Reggaetón's Big Star Hits the Big Time
By JON PARELES
Published: August 25, 2005
Madison Square Garden isn't the biggest place Daddy Yankee has performed. He has already headlined soccer stadiums across Latin America. But his show on Saturday night at the Garden is to be a milestone both for Daddy Yankee and for the music he now dominates: reggaetón, the Puerto Rican hybrid of hip-hop, Jamaican dancehall and salsa, sung and rhymed in Spanish with a touch of Spanglish. Now Daddy Yankee is taking reggaetón on its first American arena tour.
It begins at the Garden and winds up, nine cities later, in San Jose, Calif. Reggaetón has conquered parties, clubs and lately radio; Daddy Yankee's hit "Gasolina" reached MTV and the playlists of many hip-hop stations, and he has a new hit, "Like You," with lyrics in English and Spanish. Both songs are from his 2004 album, "Barrio Fino" (VI/Universal), which has sold three million copies in the United States alone. Daddy Yankee guesses that at least half a million were sold to English-speaking fans who just liked the sound.
The Rest Here
Dang, Daddy Yankee hitting it big-time!
While some folks from the Spanish-speaking perspective might be getting sick of reggaetón, it comes as a fresh shot in the arm for hip-hop in general, which could use the infusion of energy and beats.
Through the years, the Latin audience in the United States has been divided by regional tastes. Mexican audiences favor Mexican styles, Puerto Ricans and Cubans prefer salsa, Dominicans support bachata and merengue. Latin pop has tried to pull together a pan-American audience with sentimental ballads and light rock. But musicians and fans have grown confident that reggaetón will be the street music that unites younger Latinos and reaches into the English-speaking mainstream.
I agree with that statement. Daddy Yankee's hard driving beats, and delivery appeal to the type of Latino kids who also listen to 50 Cent, Eminem, and Ludacris, no matter if they are in Chicago, New York or L.A. I was watching some show on Univision, and they talked about a largely Mexican-American crowd in L.A. going nuts, when the intro to Gasolina was played.
In a way DY's music reminds me of Naughty By Nature, streetwise, but able to come up with some catchy beats.
16 comments:
oh God, here goes the sports freak talking about the only thing he might know something about: the trivial crap of a tribal idiot.
Keep flippin your lid like that, and Daddy Yankee is gonna come bust a cap in yo head, ho.
hehehehehehehe,
as he sits offended by his self, listening to El Trio Los Panchos.
ok boli, you're funny.
Which reggaeton is most listenable, Boli? I love all Latino music but can't stand hip-hop so as you may imagine, I approach this reggaeton idea with tongs. Which one do I dare buy?
DANG - learn English boli! - DANG
ho.......la,
"a man can not be to careful in his choice of enemies"
ho.......la,
"a man can not be too careful in his choice of enemies"
Which reggaeton is most listenable, Boli? I love all Latino music but can't stand hip-hop so as you may imagine, I approach this reggaeton idea with tongs. Which one do I dare buy?
Albums by Don Omar, Ivy Queen, and Daddy Yankee have good danceable beats - and are "radio=friendly".
If you want to go "Old School" there is "El General" the Panamanian guy who some credit with the first commercially sucesful blend of reggae, dancehall, salsa, merengue and hip hop in the early 90's. Of course there is controversy, since Puerto Ricans claim they came up with it.
Problem with this genre is that labels are signing every half-wit with a mike, and everyone else is jumping on the bandwagon.
wow, your mind of is full of crap. No wonder you spit crap into other blogs.
For newbies to this blog, go here first:
Move on
and/or here
Corporate Reality
Hi Bolinica. Japaza here. You may have seen some of my posts in the ludicrous Blog from Bolivia.
I am here to apologize if my posting links taking Schultz's mask off has brought the indeseables rojos here.
I usually read you blog, which I find very interesting and spot on, but did not read the comments, until now.
Boy oh boy!
These bastards are just trying to leave their shit all over your blog, to suffocate you and bully you into not telling the truth. Don't cave in! For all its worth, you have my support.
Just don't pay any attention to these guys. They will just insult you, because they don't have any argument against what you're saying.
BTW, anon, the Corporate Reality link you always post, know what? Well, it doesn't work, hahahaha. Aren't you tired of being always wrong?
Hey Japaza,
No worries, the fellow-travelling clowns entertain me.
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