El Jaleo (The Party)

Abstract

I know there are different meanings depending on the country's slang; in some countries, Jaleo refers to a mess or a dance. I think I once read that there's even a famous painting, called El Jaleo in the Isabella Stewart, Gardner Museum in Boston! When you hear a song, you listen to the melody it brings, and the way it makes you feel. Then you listen to the lyrics, what does the artist mean? How do they portray their feelings? Can you relate to them? Underscoring these questions is one especially contentious genre of music: Reggaeton. It started as a form of underground music in the early 1990s that was only played at clubs, but as the music started to become popular it became known to the general public. People who heard it on the radio had mixed feelings; most of them thought it was inappropriate since it contained violent and controversial topics. Now in the year 2022, it has been one of the most popular genres listened to in the world. Why is that? Why are people listening to this style of music? Do they know its meaning, or do they like the way the melody makes them feel?