in
Ponce Early music The music culture in Puerto Rico during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries is poorly documented. Certainly, it included Spanish troubadour, church music, military band music, and diverse genres of dance music cultivated by the
jíbaros and enslaved Africans and their descendants. While these later never constituted more than 11% of the island's population, they contributed to some of the island's most dynamic musical features becoming unforgettable and distinct indeed. On September 19, 1512, the customs house Casa de la Contratación recorded the first known instance of a European music instrument to Puerto Rico, a small
vihuela property of Alonso de Buenaño. These were popular with the early settlers, and by November 1513, proved enough for merchant Juan de Vizcaínos to import eighteen rolls for them. On January 3, 1516, Catalina Ortiz brought with her a tambourine. Vihuelas continued arriving from several sources during this year. A maestro was introduced in 1672. On June 23, 1684, bishop Francisco de Padilla made a request for two to four hornpipe players. Folk music and instruments were present in popular culture, incorporated as part of dances. As did the creation of a new municipal theater. The African people of the island used drums made of carved hardwood covered with untreated rawhide on one side, commonly made from goatskin. A popular word derived from creole to describe this drum was
shukbwa, which translates to 'trunk of tree'. After the arrival of African slaves,
Bomba became the music of the people. In 1875, the provincial deputation decided to push musical education for the orphans at the Asilo de Beneficiencia. Rosario Arturi was placed in charge of the classes, remaining teacher until his death in 1878. Sandalio Callejo succeeded him, introducing cord instruments and a religious orchestra. Graduates joined military bands and other local groups. Callejo was succeeded by Jaime Bastard Tizol. In 1887, José Gotós created a piano school at Mayagüez. Others such as composer Rosario Aruti, Carlos Allard (flute), Juan Inés Ramos & José Álvarez (clarinet) and José Cabrizas (piano) did the same in their respective expertise. Military bands also recruited locally, with Rafael Hernández joining the Hellfighters of the 369th Infantry in 1917. and Nito Mendez (1941 – 2011), saw lots of studio time, influencing new sounds in the Caribbean. On March 8, 1913, efforts were made to create a music conservatorium, the Academia de Música, Canto y Declamación giving control to the
Universidad de Puerto Rico (UPR) and the speaker of the
House of Representatives of Puerto Rico over the initiative. The project, however, was not passed. In 1914, the Boys Charity School and its counterpart Girls Charity School served as the alma mater of several musicians that later joined municipal and other bands and orchestras. Among these was Rafael Bracero López. While places like the Victory Garden continued to successfully host operas, Julio C. Arteaga decided to create an academy in 1920. During
Theodore Roosevelt Jr.'s governorship, Arístides Chavier led a group that wanted to create a music conservatorium, but the governor preferred folk music to the European style that they favored. Roosevelt would later recognize Epiphany as a celebration. On August 27, 1933, Augusto Rodríguez introduced his philharmonic orchestra. In 1946, the Escuela Libre de Música program was established, becoming a cornerstone of music education throughout the remainder of the century. By 1952,
Ernesto Ramos Antonini began pushing for the creation of a music conservatorium. The university's chorus joined local figures like Flavia Acosta, Graciela Rivera, Félix Caballero and María Esther Robles. Afterwards, Ángel Ramos sponsored 1956–57, through
El Mundo. They are traditionally recognized as romantic icons of land cultivation, hard-working, self-sufficient, hospitable, and with an innate love of song and dance. Their instruments were relatives of the Spanish vihuela, especially the
cuatro — which evolved from four single strings to five pairs of double strings — and the lesser known tiple. A typical jíbaro group nowadays might feature a cuatro, guitar, and percussion instrument such as the
güiro scraper and/or bongo. Lyrics to jíbaro music are generally in the décima form, consisting of ten
octosyllabic lines in the
rhyme scheme ABBA ACCDDC. Décima form derives from 16th century Spain. Although it has largely died out in that country (except the Canaries), it took root in various places in Latin America—especially Cuba and Puerto Rico—where it is sung in diverse styles. A sung décima might be pre-composed, derived from a publication by some literati, or ideally, improvised on the spot, especially in the form of a “controversia” in which two singer-poets trade witty insults or argue on some topic. In between the décimas, lively improvisations can be played on the cuatro. This music form is also known as "típica" as well as "trópica". The décimas are sung to stock melodies, with standardized cuatro accompaniment patterns. About twenty such song types are in common use. These are grouped into two broad categories, viz., seis (e.g., seis fajardeño, seis chorreao) and aguinaldo (e.g., aguinaldo orocoveño, aguinaldo cayeyano). Traditionally, the seis could accompany dancing, but this tradition has largely died out except in tourist shows and festivals. The aguinaldo is most characteristically sung during the Christmas season, when groups of revelers (parrandas) go from house to house, singing jíbaro songs and partying. The aguinaldo texts are generally not about Christmas, and also unlike Anglo-American Christmas carols, they are generally sung by a solo with the other revelers singing the chorus. In general, the Christmas season is a time when traditional music—both seis and aguinaldo—is most likely to be heard. Fortunately, many groups of Puerto Ricans are dedicated to preserving traditional music through continued practice. Jíbaro music came to be marketed on commercial recordings in the twentieth century, and singer-poets like
Ramito (Flor Morales Ramos, 1915–90) are well documented. However, jíbaros themselves were becoming an endangered species, as
agribusiness and urbanization have drastically reduced the numbers of small farmers on the island. Many jíbaro songs dealt accordingly with the vicissitudes of migration to New York. Jíbaro music has in general declined accordingly, although it retains its place in local culture, especially around Christmas time and special social gatherings, and there are many cuatro players, some of whom have cultivated prodigious virtuosity.
Bomba Historical references indicate that by the decades around 1800 plantation slaves were cultivating a music and dance genre called bomba. By the mid-twentieth century, when it started to be recorded and filmed, bomba was performed in regional variants in various parts of the island, especially Loíza, Ponce, San Juan, and Mayagüez. It is not possible to reconstruct the history of bomba; various aspects reflect Congolese derivation, though some elements (as suggested by subgenre names like
holandés) have come from elsewhere in the Caribbean. French Caribbean elements are particularly evident in the bomba style of Mayagüez, and striking choreographic parallels can be seen with the
bélé of
Martinique. All of these sources were blended into a unique sound that reflects the life of the Jibaro, the slaves, and the culture of Puerto Rico. In its call-and-response singing set to ostinato-based rhythms played on two or three squat drums (
barriles), bomba resembles other neo-African genres in the Caribbean. Of clear African provenance is its format in which a single person emerges from an informal circle of singers to dance in front of the drummers, engaging the lead drummer in a sort of playful duel; after dancing for a while, that person is then replaced by another. While various such elements can be traced to origins in Africa or elsewhere, bomba must be regarded as a local Afro-Puerto Rican creation. Its rhythms (e.g.
seis corrido, yubá, leró, etc.), dance moves, and song lyrics that sometimes mimic farm animals (in Spanish, with some French creole words in eastern Puerto Rico) collectively constitute a unique Puerto Rican genre. In the 1950s, the dance-band ensemble of Rafael Cortijo and Ismael Rivera performed several songs in they had labeled as "bombas"; although these bore some similarities to the
sicá style of bomba, in their rhythms and horn arrangements they also borrowed noticeably from the Cuban dance music which had long been popular in the island. Giving rise to Charanga music. As of the 1980s, bomba had declined, although it was taught, in a somewhat formalized fashion, by the Cepeda family in Santurce, San Juan, and was still actively performed informally, though with much vigor, in the Loíza towns, home to the then Ayala family dynasty of bomberos. Bomba continues to survive there and has also experienced something of a revival, being cultivated by folkloric groups such as Son Del Batey, Los Rebuleadores de San Juan, Bomba Evolución, Abrane y La Tribu, and many more elsewhere on the island. In New York City with groups such as
Los Pleneros de la 21, members of La Casita de Chema, and Alma Moyo. In Chicago Buya, and Afro-Caribe have kept the tradition alive and evolving. In California Bomba Liberte, Grupo Aguacero, Bombalele, La Mixta Criolla, Herencia de los Carrillo, and Los Bomberas de la Bahia are all groups that have promoted and preserved the culture. Women have also played a role in its revival, as in the case of the all-female group Yaya, Legacy Woman, Los Bomberas de la Bahia, Grupo Bambula (Originally female group), and Ausuba in Puerto Rico. There has also been a strong commitment towards Bomba Fusion. Groups such as Los Pleneros de la 21, and Viento De Agua have contributed greatly towards fusing Bomba and Plena with Jazz and other Genres. Yerbabuena has brought a popular cross-over appeal. Abrante y La Tribu have made fusions with Hip Hop. Tambores Calientes, Machete Movement, and Ceiba have fused the genres with various forms of Rock and Roll. The Afro-Puerto Rican
bombas, developed in the sugarcane haciendas of Loíza, the northeastern coastal areas, in Guayama and southern Puerto Rico, utilize barrel drums and tambourines, while the rural version uses stringed instruments to produce music, relating to the bongos. (1) “The bomba is danced in pairs, but there is no contact. The dancers each challenge the drums and musicians with their movements by approaching them and performing a series of fast steps called floretea piquetes, creating a rhythmic discourse. Unlike normal dance routines, the drummers are the ones who follow the performers and create a beat or rhythm based on their movements. Women who dance bomba often use dresses or scarves to enhance bodily movements. Unlike normal dance terms, the instruments follow the performer. Like other such traditions, bomba is now well documented on sites like YouTube, and a few ethnographic documentary films.
Plena Around 1900
plena emerged as a humble proletarian folk genre in the lower-class, largely
Afro-Puerto Rican urban neighborhoods in San Juan, Ponce, and elsewhere. Plena subsequently came to occupy its niche in island music culture. In its quintessential form, plena is an informal, unpretentious, simple folk-song genre, in which alternating verses and refrains are sung to the accompaniment of round, often homemade frame drums called
panderetas (like tambourines without jingles), perhaps supplemented by accordion, guitar, or whatever other instruments might be handy. An advantage of the percussion arrangement is its portability, contributing to the plena's spontaneous appearance at social gatherings. Other instruments commonly heard in plena music are the
cuatro, the
maracas, and
accordions. The plena rhythm is a simple duple pattern, although a lead pandereta player might add lively syncopations. Plena melodies tend to have an unpretentious, "folksy" simplicity. Some early plena verses commented on barrio anecdotes, such as "Cortarón Elena" (They stabbed Elena) or "Allí vienen las maquinas" (Here come the firetrucks). Many had a decidedly irreverent and satirical flavor, such as "Llegó el obispo" mocking a visiting bishop. Some plenas, such as "Cuando las mujeres quieren a los hombres" and "Santa María," are familiar throughout the island. In 1935 the essayist
Tomás Blanco celebrated plena—rather than the outdated and elitist danza—as an expression of the island's fundamentally creole, Taino or mulatto racial and cultural character. Plenas are still commonly performed in various contexts; a group of friends attending a parade or festival may bring a few panderetas and burst into song, or new words will be fitted to the familiar tunes by protesting students or striking workers which have long been a regular form of protest from occupation and slavery. While enthusiasts might on occasion dance to a plena, plena is not characteristically oriented toward dance. In the 1920s–30s plenas came to be commercially recorded, especially by
Manuel "El Canario" Jimenez, who performed old and new songs, supplementing the traditional instruments with piano and horn arrangements. In the 1940s
Cesar Concepción popularized a big-band version of plena, lending the genre a new prestige, to some extent at the expense of its proletarian vigor and sauciness. In the 1950s a newly invigorated plena emerged as performed by the smaller band of
Rafael Cortijo and vocalist
Ismael "Maelo" Rivera, attaining unprecedented popularity and modernizing the plena while recapturing its earthy vitality. Many of Cortijo's plenas present colorful and evocative vignettes of barrio life and lent a new sort of recognition to the dynamic contribution of Afro-Puerto Ricans to the island's culture (and especially music). This period represented the apogee of plena's popularity as a commercial popular music. Unfortunately, Rivera spent much of the 1960s in prison, and the group never regained its former vigor. Nevertheless, the extraordinarily massive turnout for Cortijo's funeral in 1981 reflected the beloved singer's enduring popularity. By then, however, plena's popularity had been replaced by that of salsa, although some revivalist groups, such as
Plena Libre, continue to perform in their lively fashion, while "street" plena is also heard on various occasions.
Danza By the late 1700s, the country dance (French contredanse, Spanish
contradanza) had come to thrive as a popular recreational dance, both in courtly and festive vernacular forms, throughout much of Europe, replacing dances such as the minuet. By 1800 a creolized form of the genre, called contradanza, was thriving in Cuba, and the genre also appears to have been extant, in similar vernacular forms, in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and elsewhere, although documentation is scanty. By the 1850s, the Cuban contradanza—increasingly referred to as
danza—was flourishing both as a salon piano piece, or as a dance-band item to accompany social dancing, in a style evolving from collective figure dancing (like a square dance) to independent couples dancing ballroom-style (like a waltz, but in duple rather than ternary rhythm). According to local chroniclers, in 1845 a ship arrived from Havana, bearing, among other things, a party of youths who popularized a new style of contradanza/danza, confusingly called "merengue." This style subsequently became wildly popular in Puerto Rico, to the extent that in 1848 it was banned by the priggish Spanish governor
Juan de la Pezuela y Cevallos. This prohibition, however, does not seem to have had much lasting effect, and the newly invigorated genre—now more commonly referred to as "danza"—went on to flourish in distinctly local forms. As in Cuba, these forms included the pieces of music played by dance ensembles as well as sophisticated light-classical items for solo piano (some of which could subsequently be interpreted by dance bands). The danza as a solo piano idiom reached its greatest heights in the music of
Manuel Gregorio Tavárez (1843–83), whose compositions have a grace and grandeur closely resembling the music of Chopin, his model. Achieving greater popularity were the numerous danzas of his follower,
Juan Morel Campos (1857–96), a bandleader and extraordinarily prolific composer who, like
Tavárez, died in his youthful prime (but not before having composed over 300 danzas). By
Morel Campos' time, the Puerto Rican Danza had evolved into a form quite distinct from that of its Cuban (not to mention European) counterparts. Particularly distinctive was its form consisting of an initial
paseo, followed by two or three sections (sometimes called "merengues"), which might feature an arpeggio-laden "obbligato" melody played on the tuba-like
bombardino (
euphonium). Many danzas achieved island-wide popularity, including the piece "
La Borinqueña", which is the national anthem of Puerto Rico. Like other Caribbean creole genres such as the Cuban danzón, the danzas featured the insistent ostinato called "cinquillo" (roughly, ONE-two-THREE-FOUR-five-SIX-SEVEN-eight, repeated). The danza remained vital until the 1920s, but after that decade its appeal came to be limited to the Hispanophilic elite. The danzas of
Morel Campos,
Tavárez,
José Quintón, and a few others are still performed and heard on various occasions, and a few more recent composers have penned their idiosyncratic forms of danzas, but the genre is no longer a popular social dance idiom. During the first part of the dancing danza, to the steady tempo of the music, the couples promenade around the room; during the second, with a lively rhythm, they dance in a closed ballroom position and the orchestra would begin by leading dancers in a "paseo," an elegant walk around the ballroom, allowing gentlemen to show off their lady's grace and beauty. This romantic introduction ended with a salute by the gentlemen and a curtsey from the ladies in reply. Then, the orchestra would strike up and the couples would dance freely around the ballroom to the rhythm of the music.
Puerto Rican Pop and New Wave Much music in Puerto Rico falls outside the standard categories of "Latin music" and is better regarded as constituting varieties of "Latin world pop." This category includes, for example,
Ricky Martin (who had a #1 Hot 100 hit in the U.S. with "
Livin' La Vida Loca" in 1999), the boy-band
Menudo (with its changing personnel of which Martin was once a member of),
Los Chicos,
Las Cheris,
Salsa Kids and
Chayanne. Famous singers include the Despacito singer
Luis Fonsi. Also, singer and virtuoso guitarist
Jose Feliciano born in
Lares, Puerto Rico, became a world pop star in 1968 when his Latin-soul version of "
Light My Fire" and the
LP Feliciano! became great successes in the
American and international rankings and allowed Feliciano to be the first Puerto Rican to win Grammy awards, during that year. Feliciano's "
Feliz Navidad" remains one of the most popular Christmas songs.
Reggaetón and Dembow The roots of
reggaetón lie in the 1980s by Puerto Rican rapper
Vico C. In the early 1990s reggaeton coalesced as a more definitive genre, using the "Dem Bow" riddim derived from a
Shabba Ranks song by that name, and further resembling Jamaican
dancehall in its verses sung in simple tunes and stentorian style, and its emphasis—via lyrics, videos, and artist personas—on partying, dancing, boasting, "bling," and sexuality rather than weighty social commentary. While reggaeton may have commenced as a Spanish-language version of Jamaican dancehall, in the hands of performers like
Tego Calderón,
Daddy Yankee,
Don Omar, and others, it soon acquired its distinctive flavor and today might be considered the most popular dance music in the Spanish Caribbean, surpassing even salsa.
Reggaetón is a genre of music, significantly blown up in Puerto Rico and across the world, that combines Latin rhythms, dancehall, and hip-hop and rap music. Reggaetón is frequently affiliated with “
machismo” characteristics, strong or aggressive masculine pride. Since women have joined this genre of music they have been underrepresented and have been fighting to change its image. This inevitably is causing controversy between what the genre was and what it is now. Reggaetón has transformed from being a musical expression with Jamaican and Panamanian roots to being “
dembow” a newer style that has changed the game, which is listened to mainly in the Dominican Republic. Despite its success, its constant reputation highlights sexuality in the dancing, its explicit lyrics that have women screaming sexualized phrases in the background, and the clothing women are presented in. In the '90s and early 2000s, Reggaetón had been targeted and censored in many Latin American countries for its vulgar and course nature. Censorship can be seen as the government's way of suppressing the people and ensuring that communication is not strong amongst the community. Since then, many women have joined Reggaetón in hopes of changing preconceptions. Many of them have paved the way and have successful careers such as the female trailblazer herself
Ivy Queen, as well as
Karol G,
Becky G, and
Rosalia among others. With strong influences from Puerto Rico and Jamaica, dembow originates from the
Dominican Republic. When
Shabba Ranks released the track "
Dem Bow" in 1990, the name stuck and it did not take long for the dembow genre to form. The main elements of dembow music are its repetitive rhythm, which is somewhat reminiscent of
reggaeton and
dancehall music, but faster.
Riddims were built from the song and the sound became a popular part of
reggaeton. The rhythm and melodies in dembow music tends to be simple and repetitive.
Ivy Queen was born as Martha Ivelisse Pesante on March 4, 1972, in Añasco, Puerto Rico. After writing raps during her youth and competing in the 90's at an underground nightclub called The Noise, this led to the beginning of her musical career. She is considered as the “Queen of Reggaeton.” In the beginning of her career, it was very difficult for her to be taken seriously in the reggaeton industry because the genre is seen as misogynistic. After being the first woman to produce hits such as “Quiero Bailar”, “Yo Perreo Sola”, “Pa’ La Cama Voy”, “Te He Querido, Te He Llorado” Ivy Queen gained the respect of women and men alike solidifying her spot as “Queen of Reggaeton”. However, in the past, there had been controversy between herself and reggaetonero/rapper
Anuel AA regarding her status as “Queen of Reggaeton” being she had not had a hit in years. He also insinuated that his girlfriend,
Karol G, should be the queen of reggaeton. Ivy Queen responded saying her career paved the way for female artists to thrive in this genre. In reaction to the comments made by her boyfriend Anuel AA, Karol G responded with a video, saying “For
Becky G, Natti Natasha,
Anitta, Ivy Queen and all the women who have shown me respect in all my social networks and interviews: I have had the honor of telling them in person how much I admire their work and careers, but we are all worthy of what we have because nobody has given anything to anyone.” She went on to say, “This is a crown, and nobody is not going to give it to them, for what they have done. I am not looking for a degree, I am only looking for the success of my career, as everyone is doing every day. Getting up for the dream. To my boyfriend, I just want to say thank you, because I know what you wanted to say. I am your queen and I am very happy that you see me that big because you do motivate me. All of us are going to do what we like and work for it.” Ultimately, Anuel AA would make amends with Ivy Queen, and after meeting Ivy Queen, Karol would have Ivy featured on her successful 2021 album “
KG0516” on the multi-artist track “Leyendas” (‘Legends’). The track, also featuring
Zion,
Nicky Jam, and
Wisin y Yandel, opens with Ivy Queen singing memorable parts of her biggest song to date, “Yo Quiero Bailar” (‘I want to dance’) before Karol joins in. Ivy Queen has been an influence on other women like Cardi B and Farina. Even men, such as
Bad Bunny, have listed her as an influence for their lyrics. Her ability to compete amongst men who dominated Reggaetón gave hope to other women who had similar interests in the music industry. Her influence and dominance in the genre led the way for women to easier break onto the reggaetón scene. She sparked a place for women's empowerment, not just for Puerto Rican women, but for all women who are new to the game.
Karol G is a Colombian reggaeton singer who has done collaborations with artists such as
Bad Bunny,
Anuel AA and Colombian reggaeton artists
J Balvin, and
Maluma. Throughout her career, Karol G has had troubles in the industry because reggaeton is a genre that is dominated by males. She recounts how when starting her career she noticed that there were not many opportunities for her in the genre because reggaeton was dominated by male artists. In 2018, Karol G's single "Mi Cama" became very popular and she made a remix with J Balvin and Nicky Jam. The Mi cama remix appeared in the top 10 Hot Latin Songs and number 1 in Latin Airplay charts. This year she has collaborated with Maluma on her song "Creeme", and with her love interest, Anuel AA, in the song "Culpables". The single, "Culpables" has been in the top 10 Hot Latin Songs for 2 consecutive weeks.
Natti Natasha is a Dominican reggaeton singer who has also joined the reggaeton industry and has listed Ivy Queen as one of her influences for her music. In 2017 she made a single called "Criminal" that features reggaeton artist, Ozuna. Her single "Criminal" became very popular on YouTube with more than has 1.5 billion views. In 2018 Natti Natasha collaborated with Puerto Rican duo, RKM and Ken Y in their single "Tonta". She also later collaborated with Mexican reggaeton artist, Becky G in “Sin Pijama” which made it to the top 10 in Hot Latin songs, Latin Airplay, and Latin Pop Airplay charts. After all the collaborations that Natti Natasha has done she was able to release her album called illumiNatti on February 15, 2019. In 2021, she became engaged and pregnant to her longtime manager, Raphy Pina, the Puerto Rican founder of Pina Records who also manages
Daddy Yankee. On May 22, 2021, she gave birth to their daughter. Her fiancé is currently serving a three-year, five-month sentence for illegal possessions of a firearm. ==Caribbean influences==