Reggaeton is a form of dance music which became popular with Latin American youth during the late 1990s and spread to North American and European audiences during the first few years of the 21st century. Reggaeton (also spelled with the Spanish accent as Reggaeton, and sometimes as Regueton in Spanish) - blends Jamaican music influences of reggae and dancehall with those of Latin America, such as bomba and plena, as well as that of hip hop. The music is combined with rapping (generally) in Spanish. Reggaeton has empowered the Spanish Caribbean youth, specifically those of Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic, as well as the Latin American and United States Latino communities, with a musical genre as a voice. More recently it has become an international movement with the help of many from New York's Latino and Black hip hop community. While it takes influences from hip hop and dancehall, it would be wrong to define reggaeton as the 'Spanish'- or 'Latino'- version of either of these genres; reggaeton has its own specific beat and rhythm, whereas Latino hip hop is simply hip hop sung by artists of Latino descent. Reggaeton's distinguishing feature is the Dem Bow beat (alternately spelled Dembow), which originated in a song by Shabba Ranks in the mid-1990s. Reggaeton lyrics tend to be more derived from hip hop than dancehall. Like hip hop, reggaeton has caused controversy due to its often explicit lyrics and alleged exploitation of women. Further controversy surrounds perreo, a dance with explicit sexual overtones which typically accompanies reggaeton music.

Distinguishing Features

The genre's most notably unique feature is a driving drum-machine track, almost identical across different songs, derived from Trinidadian soca music and Jamaican dancehall rhythms. This beat is called "Dem Bow" after the beat in a Shabba Ranks song of the same name. It has been heavily influenced by other forms of electronic dance music, such as techno, house, and genres such as the merengue hip hop (also called merenhouse) of groups such as Proyecto Uno and Zona 7.

History

The birthplace of the music genre is a subject of debate between those who believe it was started in Panama and those who believe it originated in Puerto Rico, however, it is known that the the first Latin American reggae recordings were made in Panama during the 1970s. Reportedly, Reggae is said first to have arrived in Latin America with Jamaican labourers who came to help build the Panama Canal in the early 20th Century.

Artists such as El General, Nando Boom, Chicho Man, Rene Renegado, Black Apache are considered the first raggamuffin deejays from Panama. El General has been identified as one of the fathers of reggaeton, blending Jamaican reggae into a Latin-ised version. Meanwhile, during the 1980s the Puerto Rican rapper Vico C released Spanish-language hip hop records in his native country. His production of cassettes throughout the 1980s, mixing reggae and hip hop, helped spread the early reggaeton sound, and he is widely credited with this achievement. At this point the two main influences of the genre were in place, as well as the two main producing countries.

During the 1990s reggae production took off seriously in Panama; this also occurred separately in Puerto Rico due to the increased popularity of Jamaican ragga imports. It was common practice to translate the lyrics of Jamaican reggae song into Spanish and sing them over the original melodies. Towards the middle of the decade, Puerto Ricans were producing their own "riddims" with clear influences from hip hop and other styles. These are considered the first proper reggaeton tracks, initially called "under", a short form of "Underground". The 'under' scene widened when Puerto Rican and Cuban styles mixed with Panamanian-style reggae.

The genre morphed through the years, being termed Melaza at one point. A breakthrough was by the Jamaican artist Shabba Ranks who released a track Dem Bow in the early 1990s. The beat and rhythm from this song became the eventual background for the developing genre; at one point the genre became known as Dem Bow. The name reggaeton only gained prominence in the mid-1990s (from the 1994 to 1995 period), with the Dem Bow beat characterizing the genre; this is in contrast to the more reggae, dancehall and hip hop -derived tracks previously created. The name was reportedly created in Puerto Rico to signify the hybrid sound created from the years of mixing the different genres. Today, the music flourishes throughout Latin America.

Reggaeton soon increased in popularity with Latino youth in the United States when DJ Blass worked with artists such as Plan B and Speedy in albums such as Reggaeton Sex. The first song which introduced Reggaeton to a big amount of fans is the song Tra Tra by Don Chezina. From there on reggaeton gained fans with songs such as Amor Con La Ropa by Speedy, No Puedo Estar Sin Sexo by Plan B, and Dembow by Yandel. Daddy YankeeReggaeton expanded and became known when producers such as DJ Playero and DJ Nelson came on the scene. In the mid 90s albums like Playero 37 (In which Daddy Yankee became known) and The Noise 5 and 6 were very popular in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Singers like Don Chezina, Master Joe, Mey Vidal, Baby Rasta Y Gringo, Polaco among others were very popular.

Many now popular producers, such as Noreaga, Luny Tunes, and Eliel, first appeared in the reggaeton scene in 2003. Albums such as Mas Flow, The Last Don, and Las Gargolas 4 expanded reggaeton's popularity among Hispanics in the United States. 2004 was the year that reggaeton gained widespread popularity in the United States, eventually gaining attention in many 'Western' countries. This has been due to N.O.R.E. introducing the genre on to mainstream America with the song Oye Mi Canto, and when Daddy Yankee came out with his album Barrio Fino and his hit single Gasolina. Another important artist that contribuited to gain popularity to reggaeton, expecially in Europe, is Don Omar, with singles like 'Pobre Diabla' and 'Dale Don Dale'.

Reggaeton has been a huge hit all across the globe, especially in Latin American countries, focusing on the Caribbean nations such as Colombia, Venezuela, and some Central American countries.In some countries (such as Venezuela, with Calle Ciega, Doble Impakto and Mr. Brian), domestic "reggaetoneros" have arisen, expanding the Pan-latin feel of the genre. Reggaeton has become staple music in most reunions and parties across Venezuela, complementing the common mix of merengue, salsa and "changa" (mostly everything from Trance to House, electronic music) and has paved a huge fan base all across the country. Today Reggaeton continues to see growth, with new artists and new fans in regions across the world.

Reggaeton in Puerto Rico

Reggaeton as it is known today is most commonly associated with Puerto Rico where it has really flourished and from where it has been spread around Latin America and the world. The Puerto Rican influence in reggaeton has involved the addition of hip hop to the Panamanian reggae style. Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and Cubans have claimed reggaeton as their own partly due to the fact that the movement was originally anti-establishment, with the government attempting to ban the "perreo" dance. Nowadays reggaeton is more accepted within the country. (From Wikipedia)