The Latin Recording Academy, better known as the Latin Grammys, announced yesterday their list of nominees for this year’s awards, sparking a huge discontent amongst reggaeton artists due to the lack of recognition for their genre. Many singers expressed their disappointment after noticing that only a few reggaeton artists were nominated for the Latin Grammys, in spite of this genre being the one leading the charts not only in Latin America, but all over the world.
In a straightforward post on social media, in which he used the hashtag #sinreggaetonnohaylatingrammy (“there’s no Latin Grammys without reggaeton”), Daddy Yankee, nominated for Best Urban Fusion/Performance for his hit “Con Calma,” stated that, though he was nominated, he disagrees with the Academy’s lack of recognition for the urban genre and the artists who have turned it into a global phenomenon in the last few years.
He added that reggaeton and other related urban sounds are a cultural movement that have to be respected beyond a simple award show. Naturally, his message was loud and clear and got tons of replies from artists like Maluma, Nicky Jam, Anuel AA, Karol G, Wisin, Natti Natasha, and many more. So, what’s the deal here?
Raphy Pina, founder of Puerto Rican record label Pina Records, posted on Instagram that urban music has always been undervalued because it comes from the street. Also, these artists don’t have a professional musical education, or in other words, most of them are self-taught musicians and, for that reason, they tend to be overlooked.
He also claims that there’s no doubt that urban music holds an important place in music business today. But, it’s also troublesome to see that only a few female singers, who are some of the most popular urban artists nowadays, were considered for this year’s awards.
The issue here goes beyond reggaeton being snubbed. It all boils down to what the Latin Grammys represent and what gets taken into account when it comes to selecting the artists that “deserve” a nomination. One clear example is the sensation of the moment, Rosalía, the Spanish flamenco-fusion artist. She got seven nominations, only one less than Alejandro Sanz (Spanish pop musician), when really neither of them is Latinx.
@malumaBesides that, the award is divided into different genres, including tropical, ranchero, pop, norteño, and alternative, with the Urban genre having three different categories that the previous one doesn’t have. So, yes, it’s too bad not all the hot reggaeton artists had a nomination this year, but at the end of the day, it’s not an urban music award ceremony, and more importantly, it’s just an award, and they’re still on top right now.
@karolgWe’ll just have to wait and see if their condemn turns into a boycott, as it’s been called in social media, and what actions will they take. Are they attending and performing anyway?
Read more:
The 20 Most Famous Reggaeton Songs You Can’t Not Dance To
5 Reasons Why Wisin & Yandel Are And Always Will Be The Masters Of Urban Music
YouTube’s Most Popular Music Videos Show Why You Need To Learn Spanish ASAP
