reggaeton

I love salsa and merengue. I love son. I can enjoy tango, even if I can't dance to it. I love Mexican rock. But I just cannot get into reggaeton. BOOM-thump-thump, BOOM-thump-thump. Am I getting old and lame? Or is reggaeton truly a mediocre form that is doomed to the trash-heap of music history?

 

Reggaeton has been failing for the same reason rap has been failing over the past few years. So many artists are coming out to saturate the market without any real talent. There are too many reggaeton artists out now that it is becoming like "snap music" of rap (ie; Soulja Boy).

 

One of my summer roommates was Puerto Rican and played reggaeton almost constantly. I kidded him that it was Ricky Martin on crack.

I thought it was OK. I'm not big into the rap scene, either, so some of it was lost on me. We traded. We'd listen to his music and get drunk one night, then mine the next.

 

For those who don't know, it's a Caribbean-Hispanic music style that is the most popular form of music for US Hispanics under 25, even if they're Chicano or of non-Caribbean Mexican origin. It has Dominican and Cuban and even Mexican and Venezuelan influences, but it's my understanding that it's basically a Puerto Rican (boruca) style. It's not similar to reggae. Much more similar to African-American hip-hop. But it all sounds the same to my semi-old white ass. BOOM, thump-thump. BOOM, thump-thump,.

 

Start listening to alternative country.

 

Dancehall, mon. Dancehall.

I was lucky to cover/photograph dancehall shows galore during my 6 months in Jamaica. Some of the best music that ever pumped me.

 

Pallister, I have BR-549 and Whiskeytown out the ass. I am way into the music of my own people. It's just that I generally enjoy Hispanic music as well, except I can't bring myself to enjoy reggaeton. Guess I'll just drink Jameson and rock out to Willie and Waylon and their younger heirs.

Xan, dancehall is reggaeton in English, basically. It really isn't all that great if you're not high.

 

Well, it shows how much I learned there. Anyhoo, I was in the highest stratosphere then; you could buy bushes of the sticky for 20 bucks. Man, just thinking of some of those arm-length fatties brings about a smile. Good times.

 

I would listen to Phil fucking Collins if it involved a Jamaican spliff.

 

I never thought of country artists as my own people, but I see what you're saying.