This Iconic Mexican Boxer Inspired Peso Pluma’s Name

While many of us know every lyric to Peso Pluma’s song “Ella Baila Sola,” not to mention his very-vibey collab, “Chanel,” with Becky G, few know one of the essential pieces of his story.

Just as Peso Pluma became an overnight sensation, his artist name was also chosen in the blink of an eye. It came together none other than after meeting Mexican boxing great, Marco Antonio Barrera.

Most of us took Peso Pluma’s name as a cool, catchy moniker that possibly paid homage to the “featherweight” boxing category. But did we think the name’s genesis actually came from a destined encounter with one of the most important Mexican boxers in recent history? Nope.

Here’s everything you need to know about that chance meeting — and a few other muses behind Peso Pluma’s artist name.

Peso Pluma met boxing icon Marco Antonio Barrera at a private event

Peso Pluma told Telemundo last week that his unique name was born after meeting Barrera at a private concert. Yes, while his full name, Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija, is top-tier, maybe it wasn’t catchy enough? Just brainstorming!

While the future chart-topper presumably searched for a good artistic name, he played a concert that finally gave him his answer. Peso Pluma explained, “We were playing at a private event for the boxer Marco Antonio Barrera, who was a world champion in the featherweight category.”

He continued, “It was [Barrera] that told us, ‘I was champion in that category,’ and there was simply chemistry in that moment.”

So much chemistry, in fact, that it gave the singer the idea to “stick with that name.” One that quickly catapulted him to worldwide fame.

The “AMG” singer allegedly already thought of the name beforehand

Interestingly enough, Peso Pluma had reportedly already thought of his artist name before even meeting Barrera. However, the chance encounter pushed him to cement the idea.

The singer told interviewer Pepe Garza that he and his team had already thought of the name Peso Pluma. Apparently, they were inspired by las “plumas” or vape pens with THC.

Why? “It was in style at the time.”

Another reason for the name? He and his band “were all skinny,” so it made sense to call themselves “featherweights.”

Still, as he explained in the interview, talking with Barrera at the event made him realize the name was his destiny.

“When we started playing private concerts in Guadalajara, we met Marco Antonio Barrera, and turns out he was champion in the [featherweight] category,” he said. “We said that it was destiny, we have to name ourselves [Peso Pluma],” he added.

The Zapopan-born star also mentioned that the name also relates to “plumas” or “pens” for composing songs.

So is Peso Pluma into boxing or not? He told Garza, “No, [but] I like it.” Later, he did tell the interviewer he would “agarrarse a ch*ngazos” if needed — so there’s that.

Boxing legend Barrera is a world champion in several weight classes who won 67 out of 75 fights. During his career, he was a knockout king, had a rivalry with fellow Mexican boxer Erik Morales and has been ranked one of the top 50 boxers ever.

With Peso Pluma rising to the top to make “Ella Baila Sola” the first regional Mexican song to reach #1 on Billboard’s Global 200, the connection between him and the iconic boxer just becomes more transparent with time.