sjIntroductionThis blog attempts to contextualize contemporary reggaeton by tracing the trajectory of its iconic dembow loop. After giving a short…May 14, 2019May 14, 2019
sjThe Second Whitening of Dem Bow: Spain’s Reggaeton, Dancehall, and Hip-Hop HybridWhile we’ve seen that reggaeton is distinctly rooted in radical and technologically innovative musical practices of Afro-Caribbeans in…May 14, 2019May 14, 2019
sjPuerto Rican Underground: Hip-Hop Meets ReggaeIn the mid-80s, prior to the creation of the dembow riddim, DJ Negro and Vico C of Puerto Rico began creating underground mixtapes on…May 13, 2019May 13, 2019
sjThe Loop That Stuck: Dem BowAt the foundation of almost reggaeton song is the unmistakable two-bar “boom-ch-boom-chick”. The immensely recognizable kicks and snares…May 13, 2019May 13, 2019
sjReggae en Español: Translations and TranspositionsWith a distance of just about 1,000 km between them, Panama and Jamaica have had a long history of interaction. While migration to Panama…May 13, 2019May 13, 2019