This paper examines the work of hip-hop artist and cultural worker Brayan “Mulato” Muñoz in the city of Pasto (Nariño, Colombia). I argue that while musicians in Pasto often struggle to sustain long-term careers within its dense soundscape—marked by intense competition among numerous regional artists—Mulato has remained audible by embedding practices of care (Hobart and Kneese 2020) into his work. Mulato’s impact is evident not only in his success as an artist, but in his cultivation of transformative community spaces.

Drawing from interviews conducted with Mulato, I explore how he emerges from an “overpopulation of sounds” (Schafer 1977) while staying grounded in the vision that guides his organization Surprise City Foundation. This includes creating and sustaining spaces dedicated to youth expression and education, human rights advocacy, citizen participation, and sexual and reproductive rights. I pay particular attention to the annual event, Encuentros Hip Hop por la Paz (Hip-Hop Encounters for Peace), which exemplifies an initiative designed as both entertainment and community development through skill-building workshops. The skills and knowledge acquisition fostered through these programs shape broader community development efforts by expanding access to opportunity (Harrison 2020).

Ultimately, I show how Mulato’ work exemplifies that creative practices rooted in care can serve as forms of resilience and long-term community-building. Mulato’s work responds directly to institutional shortcomings in his city through community-oriented action. By foregrounding interdependency, he demonstrates that listeners are worthy of care from the artists they support. Reciprocally, artists are sustained by attentive and engaged audiences.