Reggaetón Romántico (romantiqueo)
In the often volatile world of Spanish hip-hop,
opinions on the intrinsic value of its music often boil down to one concern:
Does reggaeton affect youth negatively?
At the Pedro Albizu Campos Community Center in New York City, which offers
after-school programs for young kids, Jayriel, an emerging singer, talks about
his work within the genre. The 22-year-old, a native of Puerto Rico, performs
a romantic style of reggaeton known as reggaetón romantiqueo,
currently the craze in Puerto Rico, New York, and dance hubs worldwide.
‘"Hardcore reggaeton”, says Jayriel, “is not for me.”
Considered "underground" by bonafide rappers, the music and hip-grinding
dance style known as perreo are often criticized for their excess
of sexual overtones, vulgarity, and incitations to violence.
Rafael Schettini, a 33-year-old medical resident at one of Puerto Rico’s
busiest and largest hospitals, offers a medical perspective on the reggaeton
culture war. The problem, he maintains, lies not in the music or dance itself,
but in the lack of education to prevent accidents.
“I personally don’t like reggaeton,” says Schettini. “At
most, I like the work of one or two artists , not for its lyrics but for its
musical content, which is influenced by other genres--Latin jazz, Brazilian
beats, African music, and North American rap."
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Reggaetón Romántico
San Juan, PR / New York, NY November 10, 2006 6 :10 In the often volatile world of Spanish hip-hop, opinions on the intrinsic value of its music often boil down to one concern: Does reggaeton affect youth negatively? |