Reggaeton is full of myths and legends, but this story is true: El General arrived in Brooklyn in the mid-80s and began performing in the dancehall scene, which was booming. He began working with Jamaican producers who were recording and promoting Panamanian artists. Around the same time, a Spanish-language hip-hop revolution was also taking place, as mixtapes flew back and forth between NYC and Puerto Rico.

New York became the crossroad that made Reggaeton possible.

Listen to a special episode from our own Futuro Studios hit show LOUD: The History of Reggaeton hosted by Ivy Queen.

Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa.

Follow the show to get every episode.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts.

Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isabel Allende Confronts Dictatorship, Democracy, and the Future for Women