Parents' Guide to Reggaeton: The Sound That Conquered the World

The high-spirited series, which is presented in a combination of English and Spanish (with subtitles when necessary), offers lots of details about the meteoric rise of reggaetón and the powerful economic and cultural impact it continues to have on the Latin music industry. It shows how traditional Puerto Rican beats, combined with urban styles of music and dance from New York and Caribbean music like Jamaican dancehall contributed to the evolution of the genre. It also examines how reggaetón went from being played in local marquesinas (residential carports) in the 1980s to becoming the sound of the San Juan underground in the 90s, which made it an easy target for local politicians trying to explain the rise of drug-related crime on the island at that time. Meanwhile, despite the pride they feel about reggaetón's success, some artists share their concerns about how it is being co-opted to suit mainstream pop music markets. Music history buffs will find it fascinating, but some may argue that Reggaeton: The Sound that Conquered the World is telling this story through the lens of the Puerto Rican music industry, given that many music historians credit Panama for being the birthplace of the genre. Nonetheless, it's a compelling series that will attract reggaetón fans, and offers a fun and lively interpretation of how a Spanish-language music genre, and the singers who perform it, went from humble beginnings to world-wide success.