Hot on the heels of hit makers Fat Joe and Tego Calderon, four new latin acts are kicking down the door to the house of hip hop. Their interpretations of rap and reggae are so fresh that no other than P.Diddy himself wants a piece of the Latin action: This spring, the ads for the his urban-clothing lines will feature the faces of Daddy Yankee and Pitbull. Here's the downlow on these new, Spanish-flavor hip-hop stars:

WHO: Pitbull (real name: Armando Christian Perez), Cuban American rapper from Miami
HOW IS HE SHAKING THINGS UP: The only Latino representing hip hop's lastest branch, crunk--those slowed-down, Southern-flavored dance-club beats popularized by by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz- Pitbull had jeeps jumping (and abeulas covering their ears) with his summer hit "Culo."
DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER: His lyrical tribute to shapely derriéres aside, Pitbull is a artist with a conscience. Not only does he pen politically themed tunes (like "Across the Waters," about Cubans and Hitians coming to the United states on the rafts), but he's also a fan of Cuban poet José Martí. "Reading him kept me in touch with my roots, my history, my culture," Pitbull says, "and that's something you can't strip from me."

WHO: Akwid, Mexican brothers Sergio and Francisco Gomez from Los Angeles
HOW THEY'RE SHAKING THINGS UP: Akwid was one of the few acts to get the audience out of their seats at last year's Latin Grammy Awards (where they were up for two trophies), thanks to their headbanging blend of traditional banda music and hip-hop.
TWICE AS HOT: Sergio may be two years older than Francisco, but the brothers are often mistaken for twins. "We get that everyday that we're together," Sergio says. "We're actually thinking of making a shirt that says, 'No, we're not twins!'" There's no doubt, however, that they share the same sex appeal: At their concerts, the brothers are frequently bombarded with lingerie from adoring female fans. "We have a huge collection of girls' underwear," Sergio says.

WHO: N.O.R.E. (real name: Victor Santiago), Puerto Rican and African-American hip-hop and reggaeton artist from New York City
HOW HE'S SHAKING THINGS UP: After two gold albums during nearly ten years Noreaga (he changed his name partly to avoid further associations with the Panamanian dictator), N.O.R.E. is branched out: His new album, One Fan A Day, features the first reggaeton song in English and his recent chart-busting single, "Oye Mi Canto," teamed him with Nina Sky.
THE REAL DEAL: Growing up, "I was the only half-Latino in my whole hood, so my nickname was Papi," N.O.R.E says. "[Even today], if you yell out, 'Papi!' I always turn around." His reggaeton album has finally helped him carve out a stronger identity; for example, he no longer gets served bland, potato-salad style buffets on tour. "Now people know I want the bacalao, the arroz con pollo," he says. "So it's not hard to stay in touch with my culture--it finds me."

WHO: Daddy Yankee (real name: Raymond Ayala), Puerto Rican reggaeton artist straight from la isla del encanto
HOW HE'S SHAKING THINGS UP: Perhaps you've heard his little ditty, "Gasolina"? Yeah, and so has the rest of the country--over and over and over again, which explains why his latest album, Barrio fino, opened at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums music chart, a first for a reggaeton album.
THE POWER OF A NAME: Daddy Yankee got his start rapping on the esquinas of Santurce, in San Juan, when he was only 13, earning the nickname the King of Freestyle. So how'd he get his current handle? "In Puerto Rico, when they call you Yankee, it means that you're big or that you have strength," he says. That strength was sorely tested when he recorded the single "Like You," his first in English. "It took me a long, long, long time to write!" he says, laughing. "But now I think I could do it again, so my next album will be even more crazy."