Reggaeton
Reggaeton’s cultural roots emerged from Afro-Caribbean culture in Panama during the late 1980s and 1990s. Jamaican Dancehall and Ragga had been filtering into the country for years, but it wasn’t until Spanish Hip Hop production took off in Puerto Rico that the sound began to gel into a distinct genre, as opposed to Ragga or Hip Hop with Spanish vocals. The foundational riddim of Reggaeton can be found on “Dem Bow,” a production by Bobby “Digital” Dixon for Jamaican Dancehall singer Shabba Ranks. Variations of the seminal beat lend the music its digital bass and tom thump. Some well-known Reggaeton artists include Tego Calderon, Daddy Yankee and Ivy Queen.
