Reggaeton Craze

Reggaeton. Does it sound familiar to you? Hmmm, if it doesn’t have you been hiding under a rock? Or maybe down the bend and around the neighborhood tree. Reggaeton is a phenomena that I have been following since I was a wee-lad. Actually, it isn’t but I have paid attention to this style of music that has been gaining popularity for the past decade. Reggaeton to me, encompasses so much. In case you didn’t know, the subculture the I am apart of is called Alexism, yes, Alexism. You may not have heard of it before – which is understandable – Alexism is my own individual subculture, that I created through my own unique experience. This creation of individual culture is not my anomaly. Our growing population is proliferating in non-traditional ways. For the first time in history the largest growing “people of color”group is not African-American, it is Hispanic. And by the year 2050, “white” will no longer be the predominating race of color. So what does that mean to us? Well, for starters, we can no longer operate within the black and white dichotomy, that is still so archaically ingrained within our American psyche. Oh my God, other races do exist. And furthermore Hispanic, does not necessarily mean Latino or Chicano, but can/does include White, Red, Yellow, Green, Black etc.
All of that ranting aside. There is a demand for culture that is individual specific. In an age where socially fabricated race can no longer be our defining factor, what are we using to differentiate ourselves, if anything? Well, how bout Reggaeton for starters. The fact and the matter is, Reggaeton is the form of music created in answer to a increasingly multi-cultural society.

Ok, for starters, Reggaeton is a combination of Rap, Hip-Hop, Salsa, Merengue, Dance-Hall reggae, Bachatera and so much more. More specifically Reggaeton encompasses the most influential genres of music that youth (global youth!) enjoy the most.

-side-bar- There is a pervasive global youth culture that has been proliferating for quite some time. A youth culture bent on exalting difference, and buttressing individuality. The question is, how do we continue to appease this fierce appetite for difference?

Reggaeton. Lets take Rip & Stitch cultural phenomena and apply it. It fits quite well. Never before has there been such a hybrid of music. A hybrid that mirrors the cultural ethos of our global society. Defining and differentiating by country of origin *yawn* been there done that. It’s a given to today’s youth to formulate affinity through difference - paradoxical much? I am different from you, and I like it. Period.

Enter: Reggaeton. The musical future-forwardness of Reggaeton is a refreshing factor, especially regarding a dated music scene that hasn’t been fresh since the early 90’s. Ashley Simpson? Been there. Lindsay Lohan. Done that (I wish). Teenage pop-tart queens are so hackneyed. Teen-Aged pop-tart queens influenced by Hip-Hop, even more blasé. Violent rappers that tell you they have been shot, and don’t mind shooting your mother either..hmmm, no thank you. Dr. Dre did that about a decade ago. Faux-Indie Rock pop creations make me gag…. Frequently.

However! Reggaeton is – musically speaking – unchartered territory. “Oye mi canto,” has been on the Billboard charts for 21 weeks, with a peak position of 12. This Reggaeton song has by far garnered the most attention and success of Reggaeton songs, ever. The song is rapped, sang in Spanglish – some Spanish some English. The song’s performers are Nore, Daddy Yankee and Nina Sky. A Latino rapper, Latino Reggaeton artist, and Latina R&B artist, respectively. Nuff said huh? They are all from different musical genres, but Latino. What does this say about the influence of Hispanics regarding global culture.

Tego Calderon, Daddy Yankee and Looney Tunes are some of the most notable Reggaeton artist. Important to note, Reggaeton does not borrow the extremely homophobic lyrics from Dancehall Reggae. But it does borrow blatant sexuality – which is typically misogynistic – and violent. However, a lot of the songs escape censoring because they are rapped in Spanish. Much like Reggae songs that escape censoring because they are rapped in Patois. Most Reggaeton songs are rapped in straight Spanish, with English hooks. More often then not though, Spanish is the language of choice. However, since almost everyone has at least rudimentary knowledge of Spanish, it is not extremely hard to get the gist of the songs.

So what does the culturally hybrid Reggaeton mean for the future? What are the implications regarding global culture. Is Reggaeton the answer to an increasingly influential Hispanic (mainly Latino) culture coupled with acceptance of other significant cultural markers? Because after all, in the year 2050, won’t most cultural potent phenomena vie for relevancy in a Hispanic hegemony? Probably just wishful thinking.