The debate between Puerto Rico and Panama over the origins of reggaeton is a complex and nuanced one, rooted in the historical and cultural experiences of both countries. On one hand, Puerto Rico claims that reggaeton is a product of its unique cultural fusion, born out of the blending of Jamaican reggae, and dancehall with rap and hip-hop. On the other hand, Panama claims that reggaeton has its roots in the reggae en español movement that originated in Panama in the 1980s and 1990s.
Both countries have a valid stake in the claim of the origins of reggaeton. Puerto Rico, as a major center of Caribbean culture, has long been a melting pot of different cultures and influences, including those from Jamaica, Panama, Dominican Republic and the United States. This has resulted in a unique blend of music, including reggaeton, that reflects the experiences, struggles, and aspirations of the Puerto Rican people.
Panama, on the other hand, has a rich history of its own in terms of music, particularly in the reggae en español movement, which was born out of the Panamanian experience of living in a country where Spanish and English are spoken side by side. This movement was a fusion of Jamaican reggae and Panamanian rhythms, and it was characterized by the use of Spanish lyrics and a more upbeat tempo.
It is important to note that reggae en español and reggaeton are two separate genres, and that reggaeton is younger…having its roots in the rhythms, beats and melodies of reggae en español, Jamaican dancehall, and boom bap hip hop.
While reggae en español was popular in Panama, it was not as popular in Puerto Rico. However, the fusion of reggae en español with Spanish-language rap and hip-hop in Puerto Rico created a new genre that was more upbeat, more danceable and more appealing to the youth.
The significance of understanding the history of the genre is crucial to fully appreciating its impact on Caribbean culture, and to recognize the contributions of the people who pioneered it. It is also important to realize that without the influence of Puerto Rico, modern reggaeton would not be what it is today. It is a genre that has been shaped by the cultural and historical experiences of the Caribbean people, and it reflects their struggles, aspirations, and identities.
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Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico. It’s a fusion of Jamaican reggae and dancehall with rap and hip-hop at its very core. On the other hand, Panamanian reggae en español is a genre that has roots in the Caribbean country of Panama and Jamaica with Jamaican producers directly contributing and participating in the Panamanian genre.
The origins of reggaeton can be traced back to the 1980s with Vico C gracing boom bap hip hop instrumentals with a Caribbean flow and flare as his verbal delivery. Many younger artists in the early 90’s, inspired by Vico C’s style of rapping, began experimenting with Jamaican instrumentals or “riddims” that they would use instead of the boom bap instrumentals, sometimes going as far as to copy the flows of the Jamaican artists while translating the original lyrics into Spanish. This was known as “underground music”.
The first “underground” tracks were recorded by DJ Playero for the “Playero DJ” series in the early 90’s. A musical group called “The Noise” would also soon emerge, along a few other DJ’s that also made their own mixtapes (such as DJ Stephano, Nico Canada, and DJ Chiclin amongst others) to compete with the “Playero DJ” series. This competition of “underground music” would cause an explosion of hip hopped reggae instrumentals to permeate Puerto Rican culture in a way that had not been seen since the salsa movements of the past.
Panamanian reggae en español, on the other hand, has its roots in the 1980s, where Panamanian reggae artists began to incorporate Jamaican sounds and riddims into their music as the result of the heavy Jamaican migration and influence to the country. This new style of Reggae was born out of a need to create something that reflected the unique cultural identity of Panama.
In the late 1800s, the world’s most powerful people would embark on a grand endeavor to connect the eastern and western hemispheres through a massive waterway spanning from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Panama, with its location in Central America, was the chosen site for this ambitious project. The majority of the "man power" for this undertaking came from the Caribbean islands closest to Panama, namely Jamaica.
One of the most profound cultural influences to come out of this period was the fusion of Panamanian and Jamaican music. West Indians who stayed in Panama after the Canal's completion were determined to preserve their cultural heritage. It was in this context that reggae music from Jamaica began to take hold in Panama in the 1970s.
As reggae began to sink deeper into the hearts of the Panamanian people, Panamanian DJs began incorporating Jamaican riddims into their parties, often singing their own Spanish lyrics over the instrumentals. According to internet sources, one of the first (if not the first) spanish language reggae tracks was recorded in 1984 by producer Hernando Brin. Other Pioneering artists in the genre were El General, Renato and Nando Boom.
El General propelled Spanish reggae into the mainstream, paving the way for the emergence of Reggaeton.
While reggaeton and Panamanian reggae en español may share similar roots in reggae and salsa, they are distinct genres that reflect the unique cultural identities of Puerto Rico and Panama respectively. Understanding the history and origins of these genres but also their key differences is crucial in order to fully appreciate each style as its very own genre. This is to say that Reggaeton and Reggae en Español are not the same genre and they do not represent the same people.
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In the late 1990’s DJ Blass began to experiment with a new computer program for music making called fruity loops. DJ Blass began using spliced reggae drum sounds to make a new sounding reggaeton music that would become the base sound to modern, electronic reggaeton music as we know it today. The Reggaeton Sex series by DJ Blass paved the way for a new generation of mixtapes including DJ Nelson’s Flow, Boricuas NY, La Mision, amongst many more albums.
This new style of reggaeton gained popularity in Puerto Rico, the East Coast of the USA, and Latin America.
Panama had a rich history of its own with reggae music but this new sound of Puerto Rican reggaeton, with its heavy beats and catchy hooks, proved to be irresistible to Panamanian audiences.
The success of Puerto Rican reggaeton in Panama inspired a new generation of Panamanian acts to embrace the genre and make it their own. Rather than sticking to the more traditional sounds of reggae en español, these newer acts began to incorporate elements of Puerto Rican reggaeton into their music. This led to the emergence of a new style of music known as the "romantic style," led by artist such as El Rookie and Makano, which was a fusion of the two genres. The romantic style, which was characterized by its melodic hooks and romantic lyrics, quickly became popular among Panamanian audiences.
This new style of music not only helped to popularize reggaeton in Panama, but it also helped to establish the country as a major player in the Latin music scene once again. Today, Panamanian reggaeton acts like Sech continue to dominate the charts and are considered among the most popular acts in Latin music.
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Back to the late 1980’s and 90’s, Panamanian artists such as El General, Renato, and Gringoman were creating music that blended reggae and dancehall with Latin rhythms. These artists helped to popularize the genre in Panama and throughout Latin America. It wasn't until young Puerto Rican musicians heard the Panamanians doing it in Spanish that they realized they could do it too.
Puerto Rican musicians also brought their knowledge of how to sample from their hip hop background, which they used to "hip hop" the reggae sounds, creating the origins of what we would one day come to call reggaeton.
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It is clear that each country has played a significant role in the development and popularization of reggaeton. Jamaica, with its roots in dancehall, provided the rhythm and style that would heavily influence the genre. Puerto Rico, with its large population and music industry, helped to popularize and spread the genre throughout Latin America. Panama, with its own unique style of "reggae en español," helped to shape and influence the origins of the genre.
It is important to note that reggaeton is a genre that has evolved and grown over time, and that the contributions of each country have been vital in the development and popularization of the genre regardless of if you’re team Puerto Rico or Team Panama in this debate. Reggaeton is a genre that has been shaped and influenced by the contributions of multiple countries and cultures.
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The relevance of this debate, Panama vs Puerto Rico, is important in today's music industry as it affects the way people perceive and value the genre. Reggaeton has become a source of cultural pride for both Puerto Ricans and Panamanians, and it has made a significant contribution to the world's heritage. It is a genre that has brought people from different backgrounds together, and it has helped to break down cultural barriers. The music industry should recognize the cultural significance of reggaeton and the contributions of both Puerto Rico and Panama to the genre's development.
