Reggaeton's Distinguishing Features
The genre's most notably unique
feature is a driving drum-machine
track derived from early Jamaican
Dancehall rhythms. Sometimes hip
hop-styled vocals, an import from
the U.S., are also used. Despite
the genre's derivativeness, the
fusion is often very creatively
done, with some excellent producers
and performers incorporating their
own personal musical backgrounds
into the crafting of songs. In
any event, after over a century
of forced connection to the U.S.,
Island Puerto Ricans have-in the
end-preferred to tie themselves
back into the Caribbean matrix
to which they belong.
The lyrics, like most working-class
popular music, are often about
the reality on the streets,
misunderstandings, unfair situations,
love, cheating and passion.
The most notable differences
in Reggaeton from some Jamaican
Dancehall records, besides the
inclusion of definite Latino
melodies and musical styles,
is the exclusion of homophobia
which allows Reggaeton a more
acceptable access to a much
wider age-bracket and social
spectrum of Latino music lovers
worldwide. A big factor holding
reggaeton from being truly respected
as an artform are the misogynistic,
violent, and drug related lyrics
as found in some U.S. hip hop
music. This is an Indigenous
Taino aspect-both men and women
can be Cacikes (leaders) in
the same musical arena- equal
and with respect. Ivy Queen's
establishment as an artist who
highlights female strength has
garnered the respect from Latino
youth- both male and female-
and has paved the way for many
female Reggaeton artists.
These developments are definite
signs which demonstrate the
openness, positivity and party-atmosphere
preference of Puerto Rican society.
Reggaeton's creativity and break
from the normal Reggae style
is reflective of Puerto Rico's
multi-ethnic flavor- afroindoamericaneuropean.
This creative fusion has allowed
it to almost become a recognized
Puerto Rican musical form.
This article
is licensed under the GNU
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It uses material from the Wikipedia
article "Reggaeton".
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