathfilms
Dread Mar I · USA Tour 2018
Tour poster · 2018
Original post ↗
Gondwana · Club Bahia
Los Angeles · September 8, 2015
Original post ↗
Rawayana · Grand Central
Broccoli Party · June 4, 2015
Original post ↗