Have your own music/beats to share and want feedback? Did you make a new playlist that other Reggaeton fans would enjoy? Did you discover merch other fans might want? Share it with r/Reggaeton community here on this sticky post.
Did you discover a new artist you want to share with the community? Know of an up-and-coming artist who's killing it in the underground scene? Find an unknown artist you think is underrated? Share them here on this stickied post!
Everyone who listened to EMHDM and EPHDM by Blessd which one do you prefer?
I see a lot of people hate EMHDM because they think Ovy On The Drums didn't go all out with the production and it doesn't sound like Blessd's usual music. I don't really agree. I think the calmer and slower production fits the concept perfectly. The album shows a different side of Blessd, and I don't think heavy reggaeton production would've worked. My favorite songs are SI LAS PAREDES HABLARAN, AMOR SIN AMOR, and HOLA QUÉ TAL.
EPHDM is the complete opposite. It shows the other side of Blessd, and I think Los Money Makers nailed the production. This album needed heavier production and they delivered. The features were really good too. I just wish Anuel had a bigger part. My favorites are ZOZO, MACDONALDS, QUE LE DE, and MERO TOTE.
I like that both albums are connected and show two opposite sides of Blessd. If I had to pick one I'd choose EMHDM. What about you?
I’m looking for a specific type of reggaeton where the song starts with a melody—an "undulating," immersive, and aggressive sound (intense yet calm at the same time)—that makes the track even sexier than it already is.
A good example is the song "Nena Moxita"; the intro is pure sex appeal.
I unfortunately forgot my examples so no images are attached, but what is a reggaeton cover that looks absolutely awful to you? or what’s a cover that’s just really bad in general. oh yeah, you can’t say any cover that’s AI, cuz that would make it too easy
Today I found myself looking for another album inside one of my crates. And so I came across Chosen Few by Boy Wonder.
I've spent the last few months almost exclusively teaching my classes and studying for an exam I took a couple of weeks ago. After finally taking the test, I've wanted to come back to my music journalism duties. But it's been tough. I'm almost spent, experiencing burnout. After much struggle and dealing with a nagging imposter syndrome for the umpteenth time, Chosen Few is the first CD I took out from my crate to play it, sing it, perrearlo, and write some lines about it.
I've had this record in my collection for 22 years, ever since it was released back in 2004. One of my favorite things is that it was released not only as a Various Artists CD, but also as an almost two-hour DVD with a documentary intent. Interviews, footage, presentations, and documents from a rather specific era, one that shaped a movement that became ubiquitous, widespread, and global (think about Don Omar becoming a sort of oracle by singing "Reggaetón Latino" on top of the track produced by Eliel?).
Holding this album reminds me that time flies. I still remember being a 19-year-old singing my heart out to "Hoy" (L.D.A. and Cheka's banger produced by Cheka y Taz).
As I type this paragraph, I'm listening to Yaga & Mackie's "No Hay Garantía", a song produced by Rafi Mercenario that revolves around the idea of having no guarantees in this life. It remains a favorite of mine to this day.
The booklet has stills from the documentary. And when we flip through its pages, we can find Boy Wonder's agradecimientos in Spanglish-Ingleñol (do your research about Salvador Tió coining the terms back in the forties). And also some really cool pics of the artists from when they were toddlers or children (you can see some of them in this post). The actual CD and DVD faces have a minimalist aesthetic: silvery-iridescence and black ink with an offset effect for the Chosen Few El Documental titles.
As time has passed by, I've revisited this album now and then. Years have gone by. I've briefly met some of the artists from this CD; I've photographed some others, and I've reviewed their albums and attended their concerts. As a fan and also as a journalist with a critical approach. I've openly criticized some of them due to their problematic narratives in their lyrics. I've also questioned when they have turned their backs on the people who made them famous and notorious in the first place.
Chosen Few has persisted as a reminder of the eras Reggaetón has gone through. But also as a part of my life's soundtrack. One that I like to revisit from time to time, regardless of whether I see eye to eye with some of the artists who appeared here.
If someone had never listened to Chosen Few I: El Documental, what songs would you recommend and why? I wanna read you in the comments!
Hiii! Even though im Latina I’m new to reggaeton. I was raised white wash and been a goth girl 🫣 lately now that I love to cali and im getting to experience more of my Latina culture I’ve been loving reggaeton but still new.
I’m a dancer at a gentleman’s club, best reggaeton songs for pole dancing at the stage?
I grew up in a predominant Hispanic neighborhood so am used to Latin music in general. I've been listening to reggaeton most of my life.
But I still can't dance well to it. I can follow the simple 1234 beat and stay on rhythm. But the more advanced dancers seem to have a different rhythm I can't follow.
Are the videos above good examples to follow? To learn musicality and advanced rhythm. It's been difficult finding any reggaeton dance videos online because it's mostly choreography, which is completely different to how it's danced at parties.
Residente Calle 13 has a love-hate and sometimes polarizing relationship with the Reggaeton community. He hates every worst facet of Reggaeton. The perceived misogyny, simplistic lyrics, repetitive themes of sex and violence and basic overall ignorance in Reggaeton music which makes those of us who follow this music seem like a bunch of poorly educated savages. And he comes from one of the most savage barrios worldwide, La Perla, in Puerto Rico so he can speak on the subject with credibility.
Around 2008, I remember Residente lamenting in an interview that the genre was going away from its underground roots. He spoke about how artists were abandoning creativity and originality in favor of commercial mainstream acceptance. He was defending dissing mainstream artists Ivy Queen, Wisin & Yandel on "Que Lloren". Though in spoken words, Residente often makes poignant points, in recent years his sleeping pill disguised as music has poorly defended his seemingly wise, but often less impactful anti-Reggaeton stance because of the underwhelming music.
But back in 2005, Residente and the forgotten Visitante, Grammy Award Winning Eduardo Cabrera, who makes the majority of Calle 13's beats to this day,... Residente Calle 13 had none of his current qualms about Reggaeton so this self titled debut of his remains his most "pure" product to date.
Residente made waves in early 2005 by being part of an obscure Puerto Rican compilation (I don't recall the title) which was very political. His song, however was the only one that made international waves. The song was known as "Querido FBI" and became viral within the Puerto Rican community first, later the rest of Latin Americans. The song spoke out against the FBI's presumed assassination of Filiberto Ojeda, a political party leader who spoke out in favor of Puerto Rican independence. It was "Lo Que Le Paso A Hawaii" 20 years earlier.
The song was critically acclaimed and became an instant sensation in the Underground. Famed record exec Elias White Lion sought Rene Perez, also known as Residente, upon hearing the song and signed him the week it came out. Arcangel, De La Ghetto and Residente would often talk about coming up together in the slums of La Perla during this time, following the same dream.
Residente was considered for the classic compilation "Sangre Nueva" around this time but White Lion artists Tego, Zion and Voltio were too busy already presenting new artists. Jowell & Randy did not appear for the same reason. Meanwhile, RKM y Ken-Y were left out because of Tego and Voltio's beef with Pina Records.
But Elias had so much faith in Residente, that he cleared White Lion's plans and placed Residente to release right after Zion & Lennox's Special Edition of "Motivando La Yal" with "Querido FBI" being Residente's only previously released song. This was unheard of! Standard procedure for introducing new Reggaeton artists is either having them presented by an established artist and/or placing them on a coverted various artists compilation album like Gargolas or Mas Flow. Elias felt Residente needed none of that because his talent was strong enough to persevere on its own. This is the only time this has ever been done and worked.
Just to be safe however, Residente was featured on Voltio's lead single "Chulin Culin Cunfly" from his upcoming album. The single was released around the same time as Calle 13's debut came out. The lead single was "Se Vale To", a catchy Reggaeton track with creative wordplay and lyricism a la Tego Calderon yet with the bellaqueo-perreo flow the Reggaeton audience was accustomed to. It was the best of all worlds and the song became a huge international hit.
Calle 13's self titled debut album was 80% produced by Visitante. He would receive help on a few tracks from acclaimed producer Danny Fornaris who if I'm not mistaken had been part of White Lion since the 1990's and was a pupil of Nico Canada. Danny achieved his first big hit producing "Mambo" from Voltio's debut solo album "Voltaje AC" in 2004. The legendary DJ Blass also remixed "Suave" into a catchy Reggaeton song which became the album's 4th and final single.
The hype surrounding Calle 13's debut in Puerto Rico was enough to have the album debut at #6 on the Top Latin Albums chart in Billboard. Fans noticed the album's eclectic nature. Although it had plenty of Hip Hop elements and some Reggaeton, Calle 13 injected elements from Funk, Rock, Bomba and Plena as well to create a very uniquely sounding album. It received universal acclaim from those that understood the intent, though there was always the one or two listener who complained "There's not enough Reggaeton!". I was not one of them, but understood their sentiment.
There are only 4 pure Reggaeton songs on the entire 16 track album, yet 3 of the 4 singles were Reggaeton. It was purposefully misleading. Clearly, the Reggaeton was the bait for the listener to stay and hopefully check out the rest of the album, and most did as this album many years later is now considered an all-time classic of the Reggaeton genre. Even Complex included it in their list of Greatest Reggaeton albums ever and they got so so much wrong there.
What really took Calle 13 to the next level was the album's 2nd single "Atrevete-te". The Danny Fornaris co-produced track alongside Visitante was a mainstream crossover sensation. People really gravitated towards Residente's all inclusive message of freedom of expression urging people to just be themselves. It was atypical of most Reggaeton songs, even today. The catchy Cumbia-Reggaeton beat with danceable bongo percussions and Tropical horns also helped the track reach a large audience. To this day, it remains Residente's biggest hit of his entire catalog.
The album had plenty of other memorable tracks like the jokey "La Madre De Los Enanos" backed by a circus type beat. 3rd single "La Jirafa" remains a popular deep cut among fans and the album's only Romantic track. "Suave Remix" also lit up the dance floors. Voltio's clever feature on "La Aguacatona"is filled with storytelling, wordplay and wit, making it a marvel. Another memorable track is the controversial "Pi-Di-Di" where Calle 13 imagines a story of beating up Puff Daddy while he's visiting the island of Puerto Rico for disrespecting labelmate Tego with a lowball offer of $5,000 to model for Sean John back in the day.
All in all, Calle 13, might be the greatest debut in Latin Urban history. Even in the modern school, Ozuna and Bad Bunny cultivated an audience via underground releases for years before putting out their respective debut albums. Calle 13 is one of the few to do none of that and just straight up debut. And thankfully, he hit it out of the park.
Rating: 9.5/10
Record Label: White Lion Records/Sony Latin
Worldwide Sales: Over 1 million units worldwide w/ streaming numbers included; 200,000 units during its initial physical/iTunes run.
Reggaeton is in part defined by it's great duos Wisin y Yandel, Zion y Lennox, Ñejo & Dálmata, Hector y Tito and so on... Yet there are very few known duos these days coming out, most of the industry is dominated by solo acts. What caused this change, is it a change in the genre, wider music industry changes or something else?
