Reggaeton

Reggaeton is a fun and popular kind of music. It started in Panama in the late 1980s. Artists from Puerto Rico helped it become famous in the early 1990s.

This music style mixes together dancehall, hip hop, Latin American, and Caribbean music.

People who sing reggaeton often use Spanish in their songs. They mix rapping and singing. Reggaeton is very popular in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and all over Latin America. By the 2010s, it was enjoyed around the world.

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

Etymology

There are different stories about how the word "reggaeton" started. One story says a helper for the artist El General added "-ton" to make the word sound bigger. Another story says the word first appeared in 1994 when Daddy Yankee said it while performing 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 began 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.

At first, 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 became popular with Puerto Rican youth, even though some authorities criticized it and banned it.

By the mid-1990s, reggaeton reached more people. It appeared in clubs and gained fans across different groups. Artists like Daddy Yankee and Don Omar became famous, 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 kept changing, with artists adding 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 stay strong and keep growing in popular music.

Characteristics

Rhythm

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

The dembow rhythm became famous through the artist Shabba Ranks in his 1991 song "Dem Bow". It is now a basic part of many reggaeton songs. Over time, new versions of the dembow rhythm have been made, allowing for more creative rhythms in reggaeton music.

Lyrics and themes

Reggaeton songs are similar to hip hop songs in their structure. 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.

Reggaeton songs sometimes 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 began with reggaeton in the early 1990s in Puerto Rico. In this dance, partners face opposite directions, usually with one person behind the other, moving closely together. This dance style felt new and exciting when it started, and 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

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

In the United States, reggaeton became well-known through songs like "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee. It mixes Latin American traditions with American music styles.

In Spain, reggaeton is very popular, especially because of immigrants from Latin America. In Asia, artists have adapted reggaeton to their own languages and music, like in the Philippines and Malaysia.

LGBTQ influence

Reggaeton has mostly featured male artists and followed traditional ideas about gender. But things began to change when famous artist Bad Bunny spoke out in support of the queer community.

Now, new artists like Villano Antillano, Young Miko, and La Cruz are changing old ideas 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 worked with Spanish rapper Bad Gyal and singer Tokischa on the song "Chulo Pt2", which has had many views on YouTube.

Also in 2023, La Cruz from Venezuela released a music video that showed gay men in a new way. This video has also had many views on YouTube.

Criticism

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

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