Latin house or Latin EDM is an electronic dance music genre that combines
house and
Latin American music, such as that of
Puerto Rican,
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
n,
Dominican, and African origin.
History
Origins
In the second half of the 1980s, some of the pioneers of house music of Latin-American descent gave birth to this genre by releasing house records in Spanish. Early examples include Jesse Velez "Girls Out On The Floor" 1985, "Amor Puertorriqueño" by Raz on
DJ International and "
Break 4 Love
"Break 4 Love" is a song written, produced and recorded by Vaughan Mason, the principal member of American house music group Raze, the song's original credited performer. The song, the group's only significant US hit, featured vocals by Keit ...
" by
Raze.
1990s to present
In the 1990s a new generation of producers and labels broke into the market.
Nervous Records
Nervous Records is a UK rockabilly music independent record label. It was formed in 1979 by Roy Williams, a DJ on the UK rock'n'roll scene. Nervous Records is credited by many as the leading record label behind the emergence of the British neo ...
released "Quiero Saber" by the Latin Kings, produced by
Todd Terry
Todd Norton Terry (born April 18, 1967) is an American DJ, record producer and remixer in the genre of house music.
Musical career
Todd Terry was influential in moving House music beyond the early Chicago house sound of 1984–86. He crosse ...
, as well as "Everything's All Right" by Arts of Rhythm and "Philly The Blunt" by Trinidad.
Strictly Rhythm employed producer
Armand van Helden, who released "Pirates of The Caribbean Vol. III". Songs from the same label include DJ Dero's "Sube", The Tribe's "Go-san-do", R.A.W.'s "Asuca" produced by Erick Morillo, Rare Arts' "
Boricua
Puerto Ricans ( es, Puertorriqueños; or boricuas) are the people of Puerto Rico, the inhabitants, and citizens of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and their descendants.
Overview
The culture held in common by most Puerto Ricans is referred t ...
Posse", Escandalo's "Mas Buena" and Fiasco's "Las Mujeres" produced by Norty Cotto, Latin Kaos' "El Bandolero" and "Muevete Mama" and "Sugar Cane" by Afro-Cube.
During the same period (1991 -1992), Chicago native Pizarro produced "The Five Tones", "New Perspective EP", "Plastica", "Caliente" and "Perdoname". Other producers like Ralphi Rosario and Masters at Work created Latin house classics, for instance Ralphie's production "Da-Me-Lo" and his remix of Albita's "No se parece a nada" as well as "Sul Chu Cha" by Rosabel, while Louie Vega and Kenny Gonzales remix "Sume Sigh Say" by House of Gypsies (Todd Terry), and a remarkable Latin house hit "Robi Rob's Boriqua Anthem" by
C+C Music Factory
C, or c, is the third letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''cee'' (pronounced ), plural ''cees''.
History
"C" ...
.
In the meantime hybrid experiments are put on the market by the likes of New York's
Proyecto Uno
Proyecto Uno (in English: Project One) is a Dominican-American hip hop/Merengue house group which helped popularize a style of music which blends Merengue music, merengue with techno, dancehall, reggae and hip-hop/rap music. The band was founde ...
, who combined house and
merengue in their LPs " Todo el mundo" and "In Da House". Their female counterpart is
Lisa M
Mary Lisa Marrero Vázquez (born January 16, 1974) better known by her stage name Lisa M, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, composer, dancer and record producer. She is known as the first female rapper artist to debut in Latin America.
Early li ...
from Puerto Rico, who can be heard on the "No lo derrumbes" and "Flavor of the Latin" albums. Another merengue-house record worth of mention is "Así mamacita" by Henry Rivera on Los Angeles Aqua Boogie. Duo Sandy & Papo are known for their LPs "Sandy & Papo" and "Otra Vez".
During the mid-1990s Cutting broke into the Latin house scene and became the most representative label of this genre. Cutting's DJ Norty Cotto was deemed the most representative producer of Latin house. Among the various hits are 2 In A Room's "Las Mujeres", "Carnival" and "Dar la vuelta", Fun City's "Padentro" and "Baila", Sancocho's "Tumba la Casa", "Alcen las manos" and "Que siga el party" (LP) and Los Compadres' "La Rumba". Norty Cotto's mixed compilations also became classics.
Fulanito
Fulanito is an American musical group based in Washington Heights in New York City. The group combines traditional merengue with elements of other genres such as house, hip hop, and bachata among others. With over five million albums sold ...
and their LP "El hombre mas famoso de la tierra" is a good combination of house and Latin-American rhythms from that time. El General's "Muevelo" was another of the tunes of that time remixed to the sounds of Latin house by DJ, Producer Pablo Pabanor Ortiz & Erick More Morillo and Latin House party 2
in collaboration with Producer Rafael Torres, Ray Abraxas and Davidson Ospina.
Today many other Latino house artists have emerged to create many successful songs of this genre,
and also remixes.
References
External links
Latin House Message Board- a forum focusing on Latin House music.
{{Electronica
House music genres