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Alternative reggaeton is a subgenre ofreggaeton that emerged from the reggaeton movement as a reaction to its repetitive and monotonedembow rhythm, and the predominant stereotypical gangsta content that became predictable. The result was a complex sound derived from world sounds, mainly rooted in otherLatin American music based genres such asbomba,plena,salsa,bachata,merengue,cumbia,tango and other foreign influenced music such asalternative rock,rock en español andLatin alternative. Mixed with thoughtful (and sometimes crude) lyricism guided by ananti-colonialism discourse, Latin American sociopolitical content, and racial pride, it gave listeners a smooth blend of danceable rhythms and intellectual dialogue.

The precursor is arguably one of the founding fathers of reggaeton:Vico C, whose albums relied heavily on hip-hop acoustics, keyboards, and reggae roots.Xplosión (1993),Aquel Que Había Muerto (1998) andDesahogo (2005) are good examples.

The starting point of alternative reggaetonper se is considered by many to be the albumEl Abayarde, the 2002 debut ofTego Calderón. The blend of Puerto Rican folk music, known asbomba y plena, twoAfro-Puerto Rican genres and steady beats of hip hop and classical reggaeton served as a base for the new variant. The album became a major success, launching the underground status of Calderón to the pinnacle of the Spanish-speakingMC's.

The breakthrough album of what is considered alternative reggaeton came in 2005 with theself-titled debut album ofPuerto Rican duoCalle 13. The song "Atrévete-te-te" from the album became a big success on theBillboardHot Latin Songs chart, peaking at #15.^[1] This helped the genre gain more media exposure. The background of the Puerto Rican duo provided a fresh source for the subgenre. Producer and multi-instrumentalist Visitante was formally educated in music, and eventually formed part of arock en español and Brazilianbatucada band called Bayanga, which provided a diametrical point of view from the traditionalcaserío-inspireddancehall synthesizer sound from most albums. Lyricist Residente was highly educated, having earned aMasters of Fine Arts in theSavannah College of Art and Design,^[2] which contributed to his crafted lyricism and purposeful sarcasm. The main asset of the album was that it provided more than just danceable tracks, and it began to question the inner perception of Puerto Rican identity and the acceptance of foreign models as a pertinent solution to Latin American issues. This is evident in theDiddy mocking song "Pi-di-di-di". Some criticism has been raised of Residente of its close similarity toEminem's songs and whole 'enfant terrible'ethos.

The sophomore and junior albums of the band have further expanded this realm creating a mature product that provides sexual discussions and ethical questioning. For this reason, the band has achieved critical success winning multiple accolades including fiveGrammys.^[3]

Much like the alternative wing of hip hop (with artists such asMos Def andTalib Kweli), both Tego Calderón and Calle 13 have found a solid fan base and success in the indie scene and mainstream scenarios. But other artists such as 7-9 (sometimes referred to as SieteNueve) and Intifada still remain relatively unknown. Although their content is deliberately Nationalistic and entirely in Spanish, much like the other alternative artists, they do not consider themselves reggaeton singers, but hip-hoppers. The only track to receive some airplay in major stations was 7-9's "Edúcate o Quédate Calla'o",^[4] a diss track againstDaddy Yankee arguing that his support toJohn McCain in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election was inappropriate and set a poor example for children. Another artist somewhat associated with the subgenre is producer Danny Fornaris, due to his protest track "Querido FBI", whom Calle 13 wrote in honor ofMachetero leaderFiliberto Ojeda Ríos after he was allegedly assassinated by theFBI. However, Fornaris' constant collaborations with mainstream reggaeton singers, such asDon Omar andTito El Bambino, has devaluated him in the indie scene, contributing to asellout stigma.

• Reggaeton
• Reggae genres
• Puerto Rican styles of music
• Urbano music genres

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