Greetings Superstars!
Did you know that there is a new reggaeton documentary series streaming on Peacock? I watched the first episode and learned A LOT! Here are my top seven takeaways:
Reggaeton developed on Puerto Rico around 15 years ago, and has exploded globally over the past five. Artists including ‘King of Reggaeton’ Daddy Yankee (who is also executive producer of the show), Ivy Queen, and Nicky Jam expressed frustration about the dismissal of reggaeton by other music genres.
“Villa Kennedy represents the matrix of reggaeton.”
According to Daddy Yankee, his old housing project, Villa Kennedy, was where reggaeton was born.
“For me reggaeton is tied to salsa.”
Salsa legend Andy Montañez feels kinship to the genre because of its roots in salsa. In the 17th century, slaves in Puerto Rico developed ‘bomba’ as a way to oppose their captors, much like reggae in Jamaica. (“‘Bomba’ was the rap of the time,” said musical artist Lunay.) Montañez recounted how bomba was still used to oppose leaders in the 1970s.
Puerto Ricans influenced the development of hip-hop.
Puerto Ricans relocated to New York City in the 1940s, establishing a connection between the two places. As Puerto Ricans were exposed to African American culture in New York, they began combining rap and salsa.
Vico C was the first artist to rap in Spanish.
Vico C understood that rap didn’t have to be in English—it just needed to flow with the beats created by his friend, DJ Playero. This in conjunction with the influence of Jamaican dancehall from artists including Shaggy, Mad Cobra, Cutty Ranks, and Shabba Ranks created music that a generation of Puerto Ricans links to coming-of-age experiences. This created a deep bond between reggaeton and Puerto Ricans who partied to it at marquesina parties (underground dance parties in carports). “The first time I heard reggaeton, I heard a lot of dancehall influence, I would say more so than hip-hop,” said Shaggy.
Lisa M. was the first female rapper from Puerto Rico. She got her start as a backup dancer for Vico C.
Panamanians also rapped in Spanish, but Puerto Rico eventually created a sound that was different from Jamaica and Panama—raggaeton!
There are more fascinating facts in this episode, which ends with Daddy Yankee recounting how he got shot by gangs from the housing project next to his. Talk about a cliffhanger! (FUN FACT: The term ‘cliffhanger’ comes from the first silent films, which were shot in Weehawkin, New Jersey. Actors would dangle from the nearby cliffs to convey great peril—and a reason to keep watching to see what happens next. Weehawkin is also where Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton, but I digress.)
I highly recommend this series for anyone who is interested in reggaeton—can’t wait to watch the next episode.
This week, I hope that your pumpkins are shiny and your look is en pointe.
I Watched ‘Reggaeton: The Sound That Conquered the World’