This is how the musical periphery has conquered the podium

When Rockdelux magazine decided to feature J. Balvin on its cover in December 2018, both readers and non-readers were outraged and shocked, believing that the beacon of alternative music had succumbed to Latin commercial garbage. However, the truth is that they knew how to keep an eye on an artist who had made the genre evolve.

And to focus on perreo, Auto-Tune, bum-bum-chac, and gender stereotypes is only scratching the surface.

Since Jamaican dancehall began to be adapted into Spanish in Panama, the ball began to grow with Puerto Ricans Vico C and Daddy Yankee who laid the foundations, the former by fusing Caribbean and dembow rhythms in his album Hispanic soul (1991) and the latter by coining the word reggaeton, which would define the genre, and launching the first international hit with Gasolina (2004).

What came next was like a nuclear explosion that placed the Caribbean periphery at the center of the pop universe.

So much so that, can anyone really believe that the crowds that will be attending Bad Bunny's concerts next year are only the alienated children of stupefied parents?

Or that Rosalía lost some of her overwhelming personality by incorporating reggaeton into some of her most famous songs?

The same people who tore their clothes at Elvis's pelvic movements are the ones who now see perreo as a sign of female submission, when deep down, both are absolute forms of freedom of expression.

And the ostentatious "bling-bling" of reggaeton artists is similar to that of hip-hop artists or the Brand New Cadillac of Vince Taylor and The Clash; it's logical, since most of them are musicians from humble backgrounds who, thanks to their art, can aspire to a better life.

Something connected to soccer; just look at the gold and diamond chain that Dominican singer El Alfa gave Yamine Lamal to celebrate his coming of age.

The success of reggaeton made even Madonna not hesitate to approach Maluma to invite him to sing in Medellín, the first single from her album Madame X.

It's clear that reggaeton reaches its greatest glory when it merges with other styles. Puerto Rican Tego Calderón knows a thing or two about that, setting a standard with his debut album, El Abayarde (2002), a reggaeton and Latin music classic that showcases his proud Blackness, connecting the rhymed Spanish babble with the salsa of his countryman Ismael Rivera.

Such was its significance that Rolling Stone magazine ranked it 125th on its list of the 250 best albums of the 21st century. Without this album, Bad Bunny, who played DeBÍ TiRAR Más FoToS , wouldn't exist today. His connection to traditional Puerto Rican music is perfectly exemplified by his performance at the Tiny Desk, which went down in the annals of intimate concerts.

Reggaeton's tendency to return to its roots is also evident in Rauw Alejandro's latest work - with the very significant title of Cosa nuestra , a cheeky nod to Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe - in which he mixes reggaeton and trap with salsa, bolero and merengue.

This propensity for revival is confirmed by Colombian Karol G's new album, Tropicoqueta , with a vintage cover showing her in an erotic pose, like a Latin American star, stretched out on congas, in the style of those Cañonazos bailables compilations by Discos Fuentes. Her composition mixes reggaeton with merengue, bachata, cumbia, and vallenato, and features even Manu Chao himself.

Combining reggaeton with other genres has become the best way to stand out from an overexploited niche, even if it means being conservative.

Something similar has happened with new African music, which has emerged from the ghetto of "world music" to break international ground thanks to Afrobeats.

And we're not talking about Fela Kuti, but about WizKid, Davido, and the constellation of new musicians from countries like Nigeria and South Africa who have invented a dazzling new music that blends hip hop, electronic music, and African cadences, becoming the spearhead of modernity.

The large African diaspora has played a decisive role in its success, to the point of filling large venues in the West.

Thus, WizKid sold out for three nights at London's 02 Arena - with a capacity of 20,000 people - during the tour to present his acclaimed album Made in Lagos (2020).

Meanwhile, fellow Nigerian Burna Boy was the first African artist to fill New York's Madison Square Garden, before making his debut at Primavera Sound.

And now even Mick Jagger is jumping on the bandwagon, collaborating on Burna Boy's brand new album, No Sign of Weakness, released last week.

Or Coldplay, whose latest album, Moon Music, features Burna Boy and the emerging Ayra Starr. Not to mention the new Catalan urban pop; some songs by the renewed and successful Maria Jaume draw heavily on Afrobeats and reggaeton.

Another highly innovative phenomenon is taking the world by storm from the townships of South Africa. Amapiano, a relaxed and elegant rhythm, both danceable and lounge-like, a blend of deep house, jazz, and kwaito, emphasizes synthesizers, bouncy bass lines, and percussive, electronic, and acoustic rhythms. It has gained widespread popularity thanks to platforms like TikTok.

Among its most notable representatives are pioneers Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa; together, performing as Scorpion Kings, they delivered an unforgettable six-hour set at Sónar three years ago.

The same edition featured a performance by dancer and singer Kamo Mphela, another emerging name in the amapiano scene.

In the field of more advanced African electronic music, we should mention Nyege Nyege Tapes, an independent label based in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, that explores, produces, and releases underground music, featuring artists from various parts of Africa who connect with and expand new global trends.

We've already heard some of them here, such as DJ Travella and Kampire Bahana; the latter is a DJ, writer, activist, and queer feminist with a well-earned reputation through sessions at the Nyege Nyege Festival, which takes place in Jinja, a town on the shores of Lake Victoria, and which has attracted fans from around the world every year since 2014 to celebrate the diversity of contemporary African music. Some of her sets are available on YouTube.

Especially recommended is the Boiler Room x Nyege Nyege Festival from 2018. Pure Afrofuturism at its best.