Reggaeton (UK: /ˈrɛɡeɪtəʊn, ˌrɛɡeɪˈtɒn/, US: /ˌrɛɡeɪˈtəʊn, ˌreɪɡ-/) is a type of popular and electronic music that began in Panama during the late 1980s. Since the early 1990s, artists from Puerto Rico have helped make it widely known and popular.

Reggaeton developed from dancehall music and includes influences from hip hop, Latin American, and Caribbean music. The vocals often include toasting or rapping, singing, or a mix of rapping and singing, usually in Spanish. Reggaeton is seen as one of the most popular music genres in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. By the 2010s, the genre grew in popularity across Latin America and was accepted in mainstream Western music.

Etymology

There are different stories about where the word "reggaeton" came from. One story says that Michael Ellis, who works for El General, created the term by adding the "-ton" part to "make the word bigger." Another story claims that the word appeared in 1994 when Daddy Yankee first used it while singing without a script on a mixtape called "Playero 34." A third story suggests that the word was used again the next year when DJ Erick released an album named "Reggaetón Live Vol.1," combining the words "reggae" and "maratón" (marathon).

The spellings "reggaeton" and "reggaetón" are often used. However, official sources like the Fundéu BBVA and the Academia Puertorriqueña de la Lengua Española prefer the spelling "reguetón" because it follows traditional Spanish spelling rules more closely.

History

Reggaeton music began in Panama City and was influenced by Afro-Caribbean workers who built the Panama Canal. During this time, many Jamaican and Barbadian immigrants moved to Panama to help construct the canal and brought reggae music with them. One of the first reggaeton songs was “El D.E.N.I” by Renato, which described the challenges faced by Black Panamanians who spoke English. Later, hip-hop music reached Puerto Rico and inspired Spanish rap. When hip-hop and reggae in Spanish blended, a music style called “underground” became popular in Puerto Rico. This was connected to how Jamaican dancehall music was translated into Spanish in Panama.

Reggaeton is often confused with reggae or reggae en Español, but it is a younger genre that started in the late 1980s in Panama and later became popular in Puerto Rico. It began as “underground rap,” a type of music shared through informal networks and performed in unofficial places. DJ Playero and DJ Nelson were inspired by hip hop and dancehall to create the first reggaeton tracks called “riddims.” As Caribbean and African-American music grew in popularity in Puerto Rico, Spanish reggae rap became a way for young people to express themselves. This music formed an underground youth culture that was not widely accepted by society or the law.

In Puerto Rico, the police criticized underground music and confiscated cassette tapes from stores, fined people, and portrayed rappers negatively in the media. Because of these actions, people shared music through bootleg recordings and word of mouth until 1998, when reggaeton became more organized. The genre gained international attention in the early 2000s.

Early reggaeton music, called “underground” and later “perreo,” included songs about drugs, violence, poverty, friendship, love, and sex. These themes showed the struggles of life in poor neighborhoods. Songs were recorded in places like carports and public housing complexes, often using second-hand equipment. Despite this, the quality of the cassettes was good enough to make the music popular among Puerto Rican youth. Cassettes were sold or passed out from cars on the streets. This helped reggaeton spread across different social groups in Puerto Rico. Popular early cassettes included DJ Negro’s The Noise I and II and DJ Playero’s 37 and 38. Gerardo Cruet helped spread the music from poor areas to other parts of society, including private schools.

By the mid-1990s, underground cassettes were sold in music stores. The genre became popular with middle-class youth and entered the media. Clubs like Club Rappers in Carolina and PlayMakers in Puerto Nuevo supported the music. Bobby “Digital” Dixon’s “Dem Bow” production was played in clubs. Underground music was not originally meant for clubs, but it became popular in South Florida, where DJs like DJ Laz and Hugo Diaz of the Diaz Brothers promoted it.

Underground music in Puerto Rico faced criticism. In 1995, the government launched a campaign against it, raiding record stores in San Juan and seizing hundreds of cassettes. Schools banned baggy clothing and underground music. For months after these raids, the media criticized rappers, calling them “irresponsible.”

In 1995, DJ Negro released The Noise 3, which had a label claiming “Non-explicit lyrics.” The album avoided swearing until the final song, which made it a hit. Underground music continued to grow, even though politicians and the media still saw it as a social problem.

In the mid-1990s, the Puerto Rican police and National Guard confiscated reggaeton tapes and CDs to remove “obscene” lyrics. Schools banned hip hop clothing and music to stop reggaeton’s influence. In 2002, Senator Velda González held public hearings to regulate the sexual content in reggaeton lyrics. Though this did not change public opinion, it showed the government’s concern about the music. Many middle- and upper-class Puerto Ricans viewed reggaeton as threatening, “immoral,” and “artistically deficient.”

Despite the controversy, reggaeton gradually became accepted as part of Puerto Rican culture. Politicians like González used reggaeton in election campaigns to reach younger voters in 2003. Reggaeton became more accepted in Puerto Rico, even appearing in a 2006 Pepsi commercial with Daddy Yankee and in a Mountain Dew campaign featuring Ivy Queen. Other examples of acceptance include Reggae School, a rap album that teaches math to children. Reggaeton expanded when producers like DJ Nelson and DJ Eric followed DJ Playero. Popular albums in the 1990s included Ivy Queen’s En Mi Imperio, DJ Playero’s Playero 37 (which introduced Daddy Yankee), and The Noise: Underground, The Noise 5, and The Noise 6. Other artists like Don Chezina, Tempo, Eddie Dee, Baby Rasta & Gringo, and Lito & Polaco were also popular.

The name “reggaeton” became widely used in the early 2000s, known for its dembow beat. It was created in Puerto Rico to describe a unique mix of Puerto Rican music. Today, reggaeton is popular across Latin America. It gained attention in the United States and Europe in 2004, with artists like Tego Calderón and Daddy Yankee. Songs like Daddy Yankee’s Gasolina and Barrio Fino helped reggaeton become global. Other popular artists include Ivy Queen, Luny Tunes, Noriega, Wisin & Yandel, and Calle 13. In 2004, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz released the song La Tortura and its remix, which further spread reggaeton’s popularity. Four reggaeton songs were performed at the 2005 Grammy Awards.

Characteristics

The dembow riddim was created by Jamaican dancehall producers during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It includes a kick drum, kickdown drum, palito, snare drum, timbal, timballroll, and sometimes a high-hat cymbal. The rhythm pattern of dembow was influenced by dancehall and other Caribbean music, such as soca, calypso, and cadence. This gives dembow a pan-Caribbean style. Steely & Clevie, who created the Poco Man Jam riddim, are often credited with developing dembow. At its core, dembow uses a 3+3+2 rhythm (called tresillo), supported by a bass drum that follows a 4/4 time pattern.

The riddim was first popularized by Shabba Ranks in the song "Dem Bow," from his 1991 album Just Reality. Today, parts of the song's rhythm are used in over 80% of reggaeton songs. In the mid-1980s, dancehall music changed with the use of electronic keyboards and drum machines. These tools helped producers create new dancehall riddims. In reggaeton, dembow serves as a basic building block for rhythm.

In reggaeton, "dembow" also includes other Jamaican riddims, such as Bam Bam, Hot This Year, Poco Man Jam, Fever Pitch, Red Alert, Trailer Reloaded, and Big Up. These songs often use samples from other tracks. Some reggaeton songs use a lighter, more electronic version of the riddim. Examples include "Pa' Que la Pases Bien" and "Quiero Bailar," which use the Liquid riddim. Since 2018, a new version of dembow has appeared. This version, starting with the song "Te Bote," is simpler and has become a common feature in reggaeton music.

Reggaeton's song structure is similar to hip hop. Most reggaeton artists use rapping instead of singing, though some mix rapping and singing. Songs follow a traditional verse-chorus-bridge pattern, like in hip hop. A repeating section called a "hook" is used throughout the song. Latino identity is a common theme in reggaeton's music, lyrics, and visuals.

Unlike hip-hop albums, reggaeton albums usually do not have warnings for explicit content. An exception is Daddy Yankee's Barrio Fino en Directo (Barrio Fino Live), which includes live recordings and a collaboration with Snoop Dogg in "Gangsta Zone." The music video for "Gangsta Zone" was filmed in the Torres Sabana housing projects in Carolina, Puerto Rico, on January 27, 2006. The video, shot in grayscale, shows real-life conditions in the area, according to Daddy Yankee.

Some reggaeton artists, like Alexis & Fido, avoid radio and TV censorship by using sexual suggestions and double-meaning lyrics. Some songs have raised concerns about how women are portrayed. Although reggaeton began as a male-dominated genre, more female artists have joined over time. These artists include Ivy Queen, Mey Vidal, K-Narias, Adassa, La Sista, and Glory, who is sometimes called the "Queen of Reggaeton."

Reggaeton is often linked to themes like violence, misogyny, and sex. However, some artists also address political issues in Latin America, such as racism and inequality faced by Afro-Latino communities. Many artists blend Afro-diasporic musical elements with Spanish rap lyrics.

For example, Tego Calderón often highlights his Afro-Puerto Rican identity in his music. His songs discuss the discrimination faced by Afro-Latinos in Puerto Rico, despite claims of "racial democracy" in the country. Through this, reggaeton serves both as a form of artistic expression and a commercially successful genre.

Dance

Sandungueo, also called perreo, is a dance linked to reggaeton music. It began in Puerto Rico during the early 1990s. The dance involves two people moving close together, with one person standing behind the other. This style is sometimes described as "back-to-front," where one person moves their hips to create contact with their partner. Unlike traditional dances such as the waltz or square dancing, which involve partners facing each other, perreo’s close movements and focus on physical contact surprised many people when it first appeared. It became popular in music videos and is also known as daggering, grinding, or juking in the United States.

Perreo became widely known in Black urban communities, especially in clubs during the 1990s. The dance’s smooth hip movements and fluid style are influenced by Afro-Caribbean dance traditions. It evolved from Jamaican Dancehall and shares similar themes of expressing sexuality and challenging Western cultural norms. Some people criticized the dance, saying that reggaeton’s lyrics and movements have contributed to negative effects on society’s values. Researchers suggest these criticisms may stem from discomfort with the way Black culture is expressed openly and powerfully through music and dance.

Popularity

Over the past 10 years, reggaeton has become widely popular in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, where it began. This includes countries like Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Venezuela. Today, reggaeton is one of the most loved music styles in these areas. It has also grown in popularity across other parts of Latin America, such as Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Ecuador, and Peru.

In Cuba, reggaeton mixed with traditional Cuban music, creating a new style called Cubaton. Two groups helped make Cubaton famous: Máxima Alerta (started in 1999) and Cubanito 20.02. Máxima Alerta combined Cubaton with other styles like son Cubano, conga, cumbia, salsa, merengue, and Cuban rumba, as well as rap and ballads. Cubanito 20.02’s music was more influenced by Jamaican music. In 2012, the Cuban government limited reggaeton in public places. In 2019, they banned reggaeton songs with "aggressive, sexually explicit, or obscene" messages from radio, TV, and street performances.

In Brazil, reggaeton was first introduced by the group Señores Cafetões in 2007 with the song "Piriguete." At the time, Brazilians thought it was hip hop or Brazilian funk because reggaeton was not well known in the country. By the middle of the 2010s, reggaeton became more popular in Brazil. A major success was the song "Yes or No" by Anitta and Maluma. One reason reggaeton did not become as popular in Brazil as in other Latin American countries is that Brazil speaks Portuguese, which has made it more isolated in music compared to other countries. Reggaeton became popular in Brazil after it gained attention in other markets, like the United States. Now, Brazilian artists are working with Latin American musicians to share the reggaeton rhythm.

In the United States, reggaeton became popular in 2004 with the song "Oye Mi Canto" by Nina Sky, which included Tego Calderón and Daddy Yankee. Later, Daddy Yankee’s song "Gasolina" helped reggaeton gain attention from hip-hop artists. That same year, XM Radio started a reggaeton channel called Fuego. The channel was removed from home and car receivers in 2007 but is still available online. Reggaeton is the base for a term called "hurban," which combines "Hispanic" and "urban" to describe music influenced by hip hop and Latin American styles. Reggaeton, which came from dancehall and reggae, has helped Latin Americans share their culture in the U.S. and express issues like gender and race, similar to hip hop.

In Spain, reggaeton is very popular and has been the most listened-to music genre for many years. It arrived in Spain because of large immigration waves in the 2000s. Today, it is part of Spanish culture, with local artists like Enrique Iglesias, Rosalía, Ana Mena, Lola Índigo, and Juan Magán. In other parts of Europe, reggaeton is less popular than in Latin America, but it is still enjoyed by Latin American immigrants. A Spanish tradition called "La Canción del Verano" (The Song of the Summer) helped make reggaeton songs like "Baila Morena" by Héctor & Tito and "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee famous in 2005.

In the Philippines, reggaeton artists use the Filipino language instead of Spanish or English. One example is the Zamboangueño duo Dos Fuertes, who had a dance hit in 2007 with "Tarat Tat" and use the Chavacano language in their songs.

In 2020, Malaysian rapper Namewee released the song and music video "China Reggaeton" with Anthony Wong. This was the first time reggaeton was sung in Mandarin and Hakka, two Chinese languages, and included traditional Chinese instruments like the erhu, pipa, and guzheng. This created a mix of reggaeton and traditional Chinese music.

LGBTQ influence

Reggaeton music has often been dominated by male artists and focused on traditional gender roles. This style of music has been linked to reinforcing stereotypes that emphasize traditional male strength and dominance. However, changes began when artist Bad Bunny openly supported the LGBTQ+ community by challenging harmful ideas about gender and sexuality. In recent years, new artists such as Villano Antillano, Young Miko, and La Cruz have worked to change the traditional image and values of reggaeton.

In 2022, Villano Antillano, a transgender artist from Puerto Rico who creates rap and reggaeton music, became the first transgender woman to reach number 50 on Spotify with her song Villano Antillano: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 51, which she made with producer Bizarrap. She started her career using a name that reflected a male identity but later chose to embrace her feminine identity and transition. She now uses her legal name, "Villana," and identifies as non-binary. Villana has shared that transgender and queer artists face challenges in the music industry, saying that many cisgender male artists are hesitant to work with transgender women.

In 2023, Young Miko, a queer artist from Puerto Rico who makes trap and reggaeton music, reached the Billboard Hot 100 with her song "Classy 101." That same year, she appeared on a song called "Chulo Pt2" with Spanish rapper Bad Gyal and singer Tokischa. As of October 2023, the song had over 100 million views on YouTube. Young Miko first gained attention in Puerto Rico by sharing music independently on SoundCloud, but she became more widely known after performing on stage with Bad Bunny during his Un Verano Sin Ti tour.

In June 2023, La Cruz, a reggaeton artist from Venezuela, released a music video for his song "TE CONOCI BAILANDO." The video included images of shirtless men, locker room scenes, and men dancing near urinals. These visuals challenged the usual focus of reggaeton music videos, which often highlight women as the center of attention. The video had over 2 million views on YouTube by October 2023.

Criticism

Reggaeton, a popular music genre, has faced criticism for frequently including themes related to sex and violence, similar to those found in hip-hop. In 2019, Mexican artist Aleks Syntek shared concerns on social media about reggaeton music being played at Mexico City's airport during the morning when children were present. That same year, other musicians, including vallenato singer Carlos Vives and Heroes Del Silencio singer Enrique Bunbury, also expressed concerns about the genre. Some activists claimed that reggaeton promotes messages that are disrespectful to women or cruel in nature.

Some reggaeton artists have responded to these criticisms. For example, singer Flex chose to create songs that focus on love and romance, a style he called "romantic style," starting in 2009.

In 2019, the estate of Steely and Clevie (who died in 2009) filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Warner Chappell Music. They claimed that about 1,800 songs used a rhythm called "Dem Bow," which Steely and Clevie created in 1990, without proper permission.