New York Urban Latin Music

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About New York Latin Urban Music

Our feature and news coverage of New York Latin urban music is in the categories rap, reggaeton, rhythm & blues (R&B) and trap.

Urban music is what young people are listening to. It’s the sound of the street, and the streets are one of the best things about New York City.

The term “urban music” was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker on WBLS in 1974. He used it to describe the disco, funk, R&B and early rap that was coming up of the New York City streets then.

The influence of reggae on urban music is notable in the progression from dancehall to hip-hop, reggaeton and Latin trap. Reggae isn’t generally considered Latin, but has both clave and syncopation in it, the hallmarks of Latin music. That’s why it blends so well with other Latin music forms. Jamaica was Indigenous, then Spanish for 150 years, before it became English, so we are there.

Artists of color report feeling trapped by the urban music category because it implies hard core inner city life, whereas the Latin experience is much more multidimensional.

Perreo is the urban music dance to reggaeton.

La Mega 97.9 is NYC’s most popular urban music radio station.

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