Origin

Rebeca Hernandez Mendoza

Regueton was born in the late 80s and early 90s as a cultural and musical mix that developed mainly in Puerto Rico, although its roots also come from Panama.

Its roots in Panama

In the 80s, Panamanian workers of Jamaican origin took dancehall and reggae with them in English.

Panamanian artists began to translate and sing reggae into Spanish, giving rise to «reggae in Spanish».

Figures like El General were pioneers of this sound.

Development in Puerto Rico

In the early 90s, in Puerto Rico reggae in Spanish was mixed with more urban rhythms such as hip-hop, creating a new style. There emerged the famous «dembow», a repetitive and characteristic rhythm that defines reggaeton.

In the underground cassettes, artists such as Playero, DJ Negro, Daddy Yankee, Don Chezina and Vico C began to popularize the sound.

In the late 90s and early 2000s, reggaeton already had its own identity:

Dembow beat + rap and singing in Spanish + street or danceable lyrics. Songs like Gasolina (2004) boosted the genre worldwide.