Puerto Rico, home to bioluminescent beaches, the world’s largest rum distillery, and the birthplace of the pina colada. It is filled with stunning landscapes and a vibrant culture. It should be noted that the island is oftentimes associated with the music genre: reggaeton. A lot of people go as far as to say it is the place to be when starting this type of music career. According to MarquetteWire’s website, reggaeton is a genre of music that “had its conception in the 1980s when Jamaican workers traveled to Panama to help build the Panama Canal and reggae was adapted to the Spanish-speaking culture. In the 1990s, the genre made its way to Puerto Rico via Jamaican immigrants” (Flynn 1). Now, reggaeton is not just bound to the island but has become a shared worldwide experience amongst many. Known as el jefe (the boss), una leyenda (a legend), and el father (the father), Daddy Yankee became a huge symbol for the music genre. His single “Gasolina” topped the charts week after week. Ultimately, the popularity of the song drew more attention to Spanish music as a whole, which in turn opened the doors for more artists. Don Omar, Wisin y Yandel, and Archangel were more artists who worked alongside Daddy Yankee to expand reggaeton–to this day the Latinx community holds them as the “originals” and as icons of “old school reggaeton.” That being said, there is a new wave of performers who have also added to the widespread popularity of the genre. Bad Bunny, also a Puerto Rican native, has become a Latinx household name. You either hate his music or love it, some will claim. Nevertheless, other up-and-coming artists include Anuel AA, Mora, Ozuna, and Lunay. While other talented individuals have yet to be discovered, Puerto Rico surely is known to produce some of the best reggaeton artists of all time.
WORKS CITED
Flynn, Grace. “Reggaetón: Origin and Evolution of a Genre.” Marquette Wire, marquettewire.org/4065685/radio/reggaeton-origin-and-evolution-of-a-genre.