Member-only story
Reggaeton Is Poppier and Paler Than Ever — But Tego Calderon Made It Eternally Black
Nearly 20 years ago, the genre-defining artist found the Black power in Puerto Rican identity
We already know that reggaeton is a thriving multimillion-dollar business dominating global charts. Colombian superstar J Balvin and Spanish up-and-comer Rosalía continue to gain momentum, and even on Top 40 stations you’re liable to hear a reggaeton-inspired song at any given moment. Yet, that visibility has its limits. While artists like Balvin and Becky G score crossover hits and Bad Bunny nabs Drake features, those who aren’t light-skinned or don’t fit European beauty ideals enjoy considerably less exposure — especially Afro-Latinx artists.
Though artists like Afro-Panamanian singer Sech provide vital representation, the whitening of reggaeton is a valid concern as the genre continues to go more “pop.”
This unfortunate whitewashing is exactly why Black Latinxs keep Tego Calderon in heavy rotation. Tego, one of the first Puerto Rican artists to make reggaeton popular, prioritizes his Blackness over his Puerto Rican national identity while simultaneously honoring the roots of reggaeton — and has consistently inspired a generation of listeners and artists to do the same.
