Reggaeton & Hurban

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On 12/22/05, Bapopik at aol.com <Bapopik at aol.com> wrote:
>
> REGGAETON--2,330,000 Google hits
> ...
> Jim Farber explains 2005 in music, citing "hurban" (found in Double Tongued
> Word Wrester) and "reggaeton" (not in Double Tongued Word Wrester?).

Well, it did make the runner-up list for NOAD WOTY:
http://blog.oup.com/oupblog/2005/12/podcasting_is_t.html

Here are a few early print references to go with the Usenet cites that
Barry gave:

[2001 _El Diario La Prensa_ 22 June 32 (ProQuest) Luego que su CD
saliera al mercado a fines del año pasado, le han llovido ofertas para
colaborar en reconocidas producciones del ambiente del rap y el
reggaeton de Puerto Rico, entre estas The Buddha's Family.]
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?RQT=309&VName=PQD&did=480800341

2002 _Miami New Times_ 9 May (ProQuest/Nexis) In Puerto Rico, however,
rap and its newest incarnation, reggaetón, a less lyrical, more
danceable Spanish rap infused with Jamaican beats, have become an
unprecedented success story.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?RQT=309&VName=PQD&did=507397261

2002 _Billboard_ 11 May 3 (Factiva/Nexis) The success of Puerto Rican
rap, or reggaeton as it is known among its consumers, can be
attributed to a mix of socially conscious lyrics that reflect the
low-class lifestyle and a modern version of the contagious
Jamaican-rhythm called reggae dancehall.


--Ben Zimmer