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Trap vs. Reggaetón: What’s the Difference?
Trap and reggaetón are two of the most popular genres in Latin urban music today. While they share some similarities, they also have distinct differences in their origins, styles, and influences.
What is Trap?
Trap originated in the southern United States in the early 2000s and was heavily influenced by hip-hop, particularly the sounds of Atlanta and Memphis. The genre’s name comes from the slang term “trap house,” which refers to a place where drugs are sold.
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Trap is characterized by its heavy beats, dark lyrics, and use of autotune. The genre’s early pioneers include Gucci Mane, T.I., and Young Jeezy, who helped to popularize the sound and bring it to a wider audience.
In the early 2010s, trap began to make its way into Latin urban music, particularly in Puerto Rico. Latino artists began to incorporate trap elements into their music, creating a new subgenre known as Latin trap.
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The main characteristic of trap as a musical genre is that, unlike reggaetón, it combines other sounds that come from rap and hip hop or electronic music. In addition, it contains explicit and sometimes aggressive lyrics. Although the first trap songs were influenced by the enormous criminal activity that took place in the neighborhoods of some states in the United States, the lyricism of trap also includes themes such as money or luxury items.
Latin trap quickly gained popularity and has become one of the most popular forms of Latin urban music today. Some of the most recognized trap artists and singers are Anuel AA, Paulo Londra, Arcángel, Nicki Nicole, Duki or Ptazeta.
What is Reggaetón?
Reggaetón originated in Puerto Rico in the 1990s and was heavily influenced by Jamaican dancehall music, Panamanian reggae en español, and hip-hop. The genre’s early pioneers include DJ Playero, DJ Negro, and Vico C, who blended these influences to create a unique sound that was characterized by its dembow rhythm, explicit and sexual lyrics, and catchy hooks.
With the mix of reggaetón and dembow, parties began to emerge in Latin America, where both genres sounded like the most, as a new way of going out and having a good time, which adopted the name “reggae marathon,” which finally ended up becoming what we know today as reggaeton.
As in trap, the lyrics of reggaeton songs are explicit but directed more to an audience that lives at night, in clubs and at parties. Unlike trap, reggaetón is a more fluid and danceable genre, resulting in a fast, catchy rhythm that will make more than one person move their hips.
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Reggaetón’s popularity grew throughout the 2000s, and it soon spread to other Latin American countries and the United States. Some of the biggest names in reggaetón include Daddy Yankee – widely known as the King of Reggaetón – , Don Omar, Vico C, Tego Calderón, and Ivy Queen. Their music helped to popularize the genre and bring it to a wider audience.
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In recent years, reggaetón has continued to evolve and incorporate new sounds and influences. Some of the most popular reggaetón artists today include Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Karol G, and Ozuna. Their music has helped to push the genre into the mainstream and make it one of the most popular forms of Latin music in the world.
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