As Peso Pluma‘s main songwriter, Roberto Laija penned some of the Mexican star’s early hits, including “El Belicon,” “Siempre Pendientes,” “PRC” and “AMG,” all of which helped catapult the artist to the top of the global charts.

Now, after writing multiple corridos-turned-anthems, and becoming a bonafide hitmaker, Laija — who is also Peso’s cousin — is forging his own path as a singer. While he’ll continue to write songs for Peso, he’s laser-focused on honing his performing skills and developing his career as an artist. Today, he’s no longer just Peso’s cousin or “the guy who writes songs for Peso,” as he says people would identify him, he’s Tito Double P.  

“I never thought I’d be a songwriter, much less an artist, but music was something that was always on my mind,” says Tito Double P over a Zoom interview. “As a kid, I was good with rhymes — and when I got to high school, I learned to play the guitar, because you either chose to do sports, learn chess or take guitar classes. I chose guitar, then chess — but never sports,” he adds with a laugh.  

Born and raised in Culiacán, Sinaloa, the first song he ever wrote came in the way of a corrido, as a favor to a friend, although he didn’t thinking anything of it. “I took the info he gave me to write the lyrics, created a guitar tune and it wasn’t a bad song. I got excited and I wrote another corrido. But these were always just for me, I never showed them to anyone or had anyone record them for me, until Hassan (Peso’s real name) came along.”  

By then it was 2021 and Peso was looking to start his career. He had seen Tito singing in videos he uploaded to social media, so he hit his cousin up. “I told him to come over to Culiacán,” Tito remembers. “I had some corridos written, he asked me to sing one and I was so shy, but I sang ‘El Belicon’ for him. He liked it and said, ‘Let me sing it.’ We recorded it that same day, and it was the first song that I had given to someone to record — it was a boom.” 

The song entered Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart in April 2022, becoming Peso’s big first hit. Initially, Tito thought it was just beginner’s luck. But by the second hit “Siempre Pendientes” and then the third “El Gavilán,” he started to really believe it; he was a songwriter. “This is what I’m meant to do,” he says he realized.  

While collecting hit after hit, Peso and other artists encouraged Tito to sing. He was hesitant, but taking that “let’s see what happens” mentality that went into writing songs, he’s applying it to this new era in his career. He was set to make his debut as a músican mexicana artist on Peso’s Génesis with “Gavilán II” and “La People,” but an audio of a dembow-inspired song he had written and recorded leaked and went viral on TikTok. He released it as a single in June 2023, in collaboration with Luis R Conriquez and Joel De La P. Since, he’s released a handful of songs, including team-ups with other acts like Gabito Ballesteros and Jasiel Nuñez.  

Tito Double P scored his very first entry on the Hot 100 earlier this month, thanks to “La People II,” with Peso Pluma and Joel De La P, which debuted at No. 69 on the all-genre tally. “I was afraid to sing at first, and it wasn’t like I was looking to be a singer — but it happened, and it happened well, and now I enjoy it,” Tito says today. “It’s been a process, but after singing on a stage, I want to keep going.”  

With his commanding hoarse vocals, a distinctive sound (powered by a trombone and an accordion) and a record deal with Double P Records (launched by Peso last summer), Tito Double P is already on his way to making a name for himself in a crowded field of a new generation of regional Mexican hitmakers. He’s currently working on his debut album, which he says will be a mostly regional Mexican album and will include duets. “Everything has come in a very natural way for me,” Tito says. “At the label we work as a family, we support each other’s ideas, and that makes you feel really confident, like you can’t miss.”  

Below, learn more about April’s Latin Artist on the Rise:

Name: Roberto Laija 

Age: 26 

Recommended Song: “’La People,’ because that’s when everything changed. Before I was Peso’s cousin, the guy who writes songs for Peso. ‘La People’ was everywhere and that’s when I became Tito Double P.”  

Major Accomplishment: “I feel part of Peso Pluma, and that’s the biggest accomplishment, in a nutshell. It’s something that we are all very proud of. And well now also kicking off my career as Tito Double P.”  

What’s Next: “This year I started working on my upcoming album. I’m more focused, the production quality will be another level, it’ll be a totally different Tito Double P.”