Reggaeton

Reggaeton is a fun and popular kind of music that started in Panama in the late 1980s. It became really famous because of artists from Puerto Rico in the early 1990s. This music style mixes together dancehall, hip hop, Latin American, and Caribbean music.

People who sing reggaeton often talk and sing in Spanish, mixing rapping and singing in their songs. Reggaeton is very loved in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and became popular all over Latin America. By the 2010s, it was also accepted and enjoyed in mainstream music around the world.

It’s a lively genre that people love to dance to, and it continues to grow and change with new artists and sounds.

Etymology

There are different stories about how the word "reggaeton" started. One story says that a representative for the artist El General added the ending "-ton" to make the word bigger. Another story says the word first appeared in 1994 when Daddy Yankee said it while performing freely on a mixtape called "Playero 34." Yet another story says it came up the next year when DJ Erick released an album named "Reggaetón Live Vol.1," mixing the words reggae and maratón (marathon).

People often write the word as reggaeton or reggaetón, but some language experts, like the Fundéu BBVA and the Academia Puertorriqueña de la Lengua Española, suggest using reguetón because it fits better with traditional Spanish spelling rules.

History

Reggaeton is a style of music that started in Panama in the late 1980s. It mixes dancehall, hip hop, and other Caribbean and Latin American sounds. Artists from Puerto Rico helped make it popular in the early 1990s.

In the beginning, reggaeton was called "underground" because it spread through informal networks and small performances. DJs like DJ Playero and DJ Nelson created the first tracks inspired by hip hop and dancehall. The music grew in popularity among Puerto Rican youth, even though it faced criticism and bans from some authorities.

By the mid-1990s, reggaeton began to reach a wider audience. It appeared in clubs and gained more fans, crossing different social classes. Artists like Daddy Yankee and Don Omar became well-known, and the music spread to other countries. In the 2000s, reggaeton became very popular in the United States and Europe, with hits like "Gasolina" helping it reach a global audience.

The genre continued to evolve, with artists incorporating new styles and sounds. In 2017, the song "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee became extremely popular worldwide, renewing interest in Latin music. This success helped reggaeton remain a strong and growing part of popular music.

Characteristics

Rhythm

The dembow rhythm was created by Jamaican dancehall producers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It includes drums and other percussion instruments, influenced by Caribbean music like soca and calypso. The rhythm follows a special pattern and is a key part of reggaeton music.

The dembow rhythm was first made famous by the artist Shabba Ranks in his 1991 song "Dem Bow". It has become a basic building block in many reggaeton songs. Over time, new versions of the dembow rhythm have been created, allowing for more creative rhythms in reggaeton music.

Lyrics and themes

Reggaeton songs are similar to hip hop songs in how they are structured. Artists often rap or sing, repeating catchy parts throughout the song. A common theme in reggaeton is Latino identity.

Some reggaeton songs have raised concerns about how they talk about women. However, there are also many female reggaeton artists, including Ivy Queen and Mey Vidal.

While some reggaeton songs talk about tough topics, others discuss important issues like racism and inequality faced by Afro-Latino communities. Artists like Tego Calderón talk about their experiences and identities in their music, showing the range of topics covered in reggaeton.

Dance

Main article: Sandungueo

Sandungueo, also called perreo, is a dance that started with reggaeton in the early 1990s in Puerto Rico. In this dance, partners face opposite directions, usually with the male behind the female, moving closely together. This style of dancing felt new and surprising at first, but it became popular in music videos and clubs. The dance has roots in Jamaican Dancehall and shows the lively culture of Afro-Caribbean communities.

Popularity

Over the past decade, reggaeton has become very popular in many Spanish-speaking countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. It started in Panama and is now widely enjoyed in places like Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, and Venezuela. It has also grown in popularity in many other Latin American countries such as Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and Argentina.

In the United States, reggaeton gained attention through songs like "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee. It has become a part of urban culture, mixing Latin American traditions with American music styles.

In Spain, reggaeton is very popular, helped by immigrants from Latin America. In Asia, artists have adapted reggaeton to their own languages and musical traditions, like in the Philippines and Malaysia.

LGBTQ influence

Reggaeton has often focused mainly on male artists and followed traditional gender roles. However, things started to change when famous artist Bad Bunny spoke out in support of the queer community, challenging old ideas about gender and fairness.

Now, new artists like Villano Antillano, Young Miko, and La Cruz are breaking old stereotypes in the genre. In 2022, Villano Antillano became the first trans artist to reach number 50 on Spotify with her work "Villano Antillano: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 51" together with producer Bizarrap.

In 2023, Young Miko made it to the Billboard Hot 100 with her song "Classy 101". That same year, she joined Spanish rapper Bad Gyal and singer Tokischa on the song "Chulo Pt2", which has had over 100 million views on YouTube.

Also in 2023, La Cruz from Venezuela released a music video that showed gay men as the focus of desire, which was a big change from typical reggaeton videos. This video has had over 2 million views on YouTube.

Criticism

Reggaeton music has sometimes been criticized because some of its songs talk about tough or strong topics, much like other types of popular music. Some singers and fans have spoken out about this, feeling that it wasn’t right for places where families and children might hear it.

Some reggaeton singers have chosen to focus on more loving and kind messages in their music. For example, singer Flex started a special type of song called “romantic style” that shared messages of love and care.