REGGAETON - THE STORY SO FAR... | FLY | LATIN AMERICA: FEATURES

November 10th, 2004. The Madison Square Garden. The ‘Megaton’ Festival is sold out and heaving. The dark, proud and irreverent faces of 40,000 new generation Nuyoricans, Dominicans, and African-Americans savour the moment. America’s most important venue is about to stage the biggest ever concert of a rhythm that came from nowhere, invented by young DJs for their young audiences in the heart of the Caribbean, thousands of miles away.

“The upper class is guilty of the corruption that is killing my people, with no shame of getting money all the way”
Vico C on the upper class and politicians

Their parents and grandparents came to the land of dreams and cleaned offices for white middle class America, while their music vanished into specialist collections or was processed into jingles for Sex and The City. But now its pay-back time. Reggaeton ’ the new Latin fusion of Jamaican dancehall and ragga, with heavy rap influences and spiced with every other Caribbean rhythm under the sun (salsa, bachata, merengue, reggae, bomba) — is making too much noise across America to ignore.

If you’re feeling poetic, you could call reggeaton a homage to the first Jamaicans who were taken to Panama in the early 1900s to build the Canal, and paid the price in blood and tears. These canal workers were also the first to bring the sounds of Jamaica to the Spanish speaking Americas, planting the seeds of the first reggae in Spanish. The strong connection between Panama and Jamaica lived on and in the early eighties, El General, a dude in a white military suit, with tassles of his shoulders and shades, was the first Panamanian reggae star to gain international recognition.

Meanwhile, in the ghettos of New York, black brothers — whether Jamaican, Puerto Rican or Afro-American — had long been swapping their rhythms and sounds; while salsa was being left up north, hip hop and ragga were being brought down south. In 1993 San Juan, Puerto Rico, a club called ‘The Noise’ was the place for young Puerto Ricans to go and freestyle and rap over instrumental hip hop and dancehall-ragga tracks. DJ Negro the resident DJ of the club, released The Noise Vol. 1 in 1994, The sound was raw, with fast beats and heavy bass. A couple of years later, DJ Negro hooked up with a Panamanian DJ called Chombo and they released Los Cuentos de la Cripta.

“Money can buy the law in the South (PR) or in the North (the States). They think luxury is life and that’s why they crush anything in order to get money”
Vico C

Mainstream record labels were not interested in the new material coming out of Puerto Riuco and Panama and radio stations boycotted the albums, criticizing their lyrics for being violent and vulgar. After the unlikely success of The Noise series (they kept releasing albums, 10 so far), a Puerto Rican entrepreneur, Raphy Pina, decided to try his luck with the new music and funded Pina Records. He signed almost every MC-DJ-Producer in the scene. Vico C, Big boy, Baby Rasta, Gringo and Don Chezina to name just a few and had their videos shown on TV stations and their music played on some radio stations.

Even with the lack of production resources, the quality of the music and what it was saying shone through and began to spread on its own. If it was violent, that was only because it reflected the dehumanizing effects of poverty and institutional racism — a reality that Latin America’s poor never chose but have endured for decades.

“If your boss gives you a gun to kill and be a thug, that is not a friend, that is a dictator…Stop the shootings, our ghettos need peace. Stop the shootings, we don’t want killing because the crack dealings”
Vico C on Violence

It is no wonder that by the late 90s reggaeton had become the music of the Latin American underclass, whose condition was the same in Colombia and Venezuela. The music came straight from the barrios and it was about the life in it.— the harsh reality of gang fighting and the consolation of friendship and love were the main themes of reggaeton lyrics. While salsa was the music of a generation who had believed in ideals and romance, reggaeton is the music of a generation hardened by disillusionment.

A Panamanian generation, for example, that suffered being bombed by Bush Sr.’s Operation ‘Just Cause’ in 1989 (killing 4,000 people in one raid on the Jamaican neighbourhood of Chorrillo) just because its President Noriega wouldn’t let the Americans station Contra troops there to fight the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.

People still criticize reggaeton for its vulgarity. And sure, there are groups who focus on escapist booty-gazing element of it, especially now that there’s money to be made. But the real pioneers of reggaeton, and the most loved, are those who speak truths from the heart such as Vico C, also known as the philosopher. His musical career tracks his own story from malandro, to heroin addict, to prisoner, to father and self-reformer. His frustrations, his anger and his struggles to find peace and sanity reverberate in every son who has grown up in a Latin American barrio. The white racist establishments all over Latin America could not listen to the reality lyrics without feeling the urge to judge. Neither did the political messages against corruption of the white political class and its racism make them feel comfortable.

“Government, stop playing silly, if we are talking about crime, you well know you are masters, you taught me. Under which moral are you going to judge me, if the more you criticise me is because the more involved you are”
Tego Calderon on politicians

In 2000, an MC with a unique flow, husky voice and hard hitting lyrics started getting noticed. Tego Calderon was his name. A black man from the ghetto of Carolina in San Juan, Tego released his first album El Abayarde in 2002. It got mixed reviews, again criticized heavily by media and music critics. The album sold 250,000 on the tiny island with no promotion.

He was soon being invited by 50 Cents to record the remix of P.I.M.P and with Cypress Hill he recorded ‘Latin Thugs’. In 2003, he opened concerts for Sean Paul and his tunes were in Tony Touch’s legendary mix tapes. In the autumn of 2004, the multimillion sellers N.O.R.E (from Nore and Capone) decided to go back to his roots. He started listening to reggaeton in New York’s Latin clubs and wanted to do something for the music if the young Latinos, so he released ‘Oye Mi Canto’, featuring Nina Sky and Tego. The single burned the American charts and became the first crossover reggaeton hit, opening the door for the others to come. At the same time, Tego was also recording the remix of the now world hit ‘Lean Back’ by Fat Joe. He also did a cameo appearance in the video.

“My only crime is to make music, and it’s legal and you are treating me like a criminal, as if I was dealing with cocaine crack”
Tego Calderon

So it is official, reggaeton is the hottest rhythm in the streets of New York and Miami. Its popularity in the continent has grown massively with the first artists from Cuba, Colombia and Venezuela already getting airplay and promotion in their countries. Those who thought it would fade out have been proved wrong.

Multinationals’ Latino A&R men, who were busy nurturing the clean cut white Latinos like Ricky Martin because they didn’t like the waythe likes of Vico C looked, what they said, how they sounded, or what they wore, were missing the musical point all along, and are now missing the $$$. Since the boom of salsa in the 70s, no other Latino music has created such an impact in America’s music industry.

But success has not yet distanced the likes of Vico C and Tego from their roots. Tego still resists being signed to a major label (he insists only on major distribution deals). “I ain’t trying to be employee,” he says. “I have worked too hard to build what I have, I have never been a good employee, I don’t like anyone telling me what to do. Yup, I lose millions but I keep my freedom.”

“You said we rappers are a bad example for the kids, how can you say that if you are the ones stealing our money and go about unpunished?”
Tego Calderon

More recently, Tego even gave Puff Daddy a lesson in staying real after the latter offered Tego the chance to appear in his Sean John ad campaign. The Puerto Rican turned down the offer after learning of Sean John’s alleged involvement in Central America sweatshops. As Calderon told the press, “I can’t say in my songs one thing and then personally be something else. Forgive me, but I don’t need Time Square, I don’t need Billboard. I am not trying to conquer white Middle America. I already won the hearts and respect of those who I wanted to win- mi gente Latina, my people, the streets, my black brothers and sisters.”

Through Tego and his predecessors, reggeaton is giving a young generation a new confidence and platform to express their ideas and musical talents, as well as allowing them to criticise the system in a non-violent way.

Other Important MCs
Tempo: probably the most popular MC of the underground. He went to jail just after reggaeton made it big. He is due to be released sometime this year.
Eddie Dee: One of the most gifted MCs in Puerto Rico. He was the first one to help Tego Calderon. His albums are classics
Julio Voltio: A Calderon’s protégée, his just released record is the hottest in the streets of Pueto Rico and NY — one of the best rappers around.
Lito y Polaco: duet who have been on the scene for a long time. They have a beef with almost everyone in the industry.
Nikky Jam: very popular MC. Hector y Tito: the most popular duet of rappers until their recently split.

Other Players
OJ Black (MC), Magic Juan (MC), Mickey Perfecto (MC), Luni Tunes (Producers), Noriega (Producer), Eliel (Producer), Maestro (Producer-MC), DJ Nelson (Producer), DJ Pablito (Producer), Aldo Ranks (MC), Guanabanas (MCs), Ekko (Producer), The majestic (Producer), DJ Goldy (Producer) Yagga y Makie (MCs), Zion y Lennox (Mcs), Wisil y Yandel (MCs) and DJ Blass (Producer).

Classic Albums
Vico C: Aquel Que Había Muerto & En Honor A La Verdad
Tego Calderon: El Abayarde
Daddy Yankee: El Cangri.Com & Barrio Fino
Yaga Y Makkie: Sonando Diferente
DJ Nelson: Flow la Diskoteka
Eddie Dee: Los 12 Discipulos
Ivy Queen: Real
All Star: Vol 1 And Vol 2
Varios Artist: La Conspiracion and La Conspiracion Volume 2
Julio Voltio: Voltaje

This piece first appeared in Bulb, a great new magazine with a serious attitude, tons of style and the seeds of capitalism’s destruction in its pouch.

ok. i’m a new fan of reggaeton and i don’t speak spanish. i know its a disgrace. and im about to embarrass myself and upset a lot of you but i’m going to ask what the title of a song is, and all i know is how part of it sounds…but i don’t know the spanish words.

its a guy and a girl and the girl part in the chorus sounds like.. “I say da puppy I say”..something something

if you have any clue what i’m talking about, please let me know what the song is called and who its by.

my email is newandimproved2121@yahoo.com

just don’t be a psycho and email me all the time.

Latin Flow @ Cargo August 17th
Candela UK, City Soul, Bulb Magazine and Amnesty International present
Latin Flow.
Reggaeton is officially the sound of the summer, and the pioneers are
back, Latin Flow brings 2 of the most exiting new talent in London’s
thriving Urban Latin scene. Criolla, the beautiful young female MC-Producer-Musician who is talking the scene by storm. She started with
Latin Clan and now she is one of the driving forces of the movement. Also
Introducing Cuban Reggaeton artist Leximan, who’s album is due to be
released later this summer. Also Special guest DJ Loco from London’s most
popular Reggaeton act La Raza.
Djs: Jose Luis, Cesar R plus Special Guest DJ Loco
Reggaeton.co.uk has a reduced free guest list for its London supporters,
for more info email info@reggaeton.co.uk
Resident DJs: Jose Luis and Cesar R.
Latin Flow will be at Cargo, 83 Rivington St, Kingsland Viaduct,
Shoreditch, London EC2A 3AY
Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street –Old Street
www.cargo-london.com
Date: 22nd of June
Doors open: 8pm
For guest list and enquiries: info@reggaeton.co.uk
Tickets : £5 concessions £4
www.reggaeton.co.uk

I realized again that u english write about shit u have no idea of. (I am PR, Pana and Cuban from NY, living in Miami btw.) Reggaeton is simply the product of people who are totally culturally, morally and potlitically lost. Salsa was cut down into the formulaic, stagnant salsa romantica BS by record execs and the powers that be. The new wannabes of Reggaeton have no understanding of the complexity of Reggae’s origins nor did they want to by Black Panamanians music. After failing to sell Spanish rap the companies repackaged this shit (which ironically was first popular in PR among middle class Puerto Ricans on the island). Now we have a music that sells our identities to a “wanna be black but not quite” people in a commercial form that shows very little if any originality. Frustrated Hip Hop types can now reject two out of three parts of their heritage like Tego in order to be down and to impress pasty face English writers with their big bad blackness… The rest of the Spanish Lil’ John bunch can just recycle badly imitated reggae beats over translations of 50 Cent lyrics… This sure ain’t a revolution.

u a disgrace mother fuker thinkin u can come up talkin bout puerto rican music when ur only a part puertorican not even half, an from ny u not even from the island an u wanna talk shit like u know wat we facing over there im 100% pr an from the island an u dont know nothin tego is representing a side of his race an u hating jus cause he black so stop bein ignorant u think u smart but go tell a puertorican from the island that an watch how u gonna get slapped up go talk bout ny whea u from an stop talkin bout us like u from the island an are a part us

recien llegue a Londres hace un mes..vengo d paris.ahi todos los latinos son bien unidos…yo siempre estuve frecuentado la fiestas de reggaeton d mi amigo DJ paulito,q gracias a dios todo le esta iendo bien porq en junio salio su compilacion total reggaeton y q tuvo un exito muy grande en francia…extranando a todo eso me puse a buscar donde podria encontrar lo mismo en londres…lo mas pronto posible seria lo mejor..digame please.thx

Alexandra,
Comparte contigo sobre la gente latina en paris, pero no hay un real movimiento pa’que estan tan lejo del calderon, de los barrios latinos que no mueve…me fue en paris, y he encontrado a paulito que c$*+*#! me faltaba lo respecto pa’que soy negro! verdad!

U pr guys think u r american and that u r part of us but u r really not. what bothers me is that u guys think u r better than us dominicans and u don’t even have a flag. what r u really, latinos, pr, american or just puppets? what do u think u r better than us, u guys don’t even know how to speak spanish, yo don’t even speak English. I’m mad at you guys because you think you are better than us and you are not, we have better ball players, better music, we have a flag, we speak better spanish. Remember not every dominican is willing to get on a boad and to pr hoping to get to the us, just remember that.

Albert
Santo Domingo

yeaaaaaaa….reggaeton!!!
so fuking hyped and dancable!!! the shit you hear nowadays is nothing compared to this! finally reggaeton has exposed it’s self internationally and people are seeing the light!!!
i only jus started to get in2 it….but, my whole life started in s.america! no latina….btw, living in shitty england!!! but yea..spent my summer hols in s.america wiv family…always gettin in2 the music! reggae n salasa in2 a mixed typa music! wat can get ne better???
loving it..shake ya asses ppl!!! dnno bout ne of u guys but heard of “reggaeton boys! ??? weelllll i’ve seeen them!!!not all tht rlly…..
wanna tlk mo or jus get in tact mail moi !!!

tasha@ganja.ac

viva el reggaeton es lo maximo pa lante apoyen este genero, viva el sandungueo, el perreo, el mamboteo, sigan guallando y blinbliniando,ya que esto es la vida riel,pero eso si sin ser guasa guasa, viva el reggaeton,
josy de venezuela

yo i’ma tell it lik dis all ya fly niggaz wanna talk to that bangan azz shorty hit it up at scooby_chick37@yahoo.com if you a FRONT do’nt hit me up ya other niggaz ya know what to do. o yeah yo dis reggaeton page is gangsta iight wads good!!!!!~1~

First of all, I like that little peace of reggaton music. Congrats to those who have been in the game and finally the genero is getting some play.

It’s sad to know that Puerto Ricans are really taking this reggaton stuff as if it was their own. There is a history true, but this is not the right one.

Reggaeton comes from Reggae (Jamaican) it was updated with a faster beat than Dance Hall Reggae. This was done in Panama. Where there was actually a display of good MCs. They manage to do a faster beat on reggae and call it Spanish Reggae because the lyrics where in Spanish. Reggaeton was a slang word use to describe the song or just the rythm. Back then it was hard to find this type of CDs. Reggaeton was a huge hit in Panama, and Central America specially in Guatemala and Honduras. There is a saying that if you’re from Guatemala or Honduras you’re born knowing how to dance Punta and Reggae now reggaeton. Puerto Ricans did not come in this picture until seven years ago the most. Vico C, Baby Rasta y Gringo were some of the first spanish rappers to mess with reggaeton. They can even tell you that they were trying to make it as rappers not as reggaeton artist. Reggaeton was huge in it origin country
Panama and others like Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, España, Republica Dominica, y desde lugo Puerto Rico. The only thing Puerto Ricans singers have done is that they have conmercialize it. In a way is good, but due to singers like Daddy Yankee, Kris y Angel, reggaeton has lost it’s flavor, it’s roots, it’s underground feel. The pain of the barrio, the pain of the poor. The lyrics have no context. Now any reggaeton artist that is coming out will come and stand in front of crowds because of a song dedicated to party. They will stand and pretend they know about reggaeton, thinking reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico. It’s sad this artist are taking credit for what they didn’t start, artist like Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Tego Calderon, even Vico C does not throw it back to it’s orginal roots. I know an artist that does take it back a lil but yet sad cuz does not mention the real roots this is Gringo.

This are artist that I personally admired but they are taking the goods and running with it without given credit to the real roots and not taking it to who it belongs too. There is a lot to say about it but we’re working with the original underground reggaeton artist from Panama and we’ll hit you guys up with some thing new in reggaeton and teach all this so call reggaeton artist that are running their mouth saying reggaeton started in Puerto Rico. If you don’t think so, look at the most recognize artist in the past of reggaeton “El General” He was someone we didn’t even consider a reggaeto rapper but he put it out there and comercialize most of his songs. where is he from Panama.

Estamos trabajando y como lo hizimos antes vamos a segir haciendo musica del barrio, de las verdaderas razones que se viven, las liricas, el dolor, las alegrias y tistezas que brinda solo la musica en la pobreza.
Espernos muy pronto, no en la radio, no en la television, en el underground because that’s where reggaeton started!
one

bueno mi gente latino yo soy angie conocida como la diamante yo vengo del underground buscando un sitio para llegar ser rappera son muchas las persona que no quiere ayudarle a uno pero eso a mi no para mi deseo de ser cantante en esta vida para toda la gente que tiene este deseo no pare por nadie siga hasia delante. Yo busco el lugar y persona que me puede ayudar no es facil pero hay a seguir buscando. Mi lirica son de la vida como las lagrima que uno derama y el sufrimiento que la gente tiene en su carazon,tambien canto de baile y pereo pero mas en la pobresa. espero que cuando leas esto esta conmigo la gaent en esta vida necesita ayuda no solo de cantar pero de sus vida tambien u.n.i record estara ayudando a la gente esto sera en lancaster pennsilvania te dare mas informacion lugo solo $15 dolare a la hora como lo oye $15 dolare si quieres ser cantante yo te ayudare u.n.i records tiene las puerta abrieta solo para mi gente numero de telefono es(407)641-2199 mi nombre es angie pregunta por el esturio adio

que vuelta mi gente ?

so theres all these people jumpin & screaming for the genre thats actually been around along time…
nando boom, el generali, el rookie, tomaya da crew…

and tha Boris are holding it down and repping the latino beats on a global scale…

but if you like this thing they callin reggaeton but wanna slip outside the over commercialised loops of Daddy Yanky Don Omar et etc

then check out serious reggaeton from the ghettos of Santiago de Cuba

www.trespeso.com
peep some videos at
www.jusspress.com/guabo

Paz para todo
Palante en esa genre…

HOL@ SOY DEL

PEEERUUUUU◘◘•

Y PIDO QUE DADDY YANKEE

SEA EL MEJOR YA

Q SOY UNA DE SUS

FANS TENGO TODO DE

EL Y TODO MI BARRIO

LO ADMIRA CON CARIÑO

Y RESPETO EL ES EL

IDOLO DE TOD0OOO

PERUUUUUU••◘○♣♠☺☻♥☻☻

ES PORESO Q YO I MI BARRIO Q QUEREMOS Q DADDY

SEA EL MEJOR DE TODOS

Y OJALA SIGUA ASI DE REYYY

DEL REGEEEEEEETON…

pero pol’ my dios que forma de espresarse de la gente en este site, la gente no se da cuenta que cuando escriben, escriben mucha mierda pero puneta, esta gente que ni sabe que es el dembow de este flow y se pelea uno por ser mas huele bicho que nada, verdaderamente la gente debe de parar de pelear y empezar a apoyar al genero, asi que compren sus cds, vallan a la disco y comienzen a bailar que yo estoy mas arrebatao’ que sato que soy, shout outs’ pa’ my gente de San juan, P.R a la perla my caserio, saludos pa mi gente de Queens, NY ya voy pa’ ya bro’ esperame en la cas con un plato de arroz con gandules. BYE

tienen que salir los originales nando boom, ness y los sensacionales, el general, sam the reggae man, renee renegado, jam y suppose, chicho man, renato cual vi en vivo en concierto en el teatro balboa en panama en 1985. estos buoys han hecho esta arte, spanish reggae (reggaeton) desde 1983 en panama, y traer los ritmos mas originales que los loops que se pasan sonando ahora que se repiten desde que falo salio con pram pram. la da mercy. que sopa?

Estoy de acuerdo Lionel, estos artistas tienen que regresar al stage, por que la calle quiere reggae. Mira yo naci en Panama y escuchaba todos esos artistas, Una cancion favorita mi era: Llega navidad y yo sin ti en esta navidad, pregunta quien sera, pregunta quien sera, el chichoman el que te pone a bailar el chichomam. Man memorias. Miren el mundo se esta preparando para mi proyecto, Mi album va estar listo en la primavera del 2006, se los traigo directamente desde las calles del sur de los Estados Unidos, siempre manteniendo mis raices de Panama, y mi influencia Jamaiquina. Les voy a traer “Fuego Pa’ La Calle” por que las gentes alrededor del mundo no importa de donde eres me lo estan pidiendo. Mirenme en www.el55.com Get ready Barrio

If you don’t speak Spanish, check me out at www.el55.com
They called me The Reggaeton Don or The Dirrty South Reggaeton King. New album coming out Spring 2006, Much lov 4 everyone making it or for all that are trying to make it. REGGAETON IS HERE 2 STAY! WE AIN’T GOIN’ NO WHERE. Check out “Sangre de Campeones” a song written for the World Champion Boxer at of Little Rock, AR Jermaine Taylor, and it also describes me, “A Classic World Champ.” I bring nothing but real life stories. I represent HoodTech. Also check me out at hoodtechpro.com

I don’t know what the bruhaha is. It’s really nothing more than rap-like lyrics placed on top of a samba beat. Just like most of hip-hop is placed on top of a cha-cha beat.

I can dance a samba to most reggaeton songs …

(First Of all I gotta Say that My nationality has nothing to do wif What I’m gonna Say!!!!!)

REGGEATON IS ORIGINALY FROM PANAMA!
NOT FROM PUERTO RICO LIKE DEY SAY IT IS.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE MUSIC PUERTORICANS MAKE IN FACTS I REALLY REALLY LIKE IT.

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PUERTORICANS GETTING CREDIT FOR SOMETHING THEY COPIED OF PANAMENIAN ARTIST LIKE EL GENERAL & ALOT OF OTHER ARTISTS.

I’M NOT SAYING PANAMENIANS DO IT BETTER THAN PUERTORICANS
WHAT I’M SAYING IS THAT IF THEY MAKE THE SAME MUSIC…

WHY R ONLY THE PUERTORICANS GETTING ALL THE CREDIT?????

hey im from venezuela but liv in da uk bn into reggaeton for about a yr n a half now n i really wanna kno if they do any concerts in da london area?? wud b soooo kwl if ne1 cud help me out….spesh if its latin clan coz dey venezuelan!!! or even if it aint a concert a club or somethin but under 16’s :( not v.easy 2 find now is it…. thx lot lov n peace 2 all da latin ppl in da uk.

don’t let it dry up…….
reggaeton is still in germination stages for most of us outside the USA and Latin America, pero ja
Palante….

if you wanna some New Stuff out of USA and PR you can stream my show from
www.basefm.co.nz every Tuesday 10pm till 12am
****Auckland NZ time****
I also play alot of Cuban Reg8ton you won’t get any where…. online or elsewhere !!!
Unless you go to Stgo de Cuba.

you can peep what we upto @
www.trespeso.com
peep some videos at
www.dropshots.com/guabo

some more MP3’s and pix at
www.myspace.com/trespeso

ja
tu sabe
Guabo

Debido a las despistadas informaciones acerca de los inicios del Reggae en Español que circula en la Web, el sr. Edgardo Franco “El General”, se decidió en brindarnos la información de los verdaderos inicios de este genero que se ha introducido tan fuertemente en la cultura musical Panameña, esta información sustenta de manera sólida y contundente que Panama , es y seguirá siendo la “Cuna del Reggae en Español”.
Esta que presento es la primera entrevista y espero que no sea la última, para enriquecer la enciclopedia de la historia del Reggae Panameño.

Capítulo 1
La Genuina Historia del Reggaeen Español

El Reggae en español, se inicia en el año 1977, con “Guyana” un inmigrante guyanes que introduce por primera vez el ritmo de Reggae a tierras panameñas que junto con el “dj”Wasanga de la capital inician en tierras panameñas el movimiento de El Reggae en Español y el brillante camino de este nuevo género.
Despues de esto surge tanto en la ciudad de Colón, como en Panama el nacimiento de nuevos interpretes y un nuevo movimiento de aceptación de este nuevo estilo musical, llegandose a realizar , las primeras presentaciones de Bandas de Reggae en Vivo tanto en Colon, en el sector de “La Playita” y en Panamá en Rio Abajo, lo que era muy natural pues en ambos lugares residen muchos descendientes de inmigrantes caribeños, siendo la cuna de de este movimiento con los primeros interpretes de Reggae como “Rastanini”, “Calito Soul”, y “Wasanga” , organizadas por el Promotor Juan Bass.
La primera producción de Reggae en Español en Vinilo la produjo Renato en 1978 con temas como “Radio Bemba”, “Mariguana”, y “Critica”.
Las Primera Competencia de Reggae entre Grupos de Reggaeseros de Panamá y Colón, se realizó en el “Teatro Río”, de Río Abajo, Ciudad de Panamá, en el mismo se presentaron los grupos “Bachuto” de Parque Lefebre, Original”C” , Renato y las 4 Estrellas (como dato interesante diremos que uno de sus integrantes era Edgardo Franco, conocido hoy como “El General”, todos tocaban con el instrumental que cedía el profesor Edgardo Maloney.
En esta competencia de Reggae ganó el grupo Original “C” y segundo quedó el grupo de Renato, lo que hace que Edgardo cumpliera su promesa de “raparse” el cabello.
En 1978, los lugares donde se podía escuchar y bailar este nuevo género era en el Rancho Grande, en la Discoteca “Disco Machine” y en el Jardín “El Compa” de Pedregal donde se presentaba Nando Boom todos los fin de Semanas.

Despues de ver tantas informaciones en la Red de historias del Reggae en Español, tan deformes e inexactas nos vimos en la obligación Don Edgardo”El General” de traer una recopilación histórica que no pretende decir que es la absoluta verdad, pero que se acerca mucho más a esa verdad , comparado con la información que circula en estos momentos por la red.
Despues de haber leído varias historias del Reggae en Español, donde sugieren muy “sutilmente ” claro que sin decirlo directamente pero si “sugerirlo” que el Reggae Panameño, como el Regetón nacieron por “Generación Espontanea” en el año 1982, como hermanos gemelos, lo que ya nos indica que esta historia es totalmente falsa, pues nada nace de repente todo tiene un inicio.
Como podemos examinar en esta historia el movimiento del Reggae en Español, nace del seno de la sociedad afroantillana de Panama, que acoge este ritmo como herencia y patrimonio sociocultural de su raza y que poco a poco va enraizandose en el resto de la sociedad panameña tomando nuestra identidad y personalidad sociocultural, de ahí su caracteríaticas criollas del idioma español.
No es el caso del Regetón que si surge luego como una nueva moda, de la aceptación de la musica que llega de Panamá a la Isla, y que interpretes de “dance all” y “hip hop” como Vico “C” buscan luego interpretar, entonces podemos decir que el Regetón se deriba del Reggae Panameño, y nunca fueron hermanos gemelos .
Eso no nos importa ni nos incumbe, pero el hecho que quieran deformar nuestra historia del Reggae en Español, si nos importa y por supuesto que nos incumbe a todos los Panameños.
Pues estamos plenamente orgullosos del Reggae Panameño, un reggae con historia, identidad y personalidad autenticamente Panameña …..

En lo personal, no me interesa para nada la historia del Regetón, lo que no podemos aceptar, es que quieran ahora convertir al Reggae de Panamá como hermano gemelo del Regetón cuando en realidad el Regetón es una derivación o estilo que sale mucho despues precisamente del Reggae de Panamá, y para eso están deformando la verdadera historia del Reggae en Español y del Reggae Panameño , lo que no es aceptable.

Aquí te dejo el site sobre una de estas historias distorcionadas del Regetón.

http://www.reggaetons.com/historia.htm

PANAMÀ 9 DE ENERO DEL 2007…

Fecha de la “Gloriosa Gesta del 9 de Enero”…

www.reggaetons.com/historia.htm

I honestly have to say fuck anybody that says fuck reggaeton. And also fuck anybody that is bitching about where reggaeton really originated from. It’s music that is supposed to bring all latin people together, not tear us apart because they feel someone is getting credit their not supposed to. People don’t see that this is what brings down the black and hispanic community and brings up the white society. Who the fuck cares if someone is born in New York and can’t speak spanish. If they have spanish blood that’s all that counts. Come on people it’s our heritage. I live on the island of St. Croix and my dad is from Puerto Rico and my mom from Spain. And here we are always showing our spanish culture proudly. People have puerto rican flags in their car, beaded chains with the flag of puerto rico, clothes, etc. So who the fuck cares if you’re not 100% of a certain race. Nobody in this fucking world is. So why not just enjoy the music and finish with it. You all spend too much times arguing about pointless shit. Reggaeton is something good for spanish souls, just like louisiana food is soul food. We finally have something big that we are being recognized for. Please praise it and don’t bring it down for stupid shit. We are all supposed to be one. FUCK THE HATERS!!! PEACE OUT!!!! BORICUA DE PURA CEPA Y ORGULLOSA :)

I really think that the panamanian people should be proud of the fact that spanish reggae was create in panama by their west indian antcestors, i’m african american and I go to panamanian night clubs very often and I see young and old panamanians dancing to reggae and soca in spanish and in english. Spanish reggae, reggaeton I don’t care what you call it, it is panamanian identnity. Puerto rican reggaeton is good , but give the props when the props are do,but lets see some pamis on mun2. Puerto ricans don’t lie to your self and think just because you gave this music a name that it belongs to you,its 100% panamano.

Yo I cant even argue about the origin of reggeton cuz if you havent guessed by my name,im boricua y panamena.But i just wanna say to that mamaguebo that said all that sh*t about reggaeton,mira aqui,wtf you mad at us 4 just cuz your cousin wanna be a dumb..

I have a question to the reggaeton fans out there, is the panamanian artist lorna dead or alive. there are rumors on the internet saying she died from using drugs. I hope that is not the case, if so I will truely miss her, can someone write back to me and tell me that this is not true and that lorna is alive and well!!

How, can you guys listen to that trash, I can’t stand reggaeton. It’s the same fucking rythm over and over and over, god damn! I don’t care where it came from, it still sounds shitty to me. Its like reggae mixed with bull@#$%

Hi, I was wondering if someone could give me Information on Big Boy (Boricua), Does he have a Fan Club???? I enjoy his Music my EX- Boyfriend was the one who introduced his(BIG BOY) Music to me, when we were very much in LOVE, Especially the Song he Didicated to me when we got in a HUGE fight “MIS OJOS LLORAN POR TI” We Lasted for 6 YEARS on & off, his Familia didn’t like me for the reason I’m Divorced and have 3 Teens & he is 5 years younger. Now it’s me dedicating this song to HIM, and that he lost someone good (ME). I here this song repeatally on my CD player same song over and over. He paid more attention to what his Familia was saying. The song says nunca te fui infiel But I know he did & denies it, But I want someone to help me & give me Big Boy’s Fan Mail. Thank U very much for Ur help.

Hello can someone help me in giving me BIG BOY’s (Boricua) Fan Mail or E-mail Address,, My E-mail address’s are Elbamojo@IXP.net or Elbaconejo1900@yahoo.com One thing I want to make clear is I wrote another message earlier please don’t think wrong about me about the song “MIS OJOS LLORAN POR TI” I never cheated on him (EX) The only good thing I ever did was LOVE him and respect him. Remember his Familia Fueron la Causa de que no fueramos FELICES.

REGATTON is here to stay, for ALWAYS & FOREVER, Arriba Los Boricuas’ y todas Naciones, Que VIVAN los Reggaetoneros & keep up the Good work. Arriba LATINO 96.3 in California my Bumper Sticker is on all the way. Keep BUMPING that reggaeton music.

I loaned a BIG BOY CD to a male friend and he never returned it back, what a mess up, now I can’t find that CD in stores, can someone help me in linking to Big Boy’s Website, Fan Mail, or E-mail address??? Thank You. CookieConeja from Downtown LA
Elbamojo@IXP.net
Elbaconejo1900@yahoo.com

Can anyone tell me were I can purchase panamanian reggae artist kafu banton music at,I went on line and in music stores and found nothing I’m a big fan of his lyrics.If anyone has any information please post on this website thanks

Greetings from reggaeton’s number one fan.Before their was a El general,a Don Omar,a El roockie,there was the father of reggaeton Leonardo ” renato ” Aulder.better known as renato I’m going back 21 years 1985
Renato the west indian out of panama song his reggae lyrics in english and in spanish, so if you are in to history and want to listen to the one who started it all, go on line and order his cd. there is one thing for sure I’ll always be a fan first!!

i think reggaeton is being sold as this latino pride type stuff when its really from jamiaca.true reggae is not being given the attention it deserves.the dance moves,slang and style you see in the reggaeton videos have been done for many years by reggae and hip hop artist.the latinos have took a liking to it and translated everything in spanish know the call it”reggaeton”.in california reggaeton has gotten real big.you see mexicans wearing cornrows and braids in there hair,calling each other nigga!dayum!do blacks get credit for any thang!!!!

u dumb ass!!!! tego calderon adn don omar, Andy Boy, Lito, and almost everyone in the regageton game is either black or mulato, what do you think Latino means?? it means being a mixture of black, white and indian and if the mexicans brothers like calling each otehr nigga, that’s their own business. veryones knows reggaeton has its roots in Jamaica..so what??? Everyone has mad love and respect for the big reggae legends and the newest dancehall starts,
so your comment is ignorant and pointless…or i will tell my mexicans brothers to beat your sorry ass!!!!

Greeting from reggaeton’s one fan.I was just in looking in my archieves and i happen to come across 1991 dancehall reggae en espanol, we talk about the divas of today Lorna , demphra ,and the original rude girl ivy queen, but did you known the divas of yesteryear the real rude girl out of panama, el general cousin, La Diva out of hondorus and the puerto rican out of new york city Lisa M. These women lade the ground floor for female reggaeton artist of today, I just wanted to give respect when respect is do and in this case these true divas get my atmost respect,and as always I’ll be a fan of this great music first!!!

I seriously do not know how this music got spread worldwide, and I think its really stupid that all of a sudden there is a reggaeton radio station on the radio. How dare they call it latino 96.3 , what latino? This station is full of nothing but lame mexican artist who can’t come up with any new rythms, except for boom chi boom chi boom, over and over. The lyrics to this music is horrible, and have no meaning. Talking about getting with some chick then dumping her ass for another, and gasolina? WTF is that? Some kind of metaphore only people like you get? I’m not racist, but I seriously don’t get this music. All these people I know in school, all they would talk about is the partys going down in some old alley in a friday night. This music is spoiling the so called Latino youth.

like i said!reggaeton takes alot from hip hop such as the styles,slang and the dance moves.you get a hip hop or reggae beat with spanish lyrics,everybody calls it reggaeton.you go to any club espesically in the south or jamicia you see the black girls dropin and shakin it like its hot.but when the latinos do it all of a sudden its a new dance called the perreo.anybody thats seen the hip hop videos over the past 10 years knows these styles where copied when you see a daddy yankee video.all reggaeton is latinos imitating black urban culture and selling it to other latinos who might not have been exposed to it.so if you have an r&b beat and you put spanish lyrics to it,is it r&b or latino r&b?its r&b!its just being introduce to a population who might not have heard it before.its still a black musical artform.just like if a black artist put lyrics to a salsa beat.its still salsa.

Success has many avenues unfortunately none of those avenues cross through the Dominican Republic and Panama. Puerto Rico has infrastructure due to many intangibles! Panama, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, due to political exploitation and the lack of education. Have been complacent and lethargic accepting and subjecting to poverty, a life of harshness, and lack of fundamental resources. That is your problem not mines, since your country has such a difficult time evolving and constituting equality to its citizens you should utilize your energy and revolt not hate on P.R and its musical success. Reggae started in West Africa, and the slave trade of the Dutch during the 14th century brought interludes of the music to various trade ports in the Caribbean! It is not my fault that the musical guru’s of Puerto Rico have elevated this music with its own rendition of Reggaeton our prototype of this music that has many cultural and traditional sounds that our native to the Puerto Rican community. Our Puerto Rican style mixed with our customs and our marketing efforts have elevated this music to un-envisioned heights. Irregardless, if you like it or not it is what it is.

Chicago Style Boriqua.
Big Eddie Uzi

El NENE DE PONCE.

Big Ed.

Down with reggaeton and its horrible messages being spread to the Latino youth. I’m gonna start a walk out(protest)going against reggaeton, ima send a letter to the congress, and a request to completely wipe this nasty, god damned music off North America.

Big Ed I feel you 100% with regards to the pioneers and the pay off for the work. Although I feel as if your answer to that ignorant comment was like killing an ant by dropping a crane on it. That difference between our two cultures was something I didn’t see in DR when i lived there. I came to see that here in the US. PR and DR in the US is becoming something like the bloods and cripps back in the west coast, when the bottom line is we are still considered rice and bean eating spicks!!!

Nel…
Hierro Negro/Black Iron
HierroNegroEntertainment@hotmail.com

http://www.myspace.com/mipunto
http://www.wu-tanglatino.com

How can you call “music” this piece of shit where you don’t even use an instrument to create, but computers.

Music, real music is what us Cubans have created and contributed for over 100 years such as Son, Guaguanco, Bolero, Danzon, Mambo, Pilon just to name a few…what some ignorants call salsa and attribute it to puertoricans which was really created by Cubans.

Ok about your reggaetton what is the big deal about this crap that idolizes gangster playing tough, singing to puertorican whores, and puertorican tecatos…….yeah you think you are strong and you think you are the shit….you are the shit working as a security guard or as a garbage collector while us successful Latin Americans (CUBANS)listen to real music and have a bright future.

What is your future regaetton? drugs, ignorance, foster children, welfare, gangs…hahahah yeah but you now think you are bravo? Fucking ridiculous clowns with your oversized polyester made in china cheap clothes..FUCK REGAETTON AND FUCK THOSE IGNORANTS THAT LISTEN TO THAT GARBAGE…YOU ARE WHAT YOU LISTEN JAJAJA

Hey Musical Ignorants,

Since you have access to the internet let me give you a homework. Search where the clave, bongo, congas, timbales, and tres musical instruments where created?

When you finish doing that tell me what musical instrument “your” reggaetton has contributed to music, but remember your whores and drug junkies don’t count as contribution jajajaja….you have become MY BITCHES YOU FUCKING REGAETTON NO FUTURE BASTARDS.

u are probaly one of thsoe ignorants right wing cubans form Miami, arn’t you and u are also probaly blankito, i can smell ur white sorry ass miles away. When u talk about all your musical heritage and all the bulshit that u cubans always bring up when u feel u were were left behind, u should read a bit of your own fucking history fisrt.
U are right when u said all those instruments come from cuba, so what? what’s ur point, England invented Football and Boxing, and they don’t have the champs , do they. Cubans invented son, well the best singers are from puerto rico and venezuela (ask your dad how many sorry “soneritos” oscar d leon defeated when he played ij Cuba in the 80s)
Also if you really listen to ost of teh lirycs of early son, they are not talking much sense anyway, and they idolized violence and drungs as well, you dumb ass. U ignorant fuck,, did u know that Chano Pozo got killed by his drug dealer as he did not want to pay a debt he got from using heroine…he is considered the greatest cuban Conguero and one of the greates cuban musicians ever. i could teach u a bit of your own history, but i won’t bother, still do a little research before u go on forums and start talking rubish.
What has reggaeton given to latinos, well it has given a sense of pride, second it has increased the sells of latin music in the states and all over the world, saving an industry that was destined to die off. it ahs also given the chance to singers-producers from poor backgrounds of having a little chance of making it in the record industry and earn money, but as ur mum and dad pay school fees for you, so u can concentrate on writing post about things you know shit about on the net, u never have problems putting food on your table.
So if u thought we became ur bitches, think again papi ‘cause if we ever met in jail i am sure you would be washing my underwear and sucking my cock.
So now go back to your brillinat future as a dumb-ass-Bush-follower white ignorant cuban piece of shite and live the rest of us having fun with the music we like…and by the way ask your cousins in Cuba what they are listening to, or if your dad a Bahia de Cochinos defeated veteran who does not allow you to talk to your poor relatives back in the island…

Hola a todos,

Soy cubana y me encanta el reggaeton, al igual que la salsa, el merengue mambo, la bachata y el hip-hop, entre otros géneros musicales.
Y quiero decirles que en mi Cuba el reggaeton està muy de moda que hasta los niñitos y viejitos lo bailan!!! Y hay muchos grupos de reggaeton cubano que han surgido, lo que no tienen los medios para grabar ni darse a conocer,-(

Bueno mi gente, a seguir perreandooooooooooooooo!!!

Mi gente q viva el reggaeton y si quieren bajar musica de reggaeton de gratis visitenos en www.rompe-rompe.tk tenemos lo mas nuevo en reggaeton y mucho mas visitenos aqui www.rompe-rompe.tk los esperamos el reggaeton el lo mejor q hai no se olviden de visitarnos

bueno mi gente … kiero opinar ya k atravez de kas noticias y de mucha gente eh oido como kieren ensuciar el nombre de los reggeatoneros de puerto rico algo k no me gusta , por k nunca se fijan en lo k hacen los demas solo en ello s das bull shit ! pero nwayz sigan hacia adelante y k les importe un comino lo k digan …. dont talk shit if u dont kno wut da hell ur talkin about

Greetings from reggaeton’s number 1 fan. Tonight I want to talk about the dominican born but panamanian raised demphra, one of the lead singers of the hot group La factoria. This young lady in my opinion is the queen bee of the spanish speaking world, her lyrics are so hot and she gives off that agressive vibe. I think she’s going to have a great future in this business I would also like to see her do more solo albums!! As always I’ll be a fan first of this great music!!!

as a person having jamacian blood i say that reggaeton is a compliment to reggae music. damian marley said that the best form of flattery is imitation and i have 2 agree. I say that black folk have been holding down for a long time and that it’s time for the latino people to make a name for themselves. Black folks have created jazz, hip hop, reggae, funk r and b and more. Not to mention that we fought for all minorities to have equal rights in this country. Basically what i’m saying is that black people should stop hating on the latino people because our culture is the basis for the latino culture and if they like our culture so much that they use it as their own with their culture mixed in we should be honored. All my latino people stand up and do what u do and all my black people continue to do the same.

I read your article & it was cool but when are gonna let your people know about the overall pioneers..You mentioned the P.R pioneer that came after the originals.I love that P.R got the torch making the art popular but at the same time you not letting the originators eat..I saw Vico C in concert & he is the only one that always admits that Panama wa the originator..The Rookie will be out soon under your famous Loony Tunes then we will see the movement***

hola soy nicaraguense me fascina el reggaeton y mi cantante favorito es el cangri DADDY YANKEE ese papacito esta bien ricote estare en primera fila el dia del concierto. un beso DADDY YANKEE. MUUUUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH. .

para mi el reggaeton no es un mal ejemplo para ninos. muchas personas dicen que eso es malo pero no lo es. para mi reggaeton is the best why because i like it. espero que los rappers sigan adelante co su musica les deseo mucha suerte.

I would like to respond to chino on tuesday May 9,2006, it will be history in the making when El Roockie joins Luney toones, this young panamanian artist is a legend in the making, I’m a african american born in the panama canal zone after both my parents left the army we move to colon, panama. I can say that latin reggae is panama and that latin reggae is central america. This move with El roockie will open the door to the truth to who really started this great music from the beginning of central america to the end west indians who have live there for over 100 years will be represented!!and as all ways I’m a fan first of this great music!!!

back in 96 I came home to Cali from Panama city with a cd called Spanish Oil. It was truly low tech “spanish reggae” and I remember all my friends being like- whoa, what the fuck is that?! the sound was ragin at clubs in Panama City, but only a few people i knew then cared about it- The side line on the Spanish Oil album was”From the underground with class”.
I think this is the point - this shit was underground and intended to stay that way. Who cares what the puerto ricans have done with Reggaeton…it was underground in Panama- and thats the true flava … but hey, times change, think of the blues, motown, hip hop, rap etc. - all ripped from the heart and commercialized!

Well really and trully i don’t know why people fight so much if we r all latinos at the end of the day..

Reggaeton is bringin the word LATINOS up in da world and we all should just work together instead of fight eachother as it happens a lot in London..

I am the owner of Latin unit (www.latinunit.com_ just 19 years old and been in this country (england) for 3 years but i have seen how much people here fight even that they come from the same cities or countries…

But well keep up everyone and remember to allways help ur brodaz the latinz wherever you live and wherever u come from cuz us the ones that live outside our beautyfull countries need to support eachother and bring up our raza and show the worl latinos r together so maybe one day goverments like the US can be knocked down and my people try and see a bit more far than ur noose as there is so much going on with our people.

Peace.. take care y’all and bless you. LaTiN UnIt Bringing the Latinz togeda!

Greetings from reggaeton’s number one. I think its time for us to put on the boxing glubs and lets see who has the better artist El chombo vs. luney tunes.In this corner you got papi chulo’s lorna and in this corner you pobre diabla’s don omar,lorna knocks don out con dos chulos!! and in ths corner you have jimmy bad boy and in this corner you have tego buckwheat jimmy got him with an upper cut.Mi gente panamano god bless you!!

primero que todo admiro esta musica me saca de las penas, es lo maximo,las letras son muy buenas ,(aunque hay algunas palabras que no entiendo) pero bueno igual es lo mejor.
tambien quiero decir que el gran cangri daddy yankee es lo mejor, es filete de primer corte en sus canciones , aca en chile se escucha harto lo admiran en todo¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

me despido
chaoooooo¡¡ the chilean