Barrio Fino

''Barrio Fino'' (; en, "Fine 'Hood") is the third studio album by Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee, released on July 13, 2004, in the United States by V.I. Music and El Cartel Records and internationally by Machete Music and Polydor Records. Released two years after his previous studio album, '' El Cangri.com'' (2002), the album was recorded in Puerto Rico between 2003 and 2004. It explores themes ranging from dance, sex, romance, introspection, and protest against political corruption and violence against women. ''Barrio Fino'' was instrumental in popularizing reggaeton in the mainstream market, enhancing Daddy Yankee's career, as well as cementing his status as one of the most successful Latin artists of the 2000s. The album is reported to have sold over three million copies in the world.

Daddy Yankee wrote all the tracks, with co-writing credits on seven, and is credited as executive producer. Four of the 21 songs were released as singles. The first single, "Gasolina", charted within the top 10 in Denmark, Italy, Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Austria, while "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" peaked at number two on the US Hot Latin Songs chart. ''Barrio Fino'' reached number one on the US Tropical Albums and the Top Latin Albums charts. It became the first reggaeton recording to debut and peak atop the latter chart. It ranked within the top 30 in the United States, Portugal, Switzerland and Spain.

The album was Daddy Yankee's first international commercial success, and garnered a Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Music Album, while "Gasolina" became the first reggaeton song to receive a nomination for a Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year. ''Barrio Fino'' produced two ''Billboard'' Hot 100 entries, but despite the album's success, none of its four ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs entries reached number one. ''Barrio Fino'' was ranked number 44 in the "Top 50 Records of 2005" list by ''Rolling Stone'' and was included in ''Billboard''s "50 Greatest Latin Albums of the Past 50 Years" in 2015. The album received a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America, denoting shipments of over one million copies in the United States, where it became the top-selling Latin album of 2005 and the 2000s decade and is the seventh best-selling Latin album of all-time in the country. In 2020, ''Rolling Stone'' updated their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list placing Barrio Fino on the 473 position.

Background

In 1991, Daddy Yankee (born Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez) began his musical career on a collaborative project with Puerto Rican disc jockey and producer DJ Playero. Daddy Yankee was later featured on Playero's '' 37'' and '' 38'' studio albums, before releasing his first solo record titled '' No Mercy'' in 1995. At the age of 17, while taking a break from a recording session, Ayala was shot in the leg after being caught inadvertently in the middle of a shootout, ending his aspirations of becoming a professional baseball player. Following his injuries, Daddy Yankee continued working on underground reggaeton records, and released his first album as a producer, '' El Cartel de Yankee'' (1997). After the release of his 2001 independent album '' El Cartel II: Los Cangris'', Daddy Yankee released his second studio album '' El Cangri.com'' (2002), which is cited as the record that made him well known outside his natal Puerto Rico. Prior to ''Barrio Fino'', Daddy Yankee released a compilation album titled ''Los Homerun-es'', which became his first record to chart within the top 10 on the US Top Latin Albums, reaching number seven. Later that year, he was featured on Dominican duo Luny Tunes' debut studio album, '' Mas Flow'', on the track "Cógela Que Van Sin Jockey", whose outro included Daddy Yankee promoting ''Barrio Fino''. On initials plans the album was supposed be released with the title "El Cangri.com 2, Barrio Fino" and was intended to be released in August 2003. However, those plans was scrapped. As of 2004, Yankee caught on and established a steady career on his home island. His previous four album had each sold more than 100,000 copies in Puerto Rico.

Composition

The album's lyrics explore themes ranging from dance, sex, romance, introspection, and social issues, which are recurring themes in the rapper's repertoire. The intro, performed by ex-convict poet Gavilán, is a poetic piece focusing on the humble side of Puerto Rico's poor neighborhoods or ''barrios''. On the next track, "King Daddy", the rapper describes his career and predicts how ''Barrio Fino'' will revolutionize reggaeton music and validate his stage name as a successful Latin artist in the United States. "Dale Caliente" is a reggaeton dance song inspired by dancehall and Jamaican music, featuring backing vocals by Puerto Rican singer Glory and Jamaican artist Blacka-Nice. "No Me Dejes Solo" features lead vocals by Puerto Rican duo Wisin & Yandel and backing vocals by Glory. Its sexually suggestive lyrics are about the fears of losing a girlfriend.

"Gasolina", the album's lead single, was inspired by a Puerto Rican phrase about having a good time partying. Before the release of ''Barrio Fino'', Daddy Yankee shared an apartment with his wife and three children in the Villa Kennedy housing project, where he occasionally heard people in the streets shouting "¡Cómo le gusta la gasolina!" ("How she likes gasoline!") at women who accepted rides from men with fancy cars. The hook "a mí me gusta la gasolina, dame más gasolina" ("I like gasoline, give me more gasoline") was born after he chanted rhythmically what he was hearing outside. He contacted his colleague and friend Eddie Dee to work with him on the song's lyrics.

" Like You" is Daddy Yankee's first Spanglish song. Musically, it is a fusion of reggaeton and rhythm and blues, featuring backing vocals by May-Be and Raymond Acosta and guitars by Puerto Rican producer Arnaldo "Naldo" Santos. Daddy Yankee decided to write a song with English-language lyrics, so he "could be understood by people who liked reggaeton but did not speak Spanish." "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó", the album's second single, fuses reggaeton and merengue music, giving it "a Caribbean tropical sound." "Tu Príncipe" is a romantic track that features Puerto Rican duo Zion & Lennox, with lyrics describing the dilemmas of falling in love with a best friend and the fears following a revelation of one's feelings. "Cuéntame" is another romantic reggaeton song recorded in order to "balance the production" by creating a similar track to "Tu Príncipe".

"Santifica tus Escapularios" is a rap recording that allowed Daddy Yankee to "vent against all spiritual evil." "Sabor a Melao" fuses reggaeton and salsa music and features Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Andy Montañez, using a chorus from his Batacumbele orchestra. "El Muro" and "El Empuje" are "classic hardcore reggaeton" tracks that were recorded in order to balance the variety of the recording's offerings. The reggaeton and R&B-blended track, "¿Qué Vas a Hacer?", features vocals from May-Be and guitars by Jeorge Salgado and focuses on violence against women. The song was written as a conversation between a man and a woman. "Salud y Vida" is a hip hop track with Mexican banda influences with lyrics that suggest that people value materialistic objects more than their own well-being. Latin music journalist Ramiro Burr wrote that on this track Daddy Yankee reflected on his neighborhood questioning "society's endless pursuit of material things." The song features backing vocals by American artist Norman "Notch" Howell and Marcelo Castro performing trumpet.

The interlude, performed by Gavilán, is another poem about the roughness of the barrio, serving as a prelude to the next track. "Corazones" is a socially conscious rap song that "describes how every heart in the world is different and feels different things. So intentions, emotions and even the most similar of situations are always unique to each individual." Daddy Yankee wrote the lyrics because he believes that the mass media focuses more on reporting negative news rather than positive ones. From 1:24 to 2:14 He also took notice about the needs of poor people and ''barrios''. The track mentions politics, crime, hope and Christian spirituality. "Golpe de Estado" is a personal song featuring novice rapper Tommy Viera whose lyrics are about Daddy Yankee's, and ''Barrio Fino'' role in the reggaeton music movement. "Dos Mujeres", performed humorously, takes the point of view of a man who secretly maintains a relationship with two women. "Saber Su Nombre" fuses reggaeton and dancehall music, and tells the story of a man who shows interest in a woman he met at a nightclub. The album's outro, titled "Historia", was written to represent the people of Puerto Rican neighborhoods. Daddy Yankee stated that he wanted to "bring them to life in a story that's very humble but full of pride."

Production and packaging

Luny Tunes produced nine of the 21 tracks on ''Barrio Fino'', including the singles "Gasolina", "Like You", and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó". Puerto Rican production duo Monserrate & DJ Urba produced three songs, including the single "No Me Dejes Solo". Puerto Rican singer and producer Fido, one half of Alexis & Fido, and Puerto Rican pianist Eliel each produced two tracks. Puerto Rican producers Naldo, DJ Nelson, Echo, Diesel, Nely, Edgardo Matta, and Salvadoran production duo Crooked Stilo produced or co-produced one track on the album. The intro, interlude and outro were produced by Ramsis.

''Barrio Fino'' was recorded between 2003 and 2004 at Daddy Yankee's El Cartel Studios in Villa Kennedy, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Luny Tunes' Mas Flow Studios in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The album was mixed by Luny Tunes, Paul "Echo" Irizarry and Jose "Hyde" Cotto at Mas Flow Studios and The Lab Studios. The mastering by Nestor Salomon at Digital Recording Services. The cover art features Daddy Yankee in a black-and-white aesthetic. He hired Elastic People music video director and designer Carlos Perez, who wanted to "position him as one of the founders of the movement and portray him on a sophisticated note." Daddy Yankee suggested a "monumental" black-and-white cover inspired from historical photographs involving American professional boxer and activist Muhammad Ali.

Release

''Barrio Fino'' was released on July 13, 2004. In the week ending on July 31, the record debuted at number one on the US Top Latin Albums, becoming the first reggaeton album to peak and debut at the top of that chart. It also debuted at number one on the US Tropical Albums and at number 67 on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling almost 18,000 copies in it first week. The release of "Gasolina" as the album's lead single enhanced its chart performance and it topped the Top Latin Albums chart for a second week in 2005, remaining there for another 22 non-consecutive weeks, for a total of 24 weeks at number one. It also re-entered the ''Billboard'' 200 in the week ending on December 18, 2004, and peaked at number 26 on the April 16, 2005, issue. It topped the Tropical Albums chart for 28 non-consecutive weeks. It also charted for 54 weeks on the ''Billboard'' 200, and 42 weeks on Tropical Albums. A bonus track version of ''Barrio Fino'', which includes a salsa remix of "Sabor a Melao" and a bachata remix for "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó", was released on May 23, 2005.

In 2005, the album became the first reggaeton record to chart in Europe, peaking at number 26 in Portugal and Spain, at number 28 in Switzerland, at number 46 in Italy, at number 51 in Austria, and at number 67 in France. On May 17, 2005, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified ''Barrio Fino'' platinum for having shipped one million copies in the United States. On March 3, 2006, it was also certified platinum by the Mexican Association of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms (AMPROFON) for sales of 100,000 units in Mexico. The album also received a platinum certification by the Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers (CAPIF) on March 22, 2005, for sales of over 40,000 units. ''Barrio Fino'' was the fourth and 10th best selling album of 2005 in Venezuela and Chile, respectively, and was certified gold for selling 10,000 units across Central America.

In Canada, sales for ''Barrio Fino'' were considerably lower. Despite Daddy Yankee being one of the first reggaeton artists to receive airplay there, the album had sold only 9,300 units as of September 2005, according to Nielsen SoundScan. According to '' The Record'', ''Barrio Fino'' shipped five million copies worldwide as of June 2006. In the United States, ''Barrio Fino'' became the best-selling reggaeton album of 2004, the best- selling tropical recording of 2004, and the best-selling Latin album of 2005 and the 2000s decade. , the record has sold 1,083,000 copies in the United States, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. As of August 2005, ''Barrio Fino'' has sold three million of copies.

The bonus track version was re-released for digital stores and streaming platforms on July 21, 2017 under El Cartel Records and The Orchard, celebrating the album's 13th anniversary. It subsequently re-entered the US Top Latin Albums chart at number 13 on August 12, 2017. On the US Top Latin Albums chart, ''Barrio Fino'' charted for 262 non-consecutive weeks from July 31, 2004 to July 22, 2006 and from August 12, 2017 onwards.

Singles

"Gasolina" became the first of the album's singles to enter the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number 32 on the week ending January 29, 2005. It also reached number 10 and 17 on the US Hot Rap Songs and Hot Latin Songs charts, respectively. Leila Cobo of ''Billboard'' stated that it could not pass its number 17 peak on the Hot Latin Songs chart because of the lack of urban music played on US Spanish-language radio stations at the time. Internationally, the song ranked within the top five in Denmark, Italy, Norway, Ireland and the United Kingdom. "Gasolina" did not chart in Japan, despite the track having shipped 100,000 units in the country as of September 2005.

The album's second single, "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó", peaked at number two on Hot Latin Songs and number six on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles list, where it charted for 18 weeks without entering the Hot 100. It also became Daddy Yankee's first number one on the US Tropical Airplay chart on March 12, 2005. Internationally, "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" peaked at number 35 in Switzerland. The third single, "No Me Dejes Solo", peaked at number 32 on Hot Latin Songs and at number eight on Tropical Airplay. The fourth and final single from ''Barrio Fino'', "Like You", peaked at number 78 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Tu Príncipe" peaked at number 35 on the US Hot Latin Songs chart on the issue dated April 8, 2006. Daddy Yankee stated in October 2014 that "Tu Príncipe" was not released as a single nor a promotional song, and that it charted "on its own, because of the fans."

Critical reception

Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic gave the album a 4.5 out of 5 score, praising its first half as "remarkably solid" but commenting that its final quarter "begins to grow tiresome" because of the record's length. He states that Daddy Yankee "deserves a lot of credit for the success of ''Barrio Fino'', for his charisma, energy level, and command of the proceedings are well evident and often infectious." Birchmeier selected "Gasolina" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" as the album's highlights, with minor highlights including "Dale Caliente," "No Me Dejes Solo," "Tu Príncipe," and "¿Qué Vas a Hacer?". He ended the review by saying that ''Barrio Fino'' is "a milestone reggaetón release for its time" alongside Don Omar's ''The Last Don''.

''Rolling Stone'' magazine's Christian Hoard gave it a 3.5 out of 5, stating that ''Barrio Fino'' is "the blingiest and most modern disc in current reggaeton" and highlighted the track "Gasolina" for its "slinky hook." The album was later ranked by the magazine as the 44th best record of 2005. On the 2005 year-end ranking of ''Rolling Stone Argentina'', the album was ranked as the 47th best record of 2005, with the comment that "Daddy Yankee exploits a boricua version of 50 Cent's style." The magazine praised the album for its "elegant and fabulous rhythms" and ended the review by adding that "''Barrio Fino'' is an agitated excursion to reggaeton's most rough pleasures."

Adam Webb of the BBC
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