Reggaeton

Although Spanish Reggae originated in Panama, what has become known as Reggaeton evolved and came to prominence in Puerto Rico. Raggaeton blends Jamaican musical influences with Latin American, hip hop & R&B. It started in the early 20th century when Jamaican labourers, who were helping to build the Panama canal, mixed with Latino workers and the blend of reggae style with Spanish lyrics started to emerge. It was the early 90s that saw a sharp increase in Reggaeton artists and it gained prominence around 2001, eventually gaining widespread popularity in the United States and Europe around 2004.

As is quite often the case with musical styles that gain rapid popularity, in the mid 1990s, the Puerto Rican police and National Guard took to confiscating reggaeton tapes and CDs in an effort to take the “obscene” music away from consumers. Due to the aggressive, and often, sexual nature of the lyrics many of the upper middle class found it to be threatening and immoral. By the turn of the 21st Century Reggaeton it had grudgingly gained acceptance as part of the culture  and was used by politician, Velda González during the 2003 elections and by 2006 Pepsi were using Reggaeton music in their commercials which showed the rapid change in feeling towards the music.

Despite the struggling economy in Puerto Rica, Reggaeton stars are managing to achieve global success as it gains worldwide popularity. A far cry from the previous reputation as a product of urban youth.

Reggaeton is one of the core rhythms used in Zumba.

• Next >