This blog will explore the ideas and relevant media surrounding creolization in Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries.

Pssttttt...this is my chance to finally dive into Puerto Rican music!

Sorry, DR and Cuba. I promise I love you both too and as much.

(I think so anyway...)

I'm feeling...BOMBA!

Within the reading, authors mention that some of the most important African-derived genres are plena, baquiné, and bomba. I chose to focus on bomba since I am drawn to the rhythm of the drums. By now, you should know any of the African styles would've caught my ear like earring photography. Whew!

Practiced in the Puerto Rican lowlands, Bomba is a traditional music style (as well as a dance) that stemmed from African slavery and contact with the Spanish. Want to hear something cool? We know that people sing and dance to express themselves, but what if they used it to communicate? Remember I said that the style stemmed from African slavery? Bomba was created in the sugar plantations by slaves brought to Puerto Rico by the Spaniards centuries ago. Considering these slaves were grouped together from varying tribes, they used this music to communicate. Interestingly, this idea behind bomba hasn't exactly changed. Bomba, itself, has been considered the sound of resistance, and it's hard not to love that for those who fight for their right to be themselves. Rooted in history and bloomed in the present.

Bomba drum
(Photo taken from https://repeatingislands.com/2018/07/11/bomba-the-enduring-anthem-of-puerto-rico/)

Based on this, I think you can guess a bit of the setup of the style. Bomba's sound is a cultural blend birthed from the hands of freedom and conversation. The style is based on four key instruments (the Cuá, Maracas, the Buleador drum and the Subidor drum), dancers which follow the rhythm in circles (literally), and a call and response vocal style. Unlike the traditional call and response, in bomba, either the lead vocalist creates his/her impromptu lyrics to be repeated (usually by the participants present) or the lead singer may take turns with their assisting singers to sing various stanzas.

Oh, you thought that was it? Meet me on the dance floor in front of the bomba drum!

Got a question for you. Is every conversation happy-go-lucky? Of course not! Some conversations drag, some are heated, and some are dreary. So, this conversational style covers those bases. How? Follow my lead. Bomba has three sides from my view. Two of which are heard in the music itself while the third is left to the dancers' movements. The more upbeat, expressive bomba is an upbeat holandé which is followed by excitement and enthusiasm. Whereas, the deeper, more somber, and spiritual bomba rhythms are considered yubá. Doesn't this remind you of court cases and conflict resolution in a way? There are two sides to every story, and a third party who may find their way to the truth during each display.

(Imagine the lights dim and the spotlight positions over the dance floor as I narrate a moment here.)

Students participating in a Bomba Yo workshop taught by Jose Ortiz in the Bronx on August 3, 2019.
(Photo taken from https://www.hotindienews.com/2019/08/14/54325)

Who is our truth seeker? Ah, yes. The dancer. Dancing around circular dance floors as the stories fill the air around them. What do the drums say? Are they lying on the names of your ancestors who built this music on the bitter-sweetness of the fields they were shackled to? Caught you. The dancer eyes down the drum, the primo drummer, and the path between them. The dancer begins to share their Piquetes (improvised bomba movements) with the drum. The conversation between these steps and the rhythm heat up with each line written by the music as the dance cross checks them. The dancer has sped up their steps. Will the drummer keep up or falter under the heat of the history and theories that have found the truth in another story? The audience shouts, "Speak!" The drummer can no longer handle this battle. The dancer bows and leaves the drummer to appeal to another.

(Okay, I'm done. Dang, wish I had the drums to accompany that like a spoken word. Would've been amazing. Next time!)

Video from the YouTube Channel: KQED Arts
I chose this video as it not only places a magnifying glass over the music itself but also over the emotions attached to it. Additionally, we even get to see a bit of Puerto Rico and bomba's connection to each area. I hope you were listening to the music in the background as you watched! Did you hear the difference between the upbeat and yubá? Did you feel the emotion in the various displays of call and response? At 5:32, I want you to focus on something for me. Listen closely to the drums as the woman dances. Do you feel that connection as they speak through the music? Gosh!

So, what'd you think of Bomba? There's always more to it (which is why it interests me), but I do need to the spread the love evenly this time. Let's sample another great genre together!

Rev It Up Reggaeton!

We know quite well, I've waited patiently since my introduction to "The Impact of Creolization in the Caribbean" for this very section. We finally get to expand on Reggaeton! Wooooooo!

Let's review what we know from the introductory blog.

Genres such as Reggaeton are a product of a cultural blend (creolization) that have stemmed from the genres before it. This genre is rooted in dancehall, popular American music (like hip hop and rap), and other Caribbean music.

Now, let's expand on this.

Originating from Puerto Rico during the 1990s, Reggaton is a beloved blend of reggae or dancehall rhythms and hip hop alongside Spanish lyrics and a dash of African influence. Thanks to this, the genre has become one of the most popular genres out of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean despite originally being an underground sound (which is probably why I chose this genre to expand on, vibe check).

Daddy Yankee performing.
(Photo taken from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/daddy-yankee-opens-reggaeton-museum-puerto-rico-n1089541)

Why was this popular genre originally underground? Young artists that made this music [to express themselves] were often criticized and bashed. So much so until Puerto Rican police began slandering underground artists as they confiscated the sources of music or fined those found with the music. Yes, in a government-sponsored campaign, they considered underground music and its artists as corrupters of society. Of course, this didn't stop the show or dim the shine. The underground music was still sold to those interested and the influence on the culture was still both loved and consistent.

It's funny, isn't it? The police thought the genre was beaten and tossed aside, but it was alive and well from the place it started, underground. Among the genre's enthusiasts and artists was the proclaimed "King of Reggaeton," Daddy Yankee, who remained unashamed of the emerging genre and continued to make hit after hit despite public slander.

Video from the YouTube Channel: Daddy Yankee
What? You should've seen this coming. How could I mention Reggaeton, bring up this household name and not get a favorite? Anyway, I chose this additional example as I wanted to tiptoe through the nostalgia of the early 2000s. It's really the low hanging chain for me! What do remember from back then?
That aside...
What connections can you make between this music video and American hip hop from the early 2000s? Do you hear the creolized flavors in the music production? It's amazing with all that's going on in this style, we can easily focus on any aspect. Like the fact the song is entirely in Spanish but you probably remember half the lyrics. It's okay, same here!