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Reggaeton is a very popular music style among Latin American youth, especially in the Caribbean, whereby it is gaining on popularity in Europe, mostly in Spain. |
Reggaeton has a very catching rhythm, at the same time movements are very sensual and even erotic.
Synchronization in Reggaeton rhythm
The rhythm of reggaeton is strongly characterized by repetitions. Different songs often have such a similar rhythm that one gets a feeling of hearing the same tune over and over again.
Synchronization underlies reggaeton becoming the basis for the majority of its songs. The impulsive rhythm has finally created the typical reggaeton dance, known as Perreo.
Reggaeton lyrics
Reggaeton lyrics are usually written in such a way to make them catchy and easy to remember in order to increase the recurring effect. The texts are mostly not very complicated and, as a result, easy to remember, so they do the job. The vocabulary used is usually filled with slang and expressions used by the youth, that may be funny or serious, depending on what they are trying to communicate.
The themes, that reggaeton dealt with at first, were mostly socially critical, some form of demonstration against social deficiencies. As time went by, the themes got more commercialized, but the lyrics remained relatively simple and understandable. The main theme in reggaeton is sex, while in some cases it is only mentioned in discreet allusions, in others it becomes explicit.
Critics viewed some lyrics as macho and even sexist. Of course, not all of the lyrics are so controversial, there are also sentimental love songs the give reggaeton a romantic touch, for example: "Aunque te fuiste" by Don Omar, or "Tu príncipe" by Daddy Yankee feat. Zion y Lenox, or "Dile Mar" by Divino.
Singing Reggaeton and the role of DJ
Further peculiarity of reggaeton music is singing. It often sounds high-pitched and electronically contorted, creating a slight echo that emphasizes particular words.
The voice of performer is very important in reggaeton, it is almost as important as the tune itself. The work of DJ, who mixes the music, is just as important as that of a singer. The success of a reggaeton song depends equally on the harmony between DJ and singer as well as on the memorability of the refrain (for example, "La Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee).
The importance of a DJ is so great, that the singer often mentions his name before performing the song he mixed.
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