Santiago first rose to prominence as one half of the East Coast hip hop duo Capone-N-Noreaga, which he formed in 1995 with fellow Queens-based rapper Capone.

Santiago signed with Penalty Recordings as a solo artist to release his self-titled debut studio album in 1998.

Matching his debut in chart position, it spawned his highest charting-single "Nothin'" (featuring Pharrell), which peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

y la Familia...Ya Tú Sabe (2006), which saw his departure from hip hop in favor of reggaeton.

It spawned the single "Oye Mi Canto" (featuring Nina Sky and Daddy Yankee), which peaked at number 12 on the chart.

[2] His independently-released fifth and sixth albums, Noreality (2007) and Student of the Game (2013) marked his return to East Coast hip hop.

Outside of music, Santiago is the co-host (with DJ EFN) of the talk show/podcast Drink Champs, which centers around celebrity interviews.

[6] Santiago began his career in 1995, performing under the pseudonym Noreaga (after Panamanian ruler Manuel Noriega),[7] as part of the duo Capone-N-Noreaga alongside friend and fellow Queens-based rapper Capone, whom he met while serving time in prison.

The War Report was a commercial and critical success that made the duo well known among hip hop audiences.

The album features guest appearances from fellow NYC rappers Nas, Kool G Rap, Big Pun and Busta Rhymes.

In 1999, Noreaga released his second solo album, Melvin Flynt - Da Hustler, which was a moderate success, reaching the top 10 of the Billboard 200 and becoming certified gold by the RIAA.

AllMusic reviewer Matt Conaway summed up the album by stating "With The Reunion, Capone-N-Noreaga take a step backward."

He began recording Spanish-language songs to reflect his Puerto Rican background and made reggaeton music, rather than traditional hip hop.

The reggaeton single "Oye Mi Canto", was released in 2004 and became a major hit, peaking at No.

y la Familia...Ya Tú Sabe, which included the lead singles "Oye Mi Canto" and "Mas Maiz".

The first, his fifth album Noreality, was released in 2007 and supported by the single "Set It Off", featuring vocals and production from Swizz Beatz.

released his CD/DVD, Noreality, in September via a joint venture with his own Thugged Out Militainment label and Babygrande Records.

The album features guest appearances from Jadakiss, Three 6 Mafia, Kanye West, Pharrell, Mobb Deep's Prodigy, Bun B, Tru Life, David Banner, Kurupt and Capone.

He also mentioned that five songs on the album were actually handed in, while the rest were pulled off the internet, some of which were recorded in 2007, probably stemming from his label's financial issues.

's Militainment brand, EFN's Crazy Hood, and 66 Raw, the channel on Sirius XM which carried the show.

He stated he planned to stop touring and releasing solo albums to focus on being a music executive and CEO.

[21][23] By July 2016, it appeared the rapper had abandoned his plan for retirement as he continued making music.

reunited with DJ EFN to begin hosting the "Drink Champs" podcast in March 2016.

Celebrity hip-hop guests are featured in most episodes, sharing stories and updates while drinking alcohol.