My uncle is from Trinidad, so, ever since I was 7, I grew up listening to Soca, the genre that's from there. It's my favorite sound.
Reggaeton is amazing.
So I'll put on my bob marley tape And practice what I preach Get jah lost in the reggae mon As I walk along the beach
I grew up listening to Bob Marley, Jill Scott, Floetry, Nas, Jay-Z, Beyonce.
I know that people everywhere listen to hip-hop, but especially being from the South, you really get that influence. You go out, you party, and it's just always there. Also, I grew up listening and loving reggae music, too.
I listened to a lot of reggae music, a lot of Caribbean, a lot of gospel, a lot of rock, a lot of country, hip-hop... you know, so it just gave me perspective when it came to music and what I liked.
In Hawaii, some of the biggest radio stations are reggae. The local bands are heavily influenced by Bob Marley.
Reggae is definitely a natural influence. Even living in Southern California, near the water, you get that reggae feel.
Being a hotbed of international travel, of course Panama's music is as diverse as its population. Throughout the '60s and '70s, it wasn't uncommon to hear intricate mixtures of calypso, jazz and cumbia throughout the isthmus.
I really like dancehall. I really like reggae. I'm a big fan. Bob Marley and all that.
You know, I'm a modern day Harry Belafonte; I got the swagger of the island.
What really swings is the music of the United States, Cuba, the Caribbean and vicinity, and, of course, Brazil. The rest is all waltzes.
I listen to some rap music. I'm from the Bahamas so I like reggae as well. And then I slow it down with a little Frank Sinatra.
Here's the key to Jamaica, the secret to Jamaican dancehall parties, no matter where you are in the world. If you do not see Japanese people, you're at the wrong party. They source authenticity like no other culture I've ever seen.
Reggeton has changed very much, musically. It has evolved. The artists have also evolved.
I feel grateful for the Puerto Ricans who created this genre that has inspired me to have such a beautiful career. Reggaeton has allowed me to continue evolving and growing musically, and I have been able to make it mine as well.
My immediate family are from the West Indies - from Trinidad and Grenada - and I have relatives all over the Caribbean.
As soon as I heard 'Calypso,' I loved it.
Some people's parents listened to the Beatles... but my family is Alquimia, Celia Cruz, and Carlos Vives - this old, rich Colombian music. I loved hearing that while I was growing up.
I rap and I sing, so then you've got a bit of hip-hop in there. I'm Jamaican, so you got a bit of dancehall. And I'm from London, so there's a bit of London things in there... And at sometimes, it's a little bit Afrobeat.
Reggaeton is something else - it is part of pop culture. It is something very big that I don't believe will ever die.
I wanted to keep pushing the musical ideas I had about jazz, music from Africa and the Caribbean.
One of my favorite reggae songs is Wayne Wonder's 'No Letting Go.' And Sizzla 'Give Me A Try.' That's one of my favorite songs as well.
When it comes to dance hall music, I definitely listened to a lot of Vybz Kartel growing up or Gyptian and Mavado.
Jamaican music can be aggressive, soulful, smooth and exciting all at once - just like hip-hop. At the same time, there's nothing like Jamaica in the United States. Jamaica is its own thing.
