EXPLORING REGGAETON: Part 2, Movers, Shakers, Players and Names to Know in Reggaeton...
Jun 19 '06 (Updated Jul 31 '06)
The Bottom Line Who's hot in reggaeton...in 2006? Who are the REAL big names? Here's the straight scoop...part 2 of the exciting journey into the frontiers of reggaeton!
In Part 1 of this series, I talked about what reggaeton is all about...it's roots, it's sound, and it's culture. This part is a little different. It's a look at who the major artists are in the reggaeton world as of the first half of 2006. It's a snapshot because the genre is young and changes at the speed of now.
While reggaeton traces its roots into the 1990s, it's really only been since 2004 that it's been more than a footnote on the story of Afro-Caribbean latin music. Yet in a very short time, a few artists have managed to percolate their way to the forefront of reggaeton mindshare. Let's shine the spotlight on them for just a moment here, and we'll get into a lot more detail about their style and sound in the coming days and weeks.
The Biggest of the Big Names...
If you're a true reggaeton fan, I know you'll scoff at how easy and obvious these picks are, and I know you'll have your own list of 20 more artists who you think are even better and who have more potential as "the next generation". You may be right...but for now, these are the names who stand out as the artists who make reggaeton what it is, and who are shaping the music as we hear it.
Daddy Yankee
Real Name: Ramon Ayala
Home Base: Puerto Rico
Web Site: www.daddyyankee.com
Representative Albums: Barrio Fino, Los Homerun-es, Barrio Fino en Directo
Representative Hit Tune(s): Gasolina, Rompe
Existing Epinion Reviews: Barrio Fino, Barrio Fino En Directo
Comments: The guy every other reggaeton artist wants to be. The most popular and well known reggaeton artist to date. Daddy Yankee's ubiquitous hit Gasolina is like the Beethoven's Fifth Symphony of reggaeton --- will anybody ever top its popularity??
Don Omar
Real Name: William Omar Landron
Home Base: Puerto Rico
Web Site: www.donomarmusic.net
Representative Albums: King of Kings, The Last Don
Representative Hit Tune(s): Dile, Angelito
Existing Epinion Reviews: The Last Don
Comments: The thinking man's reggaeton artist. A high energy leader that other artists do well to emulate and ignore at their own peril.
El General
Real Name: Edgardo Franco
Home Base: Panama
Representative Albums: Move It Up, Coleccion Original, Muevelo con El General
Representative Hit Tune(s): Muevelo, Tu Pum Pum
Comments: He was reggaeton before the style even had a name. One of the early pioneers with roots way back into the 1990s and a definite reggae emphasis. In semi-retirement now, devoting his time, energy, and money to improving the lives of disadvantaged children through a foundation he created called Niņos Pobres Sin Fronteras.
Alexis y Fido
Real Name: Raul Ortiz and Joel Martinez
Home Base: Puerto Rico
Web Site: www.alexisyfido.com
Representative Albums: The Pitbulls
Representative Hit Tune(s): El Tiburon
Comments: Finally breaking free of the yoke of mediocrity that Luny Tunes imposed on them, their debut album shows profound promise. Although they're in nowhere near the same league as guys like Don Omar and Daddy Yankee, I see their zeal and experience as having serious potential.
Ivy Queen
Real Name: Martha Ivelisse Pesante
Home Base: Puerto Rico
Representative Albums: Flashback, Real
Representative Hit Tune(s): La Abusadora
Comments: One of the very few, and arguably the best, female artist in a very male-dominated, macho style of music. An artist whose music will not be pushed around, Ivy Queen has the kind of "in your face" attitude that made rockers like Joan Jett or Pat Benatar thrive.
Luny Tunes
Real Name: Francisco Saldana and Victor Cabrera
Home Base: Dominican Republic
Web Site: www.masflowinc.com
Representative Albums: Mas Flow
Representative Hit Tune(s): (none)
Existing Epinion Reviews: Mas Flow 2
Comments: Big names in reggaeton, and hugely respected within the genre---but not by me. I don't like that they aren't artists at all, they merely whitewash the music of talented artists and put together mediocre compilation albums that sell like hotcakes. Nonetheless, many artists do get their first real exposure by working with these two clowns, who (in my opinion) would be unemployed in any mature genre. Until that happens, Luny Tunes are happy to ride the coattails of the more talented.
Tego Calderon
Real Name: Tegui Calderon Rosario
Home Base: Puerto Rico
Web Site: www.tegocalderon.com
Representative Albums: El Abayarde, El Enemy de los Guasabiri
Representative Hit Tune(s): Abayarde, Dame un Chance
Comments: Much stronger rap sound than typical reggaeton artist with more serious themes and a tendency to sound belligerant, yet the musical basis is solid and displays sometimes surprising complexity. Calderon is also an artist whose works offend many people.
Tito "El Bambino"
Real Name: Efrain Fines Nevarez
Home Base: Puerto Rico
Web Site: www.titoelbambinoonline.com
Representative Albums: Top of the Line
Representative Hit Tune(s): Caile
Comments: Emerging young artist who is establishing his solo reputation after a long period of collaboration and background performance. His limited discography belies the depth of his talent and experience.
Wisin y Yandel
Real Name: Juan Luis Morera and Llandel Veguilla
Home Base: Puerto Rico
Web Site: www.wisinyandelpr.com
Representative Albums: Pa'l Mundo, El Sobreviviente
Representative Hit Tune(s): Llame Pa'verte, Rakata
Comments: True workmen of the reggaeton revolution, they are remarkably prolific and are among the most popular reggaeton artists performing today.
Vico C
Real Name: Luis Armando Lozada Cruz
Home Base: New York
Representative Albums: Desahogo
Representative Hit Tune(s): Saborealo, Maria
Comments: Not really reggaeton, but more of a pure latin hip-hop artist, he nonetheless appeals to reggaeton artists, collaborates with them, and is viewed as a reggaeton path blazer. Give and take though: Vico C has been a big winner in increased visibility with the rise of reggaeton.
Other Highly Regarded Reggaeton Artists...
Many of the budding young reggaeton artists aren't household names yet, and your best bet to get exposure to their stuff is from some of the myriad compilation discs that are coming out almost daily. There are a few artists who I think have significant albums, but that I don't regard as being truly "top rank" artists of the genre, or whose albums I simply don't intend to review at this time. Some of these may well become big names as the genre further matures. They're also good names to start with if you want to poke around on CDUniverse or Amazon and find more reggaeton albums, or if you want to get a jump on what I'll talk about in upcoming reviews...
Aventura - Gods Project
Tony Touch - The Reggaetony Album
Nicky Jam - Vida Esconte
Eliel - El Que Habla Con Las Manos
Hector "El Bambino" - Sangre Nueva
Julio Voltio - Voltage AC
And of course, there are dozens, if not hundreds, that I've never heard of because they're local artists working in the streets of San Juan, New York, Los Angeles, or Santo Domingo. These guys will always represent the cutting edge, and you might be able to catch a taste of their stuff on some of the local reggaeton radio stations that are popping up. Here in Houston, we have Mega 101 KLOL, which is predominantly reggaeton, but also bachata and salsa. In New York, you have La Kalle 105.9 and 92.7, in a format of mixed reggaeton and latin hip-hop.
Digging Further...
These are but a few of the reggaeton artists out there. You can find out more about these and many others by poking around on a few of the reggaeton fan sites out there (never underestimate the power of a Google search).
Start off with:
* www.reggaetonline.net (english)
* www.mundoreggaeton.com (spanish)
* www.perreoradio.com
And while you're off exploring your own backwaters of reggaeton, I'll be queuing up a couple CDs for the next part of the series...
EXPLORING REGGAETON: The Series...
This has been Part 2 of a 10-part series exploring the roots, heart, soul, and future of the reggaeton style. Stay tuned as we delve deeper into the works and influences of the artists who are forging the new flavor of urban latino music, and seeing it spread to unexpected corners of foreign genres. Here's where we've been and where we're going on this musical journey...
Part 1: Rise of a New Urban Power
Part 2: Movers, Shakers, Players, and Names to Know in Reggaeton
Part 3: Conceiving a New Style, El General and the Panamanian Nexus
Part 4: Defining the Boundaries, Tego Calderon and the Puerto Rican Claim
Part 5: A Star Is Born, Daddy Yankee Fought the Pop Machine --- Yankee Wins
Part 6: Machisimo versus the Feminine Ideal, Ivy Queen in a Male-Dominated Genre
Part 7: Heard in the Streets, Wisin and Yandel Give the People What they Want
Part 8: Scrappy Young Punks, Alexis and Fido and the Good Fight
Part 9: A Prophet Pointing the Path, Don Omar Today and Tomorrow
Part 10: Little Kids, Big Kids, and Explicit Content: an Ongoing Controversy
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