Big Blog II - Reggaeton

History of Reggaeton

Reggaeton is a syncretic genre of music that derives its features from Panama's reggae en español, Puerto Rico's el underground, Jamaican dancehall, and hip-hop (Zelazko, 2023). Because of reggaeton's diverse roots, it's easy for people to get caught up in the intoxicating beats and rhythms. The beat that catches the attention of so many people and one of the most prominent characteristics of reggaeton is called "dem bow." When artists combine this rhythm with primarily Spanish lyrics, it creates a high-energy genre that people worldwide have fallen in love with. 

Reggaeton is a relatively young music genre that has been developing to some extent in South America since the 1980s. When immigrants arrived in Panama City from places like Jamaica and Barbados to build the Panama Canal, their music blended with the local music, resulting in a new genre called reggae en español. In the early 1980s, pioneering artists such as Renato and El General bent the facets of Jamaican dancehall music to better connect with the Spanish speakers of Panama and South America. At this time, Hip-Hop was gaining traction as a mainstream music genre in America. Hip-hop then made its way to Puerto Rico, where Hispanic artists began rapping about their lives and everyday struggles in Spanish. When hip-hop and reggae en español collided in Puerto Rico, they merged into a new genre. This new genre became known as underground.

The Panama Canal

Underground music emerged as a popular mainstream genre through its presence and exposure in Hispanic nightclubs. The energetic beats and rhythms of the genre were perfect for dancing and creating experiences with people until the early morning. One of the most pivotal nightclubs for the development of reggaeton was The Noise, where many up-and-coming reggaeton artists gained traction and made a name for themselves. These nightclubs also bred a highly sexual form of dance known as perreo (Acevedo, 2023), where women would seductively swivel their hips and pelvises on a male dancing partner. The sexually expressive essence of this dance form correlates with reggaeton, as primary critics of the genre for being sexually explicit, misogynistic, and homophobic. The government then went on to target underground artists and enjoyers as the propagators of crime and drug usage in their communities. Because of this targeting, underground music became the music of the rebellion against the unfair institutions of the government.

Scene from Hispanic Nightclub

The 21st century saw underground music make its shift to reggaeton. Some reggaeton artists during this early period of the genre used their music to combat the unjust practices of the government and its institutions, while others utilized their music to gain radio traction and the attention of major record labels. With his 2004 smash hit, Gasolina, reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee gained worldwide attention and caught the eyes of American record labels that would then seek out other talented reggaeton artists. However, the pickup of the genre by American audiences who did not accept the genre they considered foreign was incredibly slow. Because of this, American labels and radio stations remained hesitant in signing and promoting reggaeton artists early on. 

Gasolina - Daddy Yankee

Though it was not the most popular in America, reggaeton flourished in Spanish-speaking countries. Medellín, Colombia, for example, became synonymous with reggaeton, and pivotal artists such as Nicky Jam found dedicated audiences there that helped the genre grow. In the 2010s, streaming services worldwide made reggaeton available for listeners everywhere, helping the genre increase in popularity. In 2017, Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee was the most-streamed song in the world, putting reggaeton on the map for many listeners who had never experienced exposure to the genre. Since then, reggaeton has seen an overhaul into the mainstream scene, with American and reggaeton artists collaborating and competing for top spots on music rating charts. 

Despacito - Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee

Bad Bunny

One of reggaeton's most popular and influential artists today is Bad Bunny. Bad Bunny, known as the "King of Latin Trap," gained the initial attention of record labels after releasing music on SoundCloud, a popular music streaming app. In 2018, he featured on songs with American hip-hop artists Cardi B and Drake. These songs propelled him into superstardom, and since their release, Bad Bunny has released four albums, with two of them debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. He has also won two Grammies from six nominations and was named Spotify's most-streamed artist for 2020 and 2021. His 2022 album, Un Verano Sin Ti, stood atop the international album charts on Billboard for 13 straight weeks. One of my favorite Bad Bunny songs is RLNDT, where he displays his poetic ability and conveys raw emotions. 

RLNDT - Bad Bunny

Karol G

Karol G is a popular Colombian reggaeton and Latin trap artist who won 2018's Latin Grammy award for being the Best New Artist. Rather than gaining fame on streaming services like Bad Bunny, Karol G showcased her talents on the Colombian equivalent of the X Factor and then moved from Medellín to New York City in 2014. After her move, she would collaborate with artists like Bad Bunny, who would help her create her first hit, Ahora Me Llama. She would also eventually collaborate with American hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj, and their song, Tusa, would chart internationally and be certified 28× Latin Platinum by the RIAA. 

Tusa - KAROL G ft. Nicki Minaj

Links

“Bad Bunny: Biography, Music & News.” Billboard, www.billboard.com/artist/bad-bunny/. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

“Karol G: Biography, Music & News.” Billboard, www.billboard.com/artist/karol-g/. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

“Top Reggaeton Artists.” Last.Fm, www.last.fm/tag/reggaeton/artists. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

“Reggaeton.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 20 Nov. 2023, www.britannica.com/art/reggaeton.

“‘Perreo,’ Term for Popular Reggaeton Dance, Makes It into ‘Official’ Spanish-Language Dictionary.” NBCNews.Com, NBCUniversal News Group, 29 Nov. 2023, www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/perreo-term-popular-reggaeton-dance-makes-official-spanish-language-di-rcna127268.