Class Year

2021

Document Type

Student Research Paper

Date of Creation

Fall 2018

Department 1

Africana Studies

Department 2

Latin American Studies

Abstract

Reggaeton has become a cultural factor all throughout Latin America and among the Latino population in the United States. Reggaeton is now a Latino music phenomenon that has become part of the mainstream not only in Latin American countries but also in the United States; many American artists such as Drake, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, and Will Smith are collaborating with reggaeton artists such as J-Balvin, Bad Bunny, Ozuna, and others. Therefore, although most reggaeton artists come from Puerto Rico, reggaeton has established a visible presence in the Latino community in the United States where it has become prominent in the pop culture mainstream and as a result, reggaeton is attributed to Latino culture. The attractiveness of reggaeton lies with its hybrid identity, meaning that the origins of reggaeton reflect the interaction of people all through the Caribbean (LeBron 220). Incorporating neo-African, Caribbean and Latino influences, reggaeton is characterized by vocals that are similar to rap and dancehall, along with a steady rhythm called dembow (Rivera 222-223).

Comments

Research paper written for AFS 251: Musicology.

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