I’ve heard a lot about Reggaeton, a new type of Latin music. What exactly is it? How do I know if I’m hearing it? I have such a hard time distinguishing between the types of Latin music. I still can’t tell the difference between Salsa, Merengue, et al.
What makes Reggaeton different?
My XM satellite radio says Alegria plays some of this music. I’ll try to listen to this just to see what this craze is all about.
You know that feeling you have when you’ve just realized you’ve stepped on dog crap? That is Reggaeton.
I’m no expert, but they certainly play a lot of reggaeton on the radio in Florida. I hate it, but I try to analyze all music, good or bad, to see why I like or hate it. For one thing, it doesn’t sound much like reggae at all to me. It is usually very fast-paced, with repetitive beats and even more repetitive catch-phrases, probably to make it easy to shout on the dance floor. The ultra-macho rapper/singer keeps shouting things like “Gasolina!” and “Machete!”, often followed by an oversexed-sounding female singer saying “Meow!”
Reggaeton is like salsa sped up, with high-speed rapping in Spanish over it, set to a driving beat reminiscent of “crunk” (or “krunk”), a recent form of Southern hip-hop also meant for club dancing. I can’t see anyone listening to reggaeton at home or when they’re just relaxing – it seems like dance floor music, pure and simple. And despite what I think, it has blown up around Florida in a major way. It may be Puerto Rican in origin, and I think one of the leaders of reggaeton is named Daddy Yankee.
Pretty much what BBVL said – as for the name, it derives from how when this school was developing in the 1990s, it was at the start a mingling of Spanish Rap with a strong streak of “dancehall” reggae; the name stuck but the sound evolved to a krunkier beat and also many of the performers began reaffirming identity by salsifying some tracks. Big current stars Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Ivy Queen; special mention to Tego Calderón who’s by all reports a way more versatile talent but just knows where the action is today.
Most of my reggaetón listening is at no expense to me, courtesy of the guy two lanes over with a woofer in the trunk that outputs more power than the engine under the hood (that’s gotta cause some internal damage, man).
Could someone name one tune indicative of this genre which can be downloaded from Itunes?
I’m sure I’ve heard this music in Dallas, TX. I just want to know exactly what it sounds like as compared to other types of Latin music.
Look for a song called “Gasolina.” They repeat the damn word enough, so my guess would be that’s the title as well.
Repetitive is the key word here. And repetitive…
Did I forget to say repetitive? To be more specific, extremely monotonous.
Well it’s mainly from Puerto Rico, but the first big hit came out about 10 or so years ago by a guy named “El General.” All of his songs were exactly the same, and he was quickly forgotten, as will the hits of today be forgotten.
It’s not really anything like salsa (although there is a lot of pretty boring, sterile, tasteless, souless salsa out there, too). The lyrics are often supposed to be “provocotive,” but they’re really just stupid. The level of rap talent is pretty amateurish, too. I don’t think of it as an organic musical phenomenon, but rather a sad attempt to create a new thing, contrived by the music business. Some people will dance to whatever the DJ puts on.
I believe you are overestimating it.
Brought to you by the Office Bureau of Redundance and Repetition. 
What is reggaeton? Repetitive and annoying, combines the worst features of rap and Latin rap. [Elderly rap fan] Why, back in my day, we had Public Enemy and Ice-T, rappers you were scared of. Chuck D’s auntie was more threatening than these whackadoodles. These moon-faced momma’s boys throwin’ down gang signs wouldn’t last a minute on Crenshaw, dagnabit. [/ERF]
It’s fairly annoying, but the videos are pathetic-funny, and there are not one, not two, but three reggaeton video shows on tv down here, and one radio station that plays nothing but. It’s kind of like Menudo tryin to be all hard – sorta funny for a few minutes but just annoying after that.
All I know about this genre of music is that a look of teens who like it likeDaddy Yankee. Listening to music on his site, he’s not as awful as I’d predicted. That might be because the rapping in Spanish is so fast I can’t pick out more than 1/2 of the words, though.
Okay, I just listened to “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee. I’m not really a fan of modern dance music anyway (you know, old Rock’n’Roll IS dance music, kids) but that’s not what I don’t like about this track.
Repetative? To say the least. Tuneless? Well, it’s rap. But what about the backing tracks? It sounds like it was recorded on an old ‘Spy Hunter’ upright machine. Or maybe Tetris. Fuzzy, lame-ass electronica with the tonal quality of my old Vic 20. Is this some 13 year old’s basement tape?
thwartme
Nope, Daddy Yankee is at the top of the reggaeton heap, such as it is.
The guy named “El General” was also not from Puerto Rico, but from Panamá. 
There’s also Vico C, he’s older style, and I prefer his music.
I always compare reggaeton with hip hop/rap. It’s a dance music, not something you want to listen to relax. I don’t really like it (in fact, during most of my pre-college education I hated it), but when it is the ONLY Spanish-related music they play in the radio stations of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, then I listen to it. Sniff It’s the only thing they play here that reminds me of home.
The “new” type of reggaeton you’re listening is a far cry from the oldtime reggaeton. Think about how the rude/crude rap from the early/mid 90s evolved into a softer, more commercialized type of music. Heck, I was surpised when I finally saw a reggaeton video that had color and choreography and costume and a story.
Oh yea, and you do realize that the music that the US is hearing now is the one that came out 1-2 years ago in Puerto Rico, right? Gasolina being the perfect example.
Oh, and the original reggaeton was far from contrived by the music business (down and dirty, from the caseríos). They may have overtaken it, but it took years and years of it being underground before they got major airplay and became more “respected” in the music industry.
Ok, for different tracks (other than the overplayed, repetitive Gasolina), try “Lo que pasó” by Daddy Yankee, and search for songs from Vico C and Tego Calderón. For a female, try Ivy Queen.
You know, I have as much music cred as almost anyone (having sung in choirs for half a billion years, in the traditional classical vein as well as many others). But I *like [/]i reggaeton, dammit. Not all of it - or all of any other genre of music, for that matter - but it’s fun dance music. Of course, I have to suspend my feminist disbelief for the duration of the period I listen to it.
Sometimes you want a well-prepared boeuf bourignonne, but sometimes you just want a burger and fries, y’know? Reggaeton is definitely the burger and fries - you know you shouldn’t enjoy it quite so much, but you do anyway. Get yourself a compilation album and give it a listen - I just picked one up at Borders and I rather like it.
Well, it may have been “underground,” originally, but the production values were high, and it was contrived in concept. Good points, though.
Someone here said something about Baton Rouge Spanish-language radio? It’s the whole country. In the late 80s and early 90s you could hear the best music, including Cuban music. Today, it’s all garbage.
You said it, brother! (or sister, as the case may be).
That’s for sure.
I don’t get this whole “reggaeton is a new phenomenon” thing. I’ve been listening to music that’s extremely similar–while still being way better–for a while now. I’ve always heard it referred to as “diwali.”
This seems like one of those “overnight success” type stories that ain’t nothin’ overnight about it.
Of course it isn’t. As I said above, it started about 10 years ago. It was boring then, and it’s boring now.
Oh, I forgot to say to you, False_God: Chimpu…?
[QUOTE=guizot]
Of course it isn’t. As I said above, it started about 10 years ago. It was boring then, and it’s boring now./QUOTE]
Yeah, but it’s still the same thing as diwali. And it’s being pretty widely “reported” as a new phenomenon by the entertainment press.
You’re right there. I think there needs to be a certain “critical mass” before the entertainment press jumps on any particular band wagon.
Remember the “Macarena”? Two years before they made fools of themselves at the Democratic National Convention in 1996, it was a huge hit in 1994 in Colombia (but maybe that’s because people thought they were singing about the Magdalena River, which is the major port river by Barranquilla.)
There are a lot of DJs out there, and most are just hacks.