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Hot Discussion in the Forums - Old School artists doing the new Reggaeton style
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discuss Artist link : Alberto Stylee, Baby Rasta, Baby Rasta y Gringo, Bimbo, Daddy Yankee, DJ Nelson, Eddie Dee, Gringo, Guanabanas, Hector El Father, Hector y Tito, Ivy Queen, Voltio, Lito y Polaco, Maicol y Manuel, Master Joe y O.G. Black, MC Ceja, Nicky Jam, Polaco, Tempo, Tito El Bambino, Vico C
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April 04, 2007
http://reggaetonline.net/forums/thread19584.html
Question posted by member D2Fast: What artist from the Old School do u think has successfully adapted to the "New Style" of Reggaeton?
So the question got some obvious answers (Daddy Yankee) and some tricky ones too (Bimbo), but before we get into that, we are going to establish the class of artists that are in Reggaeton. So basically who's A class, B class and C class, etc. Of course, A class are the guys that are dominating the scene and are thus more relevant than the rest. In this category you can easily fit in regulars like Tego, Daddy Yankee, Ivy Queen, Don Omar, Wisin & Yandel, Tito El Bambino and Hector El Father. But besides the obvious choices, who else fits in? Right now, as things stand today, you have to include Arcangel there. But what you make of his partner De La Ghetto? I say he's B Class, reason being that Arcangel has demonstrated the ability to be relevant on his own more often than De La Ghetto has. Ghetto is certainly not lacking the talent to do so, but until he does, he's B class on the strength of his songs with Arcangel. Jowell & Randy is a similar case, where Randy has demonstrated he can shine without Jowell, but certainly not at the same level as Arcangel, so they are also B class (again on their strength as a group) We'll have a to write a whole other article about who's in what class, but for now let's just stick to the original question of which artist from the old school have adapted better to the new style of Reggaeton.
Daddy Yankee was always relevant and A class on and off. In the Playero days he was great, then he cooled off when The Noise crew and DJ Eric's industry was going at it, then came back around the time The Flow came out and was killing it. With Nicky Jam he was good but not great (the case can be made for other duos that were better around the same time) But of course, after going solo again, he blew up like crazy. He always had lyrical skills, which, as will be explained in Lito & Polaco’s entry, will always give him an advantage over every other Reggaeton artist. Because he’s the best today, it’s easy to say that he's been the best at adapting throughout the times, which is not automatically true, but difficult to make a case against.
Don Chezina was absolutely A class in the 90s, since basically he dominated the later part of them. He was one of the best ones back then, but he didn't adjust too well to the bellaquera years (DJ Blass era) and then to the Luny Tunes era. Right now he works here and there, but we are still waiting for a nice comeback.
Lito & Polaco were B or even (gasp!) C class artists until DJ Eric 4, when they just lirically killed everybody (The Noise included) who got in their way. About staying relevant, I'd say that their success is more a function of the fact that Rap/Hip Hop (the basis behind Reggaeton in the old days, today the alternative) is always true and everybody knows when you are good. Is independent of the evolution of styles etc. They can rap, and as long as they do good arrangements with the reggaeton beat behind them they'll be doing good songs. That's why Pola sounds better in malianteo songs, cause' he's a beast doing tiraera, so it comes easy to him. Lito, as proven by his latest mixtape, can do other styles easier.
Baby Rasta (and I guess Gringo) is a great example of being born for this. As a founding member of our Music (since The Noise 1) he's always got your attention with his singing, and he always knows what he wants to sing/rap about. Meaning unlike other artists that only want to make a song, Rasta knows the song he wants to make and then goes and does it. And he's always been in control of things. For proof, watch the The Noise Live concert, and how he basically directs the damn performance telling Gringo to hold off on his rhymes and let him finish. He's just nice. Ultima Risa was at the top of the solo albums last year, and that includes Tego's latest, Don Omar's King Of Kings, and Hector's debut. Only Tito El Bambino's was comparable in quality from beginning to end. Gringo...I haven't heard his new album, but he benefited from having one of the greatest Reggaeton artists of all time as his partner. He owes Baby Rasta a thanks for all the money they made.
Maicol & Manuel, they also know what they are doing and have always stayed fresh throughout the times. At first they were strictly regular dembow singers, then they switched to doing reggae stuff (think of Tha Cream 2 or Gargolas 1), then back to dembow in the DJ Blass days. They don't even sing that often, but when they do come out what you hear are usually good songs. I specially like what they do with Noriega as a producer.
MC Ceja's case is interesting cause' everybody knows he got talent, the Rap/Hip Hop factor mentioned wit Lito & Pola applies to him and he does good songs here and there. The only thing is, he changes his style from time to time, and (thank God) lately it has been with good results. But for a minute there, after his Boricua's State of Mind album, it's like he lost his talent (or he didn't want to sing for Pina Records) So he’s been somewhat inconsistent throughout the years. However, I think his new album is going to be one of the best when it does come out.
Alberto Stylee, first of all he's definetely not B class. He was A class since he made what's basically Reggaeton's breakout hit which enabled the genre to become mainstream in Puerto Rico, in his single "DJ Nelson y Alberto Stylee" from DJ Nelson's The Flow (1997). This was a big step given the little regard they had for Reggaeton back in the middle 90s, to the point that it was banned at one point, and you would only hear it in 2 radio stations - today all stations play it, and every other genre is the minority. After that big hit, he made many good songs, and was the "Nene de las Girlas" until the 2000's. That resume doesn’t sound like a B class artist. He's always been solid with his songs, but I guess he needs more promo to get noticed a bit more these days, with all the Reggaeton singers out there. His "Nene De Las Girlas" gimmick doesn't work no more, so he has to make great songs to stay among the top performers. But his style was a precursor of what Reggaeton is today, basically geared toward the ladies with a nice voice. He was the first one to do that effectively, so you can call him the Blueprint if you will. He'll always be around, and hopefully he gets a second chance at being the best like was for some time in the 90s.
Ivy has always been the best female reggaeton artist, so that's going to keep her relevant forever. But she's also been among the best overall artists since The Noise 5, so that's credit to her solid style and great songwriting skills. She knows how to get your attention and make a hit.
To some people it might be a surprise but Bimbo is wayyy old school, on the same level as Wiso G. He was part of 3 2 Get Funky, which was around since 1992-93, with Mickey Perfecto (who’s also doing choruses/singing Reggaeton these days). Also Divino, which was part of old school group Psycho Unity, has been around for many years. Now that’s a case of being Old School, disappearing for many years and then making a nice come back and actually being more successful in the new style of Reggaeton.
Nobody is mentioning them, but I'd say Hector & Tito (El Father y El Bambino), Julio Voltio and Nicky Jam count, cause they did start around 96-97, so that’s 10 years-plus making good music. They are ALL doing their thing, although Voltio is actually doing BETTER today than he was back then (and Hector & Tito are obvious superstars)
Tempo qualifies under the lyrical/Hip Hop talent rule, so his good Rap won't go away. His Reggaeton songs are good too, so it's a matter of him getting out of jail... Guanabanas Podrias are solid, and I guess people forget that they were in The Noise 1 also. They always make good songs, and their albums are consistently good.
The other big ones are Eddie Dee & Vico C. For the obvious lyrical abilities these guys will never go away. Eddie doing songwriting for other artists will only extend his career. Vico is the greatest spanish rapper, and his message and HEAVY lyrical repertoire never go out of style. But you also have to understand that Vico knows how to make good music. Period. His albums are statements and his talent, as the original spanish rapper, is beyond the reach of all other MCs. A legend never goes out style.
Honorable mentions: Baby Ranks, Master Joe & OG Black, Falo, Wise (although he's not focusing on singing no more), BeBe, Notty, Miguel Play (aka Miguelito - the old one), Mexicano, Rey Pirin, Wiso G, TNT, Lisa M, and others I can't remember.
The conclusion is that I'd suggest we put all of them in one album, and the result would be a classic album today, back in the old school days, or 20 years from now. Simple as that. So support the old school guys you used to love and forgot about, or the ones you are hoping to make a come back, cause' one thing about the old school, it never gets old in the heart. And remember to speak your mind and give your opinion in the forums!!
