J Balvin performs for the 21st Latin Grammy Awards, which aired on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, at American Airlines Arena in Miami. (AP Photo/Taimy Alvarez)
I first heard the infectious
dembow rhythm that undergirds every reggaeton song at my eighth-grade back-to-school dance. A mosh pit of suburban teens was trying in earnest to move their hips to the beat while mumbling the few words they could recognize thanks to obligatory Spanish classes. But when the chorus hit, everyone shouted without faltering, “¡
Dame más gasolina!”
It was 2005, and Daddy Yankee’s international hit “Gasolina”
had crossed over from the Latin music scene onto U.S. mainstream charts. I was captivated by the new sound: reggaeton. Though reminiscent of hip-hop and dancehall, there was something distinctive about