Next came Chosen Few: El Documental II “El Tour”— the sophomore release. In addition to being the project’s executive producer, Boy Wonder contributed as a songwriter/producer/remixer, notably on the track “Revelacion: Chosen Few Remix” with Tempo featuring Getto & Reychesta Secretweapon.

Brooklyn-born Ruiz, the son of a Dominican/Puerto Rican single mother, grew up hearing Michael Jackson and the Beatles along with the traditional “Bachata” from the Dominican Republic. His first production credits were in the late ’90s with underground hip-hop artists and remixes.

As Boy Wonder expands on the reggaetón genre in Chosen Few III: The Movie, he expands on his music and entertainment empire, Chosen Few: Emerald Entertainment. His sensibilities and the ever-inclusive currents he creates are a prime force in uniting Latin and urban hip-hop into a living musical mélange, the cultural blending pot that symbolizes the ongoing evolution of modern music.

Name any top reggaeton artist — Ivy Queen, Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderon, Hector “El Father” and Tito “El Bambino” — DJ Nelson has worked with them all. There are virtually no facets of the music world that he hasn’t touched.

The veteran got his start in 1992 as part of The Noise’s (one of reggaeton’s earliest clubs) production team. As a producer, Nelson began working with such artists as Baby Rasta and Gringo. He also helmed DJ Nelson Presents Reggaeton Live: Vol. 1, a pioneering collection of the nascent genre’s music.

Nelson subsequently founded production company/label Flow Music and, with his plate full, he looked for new DJs and producers for company. Among his discoveries: now superstars Luny Tunes and Noriega.

Flow Music has released a number of very successful compilations. Additionally, the Flow brand includes Nelson’s nightclub, Flow La Discoteca, as well as his clothing line, Flow Wear and Flow sneakers.

Seeing a need for an outlet for reggaeton, Nelson set his sights on launching a radio station that would broadcast across Puerto Rico. He and radio DJ Coyote bowed The Mix 107.7, which, in short order, because one of the island’s most popular radio stations.

In 2006, Nelson signed an administration and co-publishing deal with EMI Music for his DJ Nelson Music Publishing and Nelflow Music Publishing. Among his recent productions is Calderon’s 2006 Atlantic album The Underdog/El Subestimado.

Within his genre, Don Omar is expanding the rhythmic reach of his beats beyond jackhammer predictability just as he elevates his themes with conscious messages. Beneath his boldness lies a deeper subtext, one of uplifting spirituality and determination inspired by, as he put it, “the real king of kings.”

This spirit is a through line in his life: Born William Landrón in Villa Palmeras, Puerto Rico, Omar was previously a preacher at the Fuente de Agua Viva church in Bayamón. Although he eventually departed from the pulpit (a matter he addressed in his song “Aunque Te Fuiste”), evangelistic fervor was a hallmark of his music. From the sanctuary to the streets, Omar joined the growing reggaetón movement and hooked up with Héctor el Bambino (now know as Hector El Father) of the popular duo Héctor y Tito, producing and writing songs for the pair, and eventually collaborating vocally on “A la Reconquista.” With his solo hit “Desde que Llego” in 2002 and the release of his own CD, The Last Don, he rode the rising reggaetón wave, just beginning to crash ashore into the lucrative stateside market.

His debut featured extensive production work by Luny Tunes and Eliel, two of reggaetón’s preeminent hitmakers, and showcased two massive singles, “Intocable” and “Dile.” Omar scored further hits with Luny Tunes on their compilation albums Mas Flow and Trayectoria, but his break, “Reggaeton Latino,” came from the Chosen Few compilation. The Latino pride anthem hit just as reggaetón was exploding across the U.S. urban landscape in the summer of 2005 and was so popular that a bilingual remix and a video — only the second reggaetón song with MTV airplay in the States — was created with preeminent Latino rappers N.O.R.E. and Fat Joe.

Don Omar’s inventory of accolades includes a 2006 BMI Latin Award for “Pobre Diabla,” and Latin Pop Album of the Year, New Artist and Latin Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year from the 2003 Billboard Latin Music Awards. The platinum-selling live version of The Last Don was also nominated for Urban Music Album at the 2005 Latin Grammys.

Omar is mounting a multi-million dollar King of Kings tour, a massive stage production complete with elaborate pyrotechnics and full-blown theatrical and dance elements. In the dazzling, over-the-top show, at one point Omar emerges in a white suit with a full-length, hooded cape to deliver a fire-and-brimstone sermon, “Predica” (Preach), that neatly brings his career full cycle.

Omar’s impact on reggaetón is now extending outside of the studio and stage through his recent partnership with UMBRO, a globally recognized football brand to launch the Don Omar Casual Clothing Collection. Foot Locker in the U.S. and Puerto Rico is distributing the line of urban clothing.

A complex artist and a sterling songwriter, Don Omar drives a shifting style with both bravado and substance. As reggaetón outgrows its adolescence, the thoughtfulness and inclusion of Omar may well be a signpost of what lies ahead for the urban market’s fastest growing genre.

Songwriter Of The Year Accolades Go To Wisin & Yandel, Francisco Saldaña “Luny” And Manuel Eduardo Toscano

‘La Tortura’ Takes Song Of The Year And Ringtone Of The Year Awards; EMI-Blackwood Music Inc. Named Latin Publisher Of The Year

BMI held its 14th annual Latin Music Awards tonight, with top honors going to BMI Icons Los Tigres del Norte; Songwriters of the Year Juan Luis Morera Luna and Llandel Veguilla Malavé of duo Wisin & Yandel, songwriter/producer Francisco Saldaña “Luny” of producing duo Luny Tunes and corrido master Manuel Eduardo Toscano (SACM); Song of the Year “La Tortura” written by Shakira and Luis F. Ochoa; and Publisher of the Year EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. Hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Assistant Vice President, Latin Music, Delia Orjuela, the awards were held at the Venetian Resort Hotel in Las Vegas. The black-tie dinner honored the writers and publishers of the past year’s 50 most performed Latin songs on U.S. radio and television.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation and musical tribute to legendary norteño group Los Tigres del Norte. Honored as Icons, they were presented silver BMI Icon buckets for their “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” The longest-running and most influential Norteño music group in the history of the genre, “Los Jefes de Jefes” (“the bosses of the bosses,” the nickname affectionately given to them by their loyal fans) are renowned for their “corridos,” which depict timeless stories of the Mexican people and culture as well as the lives and struggles of Hispanic immigrants in the United States. They join an elite list of previous BMI Icons that includes Juan Luis Guerra, Carlos Santana, Crosby, Stills & Nash, James Brown, Dolly Parton and Brian Wilson.

The group was honored with an all-star musical tribute. Mexican pop singer Reyli performed “La Puerta Negra,” Regional Mexican singer-songwriter Mariano Barba covered “Ya Te Velé” and Latin pop singer Christian Castro belted out “Golpes En El Corazón.” Los Tigres themselves also jumped up onstage to perform a medley of their songs for the standing-room-only house.

BMI’s Songwriter of the Year title was a four-way tie, shared by Wisin & Yandel’s Juan Luis Morera Luna and Llandel Veguilla Malavé; Francisco Saldaña “Luny” of production duo Luny Tunes; and Manuel Eduardo Toscano. The four-way tie represents the first BMI Latin Award for each member of this elite cross-section of Latin hit-makers. To earn this honor, all four writers contributed three songs to the top 50. The Puerto Rican Reggaetón duo Wisin & Yandel and acclaimed producer “Luny” of Luny Tunes co-wrote “Llamé Pa’ Verte ‘Bailando Sexy’,” “Mayor Que Yo” and “Rakata,” which were all hits for Wisin & Yandel. Premier Mexican songwriter Manuel Eduardo Toscano’s award-winning corridos — “La Sorpresa,” “Señor Locutor” and “Socios” — were signature hits for Icons Los Tigres del Norte.

“La Tortura” took home BMI Song of the Year and the inaugural BMI Latin Ringtone of the Year honors for its two songwriters—international superstar Shakira and Luis F. Ochoa. “La Tortura” is Shakira’s second Song of the Year win; “Suerte,” which she also co-wrote and performed, snagged the honor in 2002.

With nine songs among the year’s top 50, EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. nabbed its first Latin Publisher of the Year award. Songs including “Algo Está Cambiando,” “Enséñame A Olvidar,” “Llamé Pa' Verte ‘Bailando Sexy’,” and “Rakata” catapulted EMI-Blackwood to the top.

The ceremony also featured the presentation of the BMI Foundation's fourth annual peermusic Latin Scholarship to Berklee College of Music student Daniel F. Díaz. The 23 year-old Mexico native will receive a $5,000 scholarship for his song “Todo Lo Que Necesito.” Established by the BMI Foundation and funded by the generosity of the peermusic publishing companies, the scholarship is awarded annually through a competition for original Latin songs and instrumental compositions. The 2007 competition was open to college students throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Some of the night’s other big winners included songwriters Josias De La Cruz “Nely,” Don Omar, Ramón Ortega Contreras (SACM), Martha “Ivy Queen” Pesante, Shakira and Ricky Vela, all boasting two awards each. “No Me Queda Más,” written by Ricky Vela, took home its third BMI Latin Award, while “¿Qué Me Vas A Dar?,” composed by Alfonso García Santillana (SACM) and Ramón Ortega Contreras (SACM), took home its second honor.

Publishers claiming two or more songs among the top 50 were SER-CA Publishing, Inc., Tigres Del Norte Ediciones Musicales, Universal-Música Única Publishing, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Blue Kraft Music Publishing, Editora Arpa Musical, Peer International Corp./peermusic III, Aniwi Music LLC, LGA Music Publishing, Lone Iguana Music, Mexican Music Copyright, Inc. and Songs of Univision, Inc.

‘LA TORTURA’ ES CANCIÓN DEL AÑO Y “RINGTONE DEL AÑO EMI-BLACKWOOD MUSIC INC. ES NOMBRADA EDITORA DEL AÑO.

BMI presentó esta noche su décimo cuarta entrega de Premios Latinos. Los máximos reconocimientos fueron entregados a Los Tigres del Norte, como Icono de BMI; Compositor Del Año fue un cuádruple empate entre Juan Luis Morera Luna y Llandel Veguilla Malavé, del dúo “Wisin & Yandel”; Francisco Saldaña “Luny” compositor y productor del dúo de productores “Luny Tunes” y Manuel Eduardo Toscano (SACM), maestro del corrido. La Canción del Año, fue “La Tortura” escrita por Shakira y Luis F. Ochoa; y La Editora del Año, EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.

La gala fue presentada por el Presidente & CEO de BMI, Del Bryant y la Vice Presidenta Asistente de Música Latina Delia Orjuela; los premios se realizaron en el Venetian Resort Hotel en Las Vegas. La cena de gala honró a los compositores y editores de los 50 temas Latinos más interpretados en la radio y televisión de Estados Unidos.

El momento central de la noche fue la presentación del tributo musical a la legendaria agrupación Los Tigres del Norte quienes fueron honrados como Icono BMI de la Música Latina.

Los integrantes de Los Tigres del Norte recibieron este magnífico reconocimiento por su “única e indeleble influencia en las generaciones de los autores de música”

Los Tigres del Norte, grupo norteño de mayor importancia y trayectoria en la historia del género, “Los Jefes de Jefes, apodo creado por sus fieles seguidores, se han distinguido particularmente por sus “corridos”, los cuales cuentan anécdotas de la gente y de la cultura mexicana, además de las vidas y batallas de los inmigrantes hispanos en los Estados Unidos.

Así, Los Tigres del Norte se integran a la distinguida lista de anteriores Iconos de BMI que incluye a notables de la industria como Juan Luis Guerra, Carlos Santana, Crosby, Stills & Nash, James Brown, Dolly Parton y Brian Wilson.

El grupo Los Tigres del Norte fue homenajeado con un tributo musical por reconocidos artistas Mexicanos: Reyli interpretó “La Puerta Negra"; Mariano Barba, presentó “Ya Te Velé” y Christian Castro, interpretó “Golpes En El Corazón”.

En el momento más emocionante de la noche, los mismos Tigres del Norte, decidieron subir al estrado e interpretaron un popurrí de sus temas más conocidos ante una multitud que los ovacionó de pie.

El premio Compositor del Año de BMI terminó con un empate entre Juan Luis Morera Luna y Llandel Veguilla Malavé (Wisin y Yandel); Francisco Saldaña “Luny” (Luny Tunes); y Manuel Eduardo Toscano. Para cada uno de los ganadores en esta categoría, significaba su primer Premio Latino de BMI. Para lograr este honor, cada uno aportó 3 canciones a la lista de las 50 canciones más interpretadas del año.

El dúo puertorriqueño de Reggaetón, Wisin y Yandel y el aclamado productor “Luny” de Luny-Tunes co-escribieron “Llamé Pá Verte Bailando Sexy,” “Mayor Que Yo” y “Rakata”, éxitos interpretados por Wisin & Yandel.

El compositor mexicano Manuel Eduardo Toscano fue premiado por sus afamadas piezas musicales “La Sorpresa”, “Señor Locutor”, y “Socios” – convertidas en éxitos en las voces de Los Tigres del Norte.

“La Tortura” se llevó el premio como Mejor Canción del Año y el trofeo que se otorga por primera vez como El Ringtone Latino del Año; los honores fueron para sus dos autores, la superestrella internacional Shakira y Luis F. Ochoa.

“La Tortura” es la segunda vez en la que Shakira se lleva este honor. La primera ocasión fue en el año 2002, con la Canción del Año “Suerte" la cual también co-escribió y grabó.

Con nueve de los 50 temas más tocados, EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. se adjudicó el título de Editor del Año. Los temas que lo llevaron al triunfo incluyen “Algo Está Cambiando”, “No”, “Enséñame A Olvidar”, “Noviembre Sin Ti”, “Llamé Pa' Verte Bailando Sexy","Rakata”,“ Mayor Que Yo” entre otros

Durante la ceremonia la Fundación BMI presentó, la cuarta beca Latina de Peermusic. El ganador fue el joven Mexicano estudiante del Colegio de Música de Berklee, Daniel F. Díaz. Daniel de 23 años, recibirá una beca de $5,000 por su tema “Todo Lo Que Necesito”

Establecida por la Fundación BMI y apoyada económicamente con la generosidad de la casa editora Peermusic, la beca es ofrecida anualmente a través de una competencia para el tema Latino o composición instrumental más original. La competencia se llevó a cabo entre estudiantes de todo Estados Unidos y Puerto Rico.

Otros grandes ganadores de la noche incluyen a Josías De La Cruz “Nely”, Don Omar, Ramón Ortega Contreras (SACM), Martha “Ivy Queen” Pesante, Shakira y Ricky Vela, todos ellos se llevaron dos trofeos. La canción “No Me Queda Más”, escrita por Ricky Vela, ganó su tercer Premio Latino de BMI, mientras que “¿Qué Me Vas A Dar?”, compuesta por Alfonso García Santillana (SACM) y Ramón Ortega Contreras (SACM), se adjudicó su segundo Premio Latino de BMI.

Otros editores que contaban con dos temas o más entre los 50 más interpretados fueron SER-CA Publishing, Inc., Tigres Del Norte Ediciones Musicales, Universal-Música Única Publishing, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Blue Kraft Music Publishing, Editora Arpa Musical, Peer International Corp./Peermusic III, Aniwi Music LLC, LGA Music Publishing, Lone Iguana Music, Mexican Music Copyright, Inc. y Songs of Univision, Inc.

Shakira	Juanes	Los Horóscopos De Durangos

Fellow Colombian rocker Juanes and nuevo bachata artist Andy Andy both picked up three awards, with Juanes wearing the Songwriter of the Year crown, a title he also earned at this year's BMI Latin Awards ceremony.

Luny Tunes	Andy Andy

Los Horóscopos De Durango's two wins included Regional Mexican Album of the Year for Y Seguimos Con Duranguense!!! and Regional Mexican Airplay Song of the Year for the album's single, "Si La Quieres."

Reggaetón production duo Luny Tunes was named Producer of the Year, marking the first time a producer in that genre has won the prestigious title. Luny Tunes produced and wrote "Mayor Que Yo" performed by BMI artists Baby Ranks, Tonny Tun Tun, Wisin y Yandel and Hector "El Father," which also won the newly created Reggaetón Song of the Year award.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards, which honor the most popular albums, songs and performers in Latin music on the Billboard charts, are part of the annual Billboard Latin Music Conference, held April 24-27 in Miami's South Beach.

BMI's 2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards winners:

Hot Latin Song of the Year
"La Tortura"
Shakira

Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Duet
"La Tortura"
Shakira

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year
Juanes

Latin Pop Album of the Year, Male
En La Luna
Reyli (SACM)

Latin Pop Album of the Year, Female
Fijacion Oral Vol. 1
Shakira

Latin Rock/Alternative Album of the Year
Consejo
La Secta AllStar

Tropical Album of the Year, Male
Ironía
Andy Andy

Tropical Album of the Year, New Artist
Ironía
Andy Andy

Regional Mexican Album of the Year, Male Duo or Group
Y Sigue La Mata Dando
Grupo Montez De Durango

Regional Mexican Album of the Year, Female Group or Female Solo Artist
Y Seguimos Con Duranguense!!!
Los Horóscopos De Durango

Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year, Male
"La Camisa Negra"
Juanes

Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group
"La Tortura"
Shakira

Tropical Airplay Song of the Year, Male
"Que Ironía"
Andy Andy

Tropical Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group
"Ella Y Yo"
Featuring Don Omar

Regional Mexican Airplay Song of the Year, Male Group
"Eres Divina"
Patrulla 81

Regional Mexican Airplay Song of the Year, Female Group or Female Solo Artist
"Si La Quieres"
Los Horóscopos De Durango

Latin Tour of the Year
Luis Miguel

Reggaeton Song of the Year
"Mayor Que Yo"
Baby Ranks, Tonny Tun Tun, Wisin y Yandel, Hector "El Father"

Latin Ringtone of the Year
"La Tortura"
Shakira

Latin Dance Club Play Track of the Year
"I Don't Care/Que Más Da (Dance Remixes)"
Ricky Martin featuring Fat Joe

Latin Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year
"Kickin' It...Juntos"
Akwid

Latin Christian/Gospel Album of the Year
Dios Es Bueno
Marcos Witt

Songwriter of the Year
Juanes

Producer of the Year
Luny Tunes

Publisher of the Year
EMI Blackwood
]]> 2006-05-02T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334752 Aguilar, Pepe, Beto y Sus Canarios, Bryant, Del, DJ Blass, Dunbar, Huey, Fato, Garza, Pepe, Godoy, Marco, Guerra, Juan Luis, India, Intocable, Juanes, Krys, Sebastian, Luny Tunes, Martinez, Cruz, Miguel, Luis, Noriega, Norgie, Omar, Don, Orlando, Ramón, peermusic, Quintero, Mario, Santander, Kike, Venegas, Julieta, Latin, BMI Latin Awards 'Miedo' Named Song of the Year; Two in a Row for SER-CA Publishing

en español

BMI, the leading U.S. performing right organization, staged the 13th edition of its Latin Music Awards on Friday, April 7, with top honors reserved for merengue superstar Juan Luis Guerra, Colombian rocker Juanes, Big Brother theme song "Miedo," and Mexican music publisher SER-CA Publishing, Inc. Held for the first time in New York City at the Metropolitan Pavilion, the black-tie ceremony recognized the songwriters and publishers of the past year's 50 most performed Latin songs on American radio and television. The gala event was hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Diane Almodovar, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Miami.

BMI Latin Awards Photo Slideshow

BMI's 2006 Latin Award-winning songs

Juan Luis Guerra: BMI Icon

Among the winners and special guests at the 2006 BMI Latin Awards were Don Omar, Luny Tunes, Beto y Sus Canarios, Sebastian Krys, Norgie Noriega, Los Tucanes De Tijuana's Mario Quintero, Ramón Orlando, Papi Sanchez, Clímax's Oskar Lobbo, Willie Colón, KC Porter, Pepe Garza, Don Cheto, Game G, Larry Harlow, DJ Blass, Francisco Casanova, N.O.R.E., Javier Garcia, Fato, Boy Wonder, Liza Quin, Chichi Peralta, Jellybean Benitez, Johnny Pacheco, and many more.

Juan Luis Guerra	Juanes	Fato

But the spotlight was on Grammy Award-winning artist Juan Luis Guerra, who was named a BMI Icon for his "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." The Icon presentation featured an all-star musical salute that brought down the house, with performances by India, Jandy Feliz, Jose "El Canario" Alberto, Huey Dunbar, Isidro Infante and his "All-Star Band," and 440's Adalgisa Pantaleón and Chocolate.

Named BMI's 1995 Latin Songwriter of the Year, Guerra's blend of traditional tropical music, merengue rhythms and lyrical romanticism has produced such celebrated songs as "Para Tí" and "Las Avispas," two of the night's Latin Award-winning songs, as well as "Viviré," "Bachata Rosa," "Burbujas de Amor" and "Estrellitas y Duendes." With a list of accolades that now includes six Grammys, numerous Univision awards, six Billboard Latin Music Awards and 14 BMI Latin Awards, his songs have been recorded by international Latin stars Luis Miguel, Emmanuel and others. A passionate philanthropist, Guerra's Fundación 440 has been providing medical assistance to the disadvantaged in his beloved homeland of the Dominican Republic since its creation in 1991.

Twelve-time Latin Grammy winner Juanes added BMI Latin Songwriter of the Year to his extensive inventory of awards by penning three songs on the top 50 list: "La Camisa Negra," "Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor" and Volverte A Ver." This trio of hits pushes the Colombian rocker's BMI Awards total over 10 and includes last year's Song of the Year win for his Nelly Furtado duet, "Fotografía." Named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" in 2005, the Spanish-only singer has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide.

"Miedo" ("Afraid"), written by Enrique "Fato" Guzmán Yáñez (SACM) and published by Vander America Music, was named Latin Song of the Year for scoring the most airplay of any song on the most performed list. This is the second BMI Latin Award for Fato, whose "alternative mariachi" style mixes Latin pop and traditional Mexican music. Recorded by Latin Grammy-nominated Regional Mexican star Pepe Aguilar, the Big Brother theme song topped Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks chart in 2005 and was number one in Mexico for four consecutive months.

SER-CA Publishing, Inc. earned the Publisher of the Year trophy for the second year in a row with five titles on the list of 50, giving the Monterrey, Mexico-based publisher the highest percentage of ownership of Latin Award songs. Founded more than four decades ago by Don Servando Cano, the company focuses on Regional Mexican artists like Intocable, Bronco El Gigante de America, Grupo Pesado and others.

In addition to Juanes and Guerra, songwriters Cruz Martinez and Julieta Venegas (SGAE) scored multiple awards, as did publishers Cibao Music Company, CKJointz Music, Editora Arpa Musical, EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Ensign Music LLC, Foreign Imported Productions and Publishing, Inc., Kike Santander Music LLC/Santander Songs, peermusic (Peer International Corp./peermusic III, Ltd.), Songs of Camaleon, Universal-M?sica Unica Publishing, Vander America Music and Warner/Chappell Music Group (Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Rightsong Music, Inc.).

Another of the evening's highlights was the presentation of the BMI Foundation's third annual peermusic Latin Scholarship to Berklee College of Music student Marco Godoy. The 23-year-old Venezuelan songwriter, who also won the prestigious honor in 2004, reclaimed the title and took home a $5,000 scholarship for his song "Para Mi Eres Todo," sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in Latin music. Established by the BMI Foundation and funded by the generosity of the peermusic publishing companies, the scholarship is awarded annually through a competition for original Latin songs and instrumental compositions.

The genre’s defining feature is a relentless drum-machine track, almost identical across different songs, derived from Trinidadian soca music and Jamaican dancehall and reggae rhythms. This beat is called “Dem Bow” after the beat in a Shabba Ranks song of the same name. Although it emerged from the island of Puerto Rico, reggaetón reflects cross-cultural roots. In the ’70s, Jamaican workers migrated to Panama to work on upgrading the country’s famous canal and the trademark “riddims” they imported were appropriated into the popular songs and styles in this adopted locale. DJs helped popularize this hybrid form of Latin reggae, and by the early ’80s it could be heard mainly in underground settings across Latin America. Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, artists were translating Jamaican reggae into Spanish, and fusing these lyrics with Panamanian-style reggae beats after artists like El General introduced this blend of rap and reggae music to the island. Translating Jamaican reggae into Spanish, and fusing these lyrics with Panamanian-style reggae beats, hip-hop and dancehall, reggaetón was born. DJ Playero, who produced Vico C’s first underground recordings, is one of the pioneers in the introduction of this genre. He produced five reggaeton compilation albums with artists like Daddy Yankee, Yaviah, Mexicano, Big Boy, and Frankie Boy, among others, in the early ’90s.

“The Queen of Reggaetón,” Ivy Queen, is the genre’s undisputed female ruler. Born in Puerto Rico but raised in New York, she returned to the island in the ’90s and teamed up with impresario DJ Negro, who invited her to join a rap compilation label known as The Noise. Ivy Queen wrote and performed her first hit song, “Somos Raperos Pero No Delincuentes,” with them and launched her career as a formidable artist. “Sabes Que Tu,” a collaboration with Wyclef Jean, raised her profile even higher. With her own releases and projects with others — notably El Mexicano, K-7 and Don Omar — she maintains her powerful allure through self-penned lyrics that often speak of her alliance to her native Puerto Rico with pointed pro-feminist messages injected into the rhymes.

Francisco Saldaña and Victor Cabrera — the duo known as Luny Tunes — are often described as “the Neptunes of reggaetón,” owing to their chart dominance and canny knack for inventing hits for other artists. Former kitchen workers at Harvard University, they migrated to Puerto Rico, where they added bachata and meringue to the reggaeton formula and crafted one of the genre’s biggest smashes, Daddy Yankee’s track “Gasolina,” from Barrio Fino, a benchmark release that hovered on the Latin charts for nearly two years. Since then, Luny Tunes has showcased a rotating cast of talent on their own releases. The two’s Mas Flow (2003), La Trayectoria (2004) and Mas Flow, Vol. 2 (2005) — arguably the party album of the year — solidified their reputation as songwriters and artists of note whose productions are conspicuously musical. “We never use samples,” confirms Saldana. “We want to create everything new.”

An illustrious cast of contributors, including Ivy Queen, Pit Bull, D’Mingo and Nina Sky, join Tony Touch on his latest opus, The ReggaeTony Album, proof of his prominence in the genre. Alternately known as “Tony Toca,” the Brooklyn-based DJ has orchestrated massive releases via his mix tapes, beginning with The Piece Maker, featuring the music of Big Pun, Wu Tang Clan, Eminem and others. Also an alumnus of The Noise nightclub in Puerto Rico, the DJ and producer has enriched the genre with his deft productions, grafting the incendiary street smarts of hip-hop to more tropical Latin grooves. With a regular slot on New York’s Power 105.1, Music Choice Television and Sirius Satellite Radio plus choice DJ gigs spinning from Spain to Switzerland, Touch/Toca is among the genre’s foremost ambassadors, spearheading a roster of artists that often includes Vico C and Don Dinero.

His frequent guest artist, D’Mingo, a vocalist, keyboardist and arranger, was originally a more traditional singer. His debut, Que Vacile Mi Gente, (executive produced by Jelly Bean Benitez) presented a salsa-flavored style, while Rumbero Soy upped the Latin quotient considerably.On all of the projects on which he now guests, his distinctive tenor voice connects the high-octane rhythms of reggaetón to the seductive melodies of classic Latin songcraft.

From Hector “El Bambino” to Hector “El Father”: A name change signifies the musical maturation of the artist/producer often compared to his stateside counterparts, P. Diddy or Dr. Dre. In the ’90s, Hector Delgado Roman was one half of a pioneering duo, Hector and Tito, notably the first reggaetón artists with the drawing power to sell out massive concerts in Puerto Rico. In 2005, after a heady 12-year run, Hector launched his solo career with a performance in Pasto, Colombia, to a stadium filled with 60,000 adoring fans. His compilation album, Los Anormales, with guest spots by Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Wisin y Yandel and others and released on his own imprint, GoldStar Music, sold 130,000 copies in just two days in Puerto Rico. In addition to founding his label, he was the first reggaeton artist to sell out two concerts in the new 18,000-seat coliseum in Puerto Rico. Today, most of these artists have signed contracts with major labels such as Universal, Columbia, EMI and Interscope.

DJ Playero is another notable figure in the growth of the genre, compiling some 39 volumes of reggaetón and helping to launch the careers of Daddy Yankee, Chezina, and Baby Rasta y Gringo, among others.

Reggaetón is clearly a genre of inclusion, and the most accomplished artists now collaborate outside of the genre. Ivy Queen’s Real has pairings with Sean Paul, Beenie Man and Fat Joe, and Luny Tunes anticipate working with Jennifer Lopez, the Black Eyed Peas and Ja Rule. Boundaries aren’t limited to the Caribbean or the East Coast. In Southern California, two brothers, Johnny and Victor Lopez, the duo known as Crooked Stilo, have mixed hard-core rap and cumbias into a stew they describe as “crunketón,” incorporating such far-flung sounds as the regional Mexican bounce of banda and hard core hip-hop. Says Victor, “We grew up with Dr. Dre, NWA and Snoop Dogg. It’s a big influence. We’ve been in this for 10 or 12 years, and we’ve always mixed the Latin and English stuff. It’s just lately that the reggaetón blew everyone out of the water. It’s something new, it’s hot in the clubs and people like dancing to it, plus the words and melodies have something to them.”

With their latest release, Retrasalo, Crooked Stilo advances their genre bending sound. Victor Lopez, who lives in the San Gabriel Valley town of Temple City, attests that he listens to potential beats in his car, “bumping” them before his lyrics arrive. Reggaetón is, he says, a physical experience. “There’s a saying that with the music you can only get the people through their hearts or through their feet. Reggaetón does it through the feet.”