| Reggaetón - The History |
| By Drago Bonacich. |
| Reggae is an indigenous music genre related to the Jamaican native Ska, sharing elements from Rhythm & Blues and Caribbean primitive styles such as Pocomania, Jonkanoo and Mento, among others. It is part of the Rasta movement, which most pure music form is called Nyahbingi. Roots is the escence of Reggae, mostly comprising lyrics about freedom based on the suffering of African native slaves brought to Jamaica. Rocksteady emerged in the mid-60s emphasized by the sound of the electric bass and drums. In the 1970s Bob Marley became the first celebrity out of this movement and by the end of that same decade the first Reggae songs in Spanish language started coming out from Central America, performed by Panamanian urban artists singing on top of well-known music tracks. A local trend that became a music export item soon after. At the same time, the first artists influenced by American Hip-Hop emerged from the Puerto Rican underground. After Salsa, Merengue (including Merenhouse) and Bachata, Latin Rap turned into one of the most popular local trends. Puerto Rican urban artists started to perform an eclectic style as an alternative to the mellow/laid-back Panamanian reggae, featuring a more aggressive mid-tempo and male chauvinist lyrics. In the mid-90s Latin Rap records by Puerto Rican artists featured for the first time the new hybrid style. In 2004 Reggaetón along with Mexican traditional-inflected Regional/Urban became the most popular music styles in U.S. Hispanic communities. |
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| Rakim & Keny-Y. Wisin & Yandel. Zion & Lennox. Angel & Khriz. Tego Calderón. Daddy Yankee. Alexis y Fido. Trebol Clan. Luny Tunes. Nicky Jam. Toby Love. Ivy Queen. Don Omar. Voltio. Cheka. |
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