Reggaeton

Commonly considered noise, Reggaeton's reputation is off to a bad start here in the States. Close-minded english-speaking people with maybe two years' worth of high school spanish under their belt are quick to reject this new genre. Reggaeton evolved from both Reggae and Jamaican Dancehall music. So, it's a dancing genre, like the waltz or salsa or tango. Because it's a dancing genre, the beat is the same tap-tap-bass in almost every song.

Most people discard the genre based on that fact alone. And that's just silly, seeing as the ever-popular bubble-gum pop has the same boom-boom-tap beat. Which, when you think about it, sounds pretty similar to the Reggaeton beat. And for you ravers out there who also balk at this genre: Drum-N-Bass? Trance? Happy Hardcore? Boom-hiss Boom-hiss. HULLO! Trance is just as repetitive in it's beats as Reggaeton. I listen to techno, and that beat in every song I realized actually helps me appreciate the music AND slip into the trance the music was designed to make me. Reggaeton's beat does the EXACT. SAME. THING.

Next: Lyrics. Yes, some of them are sexist and crude. But let's face it, this is America, we can't even listen to Christina Aguilera's "Dirrty" without getting our panties in a twist. Also, Ludacris, anyone? Yeah, his stuff's pretty nasty, too. But you guys still listen to him! Oh yeah, Ying Yang Twins, Lil' John, all those idiots rap about fucking drunk girls brains out, regardless, "Get Low" is still played at every high school dance without fail. It's really easy to say that rap is sexist and crass and inappropriate. But it isn't completely. Usher, LL Cool-J, Ne-yo, P.Diddy all sing or rap about love or just clubbing and having a good time. Reggaeton's exactly the same. Just because Reggaeton's banner boy Daddy Yankee has a dirty mouth, don't dismiss the genre. Some of these guys (and girls like Ivy Queen) have good voices and nice lyrics.

So before you condemn Reggaeton, look up these artists:

Zion
Rakim y Ken-y
Don Omar
Hector El Father
Baby Rasta.

So before you condemn Reggaeton, look up these artists:

Zion
Rakim y Ken-y
Don Omar
Hector El Father
Baby Rasta.

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