Reggaetón is a musical genre that combines reggae, hip hop and rap.
If one looks up the concept of reggaetón in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) , you will notice that the term is not recognized by the entity. It is, however, a word that has achieved great popularity in recent years.
Reggaetón or reggaeton is a genre of music that combines reggae with rap and hip hop . It emerged in Central America in the late 1980s , but it took about twenty years to become popular and reach other regions of the world. It is believed that it was Panamanian artists who began to take elements of reggae in Spanish, added rap components and developed this rhythm .
For example: “My son's favorite music is reggaeton” , “Controversy over a reggaeton song that offends women” , “I can't stand reggaeton: I like reggae much more” .
History and characteristics of reggaeton
According to some versions, the American singer (of Puerto Rican parents) Vico C was the one who coined the term reggaetón. Outside the field of music, one of the main characteristics of the genre is that its lyrics are of social denunciation. Artists usually try to make songs easy to remember and catchy, but they also include stories about social problems and comments on the difficulties experienced in Latin America . There is also no shortage of songs with sexual and explicit content.
In addition to everything stated above, we would have to expose another important series of hallmarks of that musical style, among which the following stand out:
• Its rhythm is called “Dem Bow” and is produced electronically.
• It has a marked recitative style.
• The most common instruments used to make reggaeton are the electronic keyboard, the synthesizer, the sampler and the drum machine.
Puerto Rico is one of the places of origin of reggaeton.
Main references
Below are some of the best-known reggaeton singers worldwide, who usually sell thousands of records and perform in large stadiums.
Archangel
She was born in New York and has music in her blood: her mother worked as a singer in a merengue group and only stopped her activities when she was seven months pregnant. But the United States was not the setting in which Arcangel grew up, but Puerto Rico, where he lived a humble childhood but always in direct contact with his passion. Once he completed his studies, he began to dedicate himself with all his energy to pursuing his dream, and little by little he achieved it, until he became a respected figure in the world of Reggaeton.
Daddy Yankee
He began to be interested in music when he was twelve years old, and his first steps in singing were inspired by Hip Hop and Reggae. The public figure Daddy Yankee was born thanks to the collaboration , years later, with the producer called DJ Playero, and among the styles that this Puerto Rican singer has explored so far is also Dancehall. Some of the nicknames by which his followers also recognize him are 30-30 and King of Improvisation (the latter thanks to having won five consecutive years of the Street Jam Reggae Awards).
Don Omar.
This artist was born in Puerto Rico in 1978, and since the beginning of his career he has achieved numerous recognitions such as the Premio Lo Nuestro for best reggaeton artist, several MTV Latinos, several Billboard Latinos and several People's Choice Reggaeton Awards. Among his most well-known and important songs to date are “Dale Don Más Duro”, “Dale Don Dale”, “Salió el Sol”, “Virtual Diva”…
J Alvarez.
This singer is also from Puerto Rico, really called Javier David Álvarez Fernández. It is identified by having great acceptance by the public, as demonstrated by its top positions on the sales lists. Among his most important creations are “The Question”, “We Change Your Game”, “Love in Practice”…
Ñengo Flow
He is a Reggaeton and Hip Hop singer and songwriter born in Puerto Rico. It stands out especially for the complexity of its lyrics and the speed of its songs. Urban music caught his attention since his childhood, and it was from his daily life in his hometown that he took the elements to write his first songs. At the age of 14 he discovered his vocation , while participating for the first time in a public exhibition in his neighborhood.
Wisin & Yandel
They are a Puerto Rican duo that is also known as W & Y, El Dúo Dinático and El Dúo de la Historia. Although they are currently two of the most important Reggaetón musicians, they have had to come a long way from their origins; Yandel studied theater and acting and Wisin was a hairdresser, but their passion for music led them to find their place on stage. In 1998 they began to taste success and two years later they published their first album, titled " Los Reyes del Nuevo Milenio ."
In addition to all of the above, we have to highlight the existence in Spain of Juan Magán , he is a singer, composer and producer who is also achieving great success around the world with his works, which focus on genres such as electro-Latin or reggaeton. Specifically, he is known thanks to songs such as “She does not follow fashions” , “She goes crazy” , “Bailando por siempre” …