R&13 BY AYALA BEN- YEHUDA The Ladies Of Latin Hip -Hop Reggaetón Divas Look For A Breakthrough

s reggaetón hits puberty, labels , Anais, RBD and R &B crossovers senior VP of A &R are incorporating different Beyoncé, Cassie and Keyshia Cole. and marketing. sounds and finding new au- At retail labels do support female urban A comprehensive street, dub diences and alternative artists' releases with price- and -position- and online marketing campaign is ways to reach them -all ing programs, says Alberto Uribe, head under way, with single "You Got Me" of- of which bodes well for women looking to buyer for the Ritmo Latino chain. But with fered as a free download on iTunes in ad- get into the game. the same handful of artists featured on vance of the April 24 release. But though divas abound in the Latin each other's reggaetón compilations, Mun2 VP of programming Flavio pop world, the young genres of reggaetón Uribe says, "It's the artists themselves Morales says his channel's "18 & Over" and Latin hip -hop have so far produced who have made it seem like it's a move- video countdown has become a sought - only one undeniable female star -Ivy ment exclusively for men -not record after barometer of an act's success. Queen (see story, right). companies or consumers." It's also a platform to introduce new Industry sources point to a relative president Gustavo Lopez artists who don't make the countdown dearth of women pursuing the genre as a counters that those who buy reggaetón al- and who radio may be hesitant to make play- career, the clubby nature of compilations bums are mostly women who prefer to hear space for. "It's about creating a level that dominate label releases and limited men on the tracks. He notes that compila- ing field," he says. outlets devoted to airing a musical style de- tions, and particularly the singles worked Morales points to rap act Salt -N- Pepa's rived from macho street culture. from them, reflect artists who are hot at breakthrough in the '80s with a club track "In , the ones who are on the the moment-and the right female with as a model for how Latin hip -hop is likely yet. to evolve. And "if you get some young REGGAETÓN street and potentially disposed to make un- the right song hasn't come along derground recordings are guys," says Felix "Reggaetón is so young, there's only so Latina talking about her young Latina ex- I the same Bonnet, VP of programming for Spanish many stars," Lopez says. "When we're all periences, think that'll resonate ROYALTY System's Puerto Rico sta- putting together projects, we're thinking way Gwen Stefani resonates." Broadcasting Her As AVery tions. Noting that girls are more sheltered about what's going to break through fast. Los Angeles hip -hop singer LaLa con- Earns Crown from the corners where aspiring reg- There isn't a female out there that you can curs. "All the guys, they write hard, and it's Male Subgenre's Only Female Star gaetóneros practice their craft all night, really say, 'She's hot.' " always some threatening shit. My perspec- When the "12 Disciples" of beat, other tracks depart from Bonnet adds, "For every hundred guys who For , Machete is simultaneously tive is definitely different. [I] tell normal reggaetón stepped onstage Ivy Queen's peculiar brand of want to sing reggaetón, only two or three working a salsa track at tropical radio and girl stories, with how I grew up." "I to perform at the 2005 Latin danceable melancholy with girls go for it" a remixed reggaetón track with Hector "El Lopez takes a different view. think to make it, she needs to be Grammy Awards, only one forays into salsa and acoustic The last two years have brought major - Father" at urban radio. for a woman a girl of the genre's leaders was balladry. In a twist on the label releases by , Glory, La Sista and The popularity of urban bachata by Aven- a bad girl, but she needs to be bad R &B wearing a gold miniskirt usual dynamic, such male Lisa M, as well as compilations with female tura and romantic reggaetón by Rakim & with credibility. It might be through over their jeans. guest stars as Baby Rasta re- guest stars. But the only women to crack Ken -Y proved there was a strong female or something else." In a movement that took spond in kind with their own the top 10 of Billboard's Latin Rhythm Air- market for Latin urban music. Young For her part, Ivy Queen allows that with ag- romantic songs. play chart since its inception in August women and gays will be target markets for there's room for more female Latin urban off commercially gressive lyrics and a doggie - Ivy Queen started her ca- 2005 have been Ivy Queen, (ap- R &B /reggaetónera Adassa's sophomore stars, but adds this caveat: "[She has] got style perreo dance, Ivy reer in 1995 with Puerto pearing on a track), Latin pop's album, says Walter Kolm, Universal Latino to be a woman with cojones." Queen established herself as Rican reggaetón group the reggaetórr's no- nonsense fe- Noise, then went solo with male conscience. (Her an- 1997's "." She GIRLS IN A MAN'S WORLD them "Quiero Bailar" followed up the next year with La dance partner "," on New York rapper /activist La and brains." So sings Casey tertainment Presents: warned her those which she collaborated on a Bruja, who cut her teeth on Romero, aka LaLa, who got her Costa Nuestra," due in August not to misinterpret youth moves.) With her first fully track with . Her Russell Simmons' "Def Poetry break last year when DJ Julio G on Machete Music. Latin album, "Sen- top -selling album to date is Jam" and recently signed to of urban KDAY Los Angeles cable channel LATV, which self-produced March 27 on 2005's "Flashback," a pack- indie 1830 Records asks, downloaded her low- rider- launches nationally next timiento," out is a reality , the 35- year -old age of previous hits and new "Where is the Latina _auryn themed "La La La" from her month, developing MySpace page and played it show around Cecy B as she has something new to prove: tracks that has sold 104,000 Hill? I hope to step up and rep- deal for she, and reggaetón, can in the United States and resent in that way." on the air. Several other radio seeks a distribution that album "Street grow artistically. Puerto Rico, according to These Latin hip -hop ladies 2003 follow -up, "Alevosia, ' re- stations picked up the song. A self -released many times Nielsen SoundScan. (as well as Lumidee, see spectively sold 60,000 and management deal with Prior- Sexy." Road warrior Dia- "I've heard is a rhythm, As a female who slogged story, page 50) are stepping 70,000 copies in La Mala's ity Records founder Bryan monique is featured on a that reggaetón Mat- boom boom,' and it out on the road with the up as well: home country, according to Turner and collaborations with remix of Akon's "Don't 'boom of before label Universal. Her next album, rappers Mack -10 and B -Real ter" that's making the radio that's it," says Ivy Queen, who likes Ivelisse Pe- major labels took notice of MALA RODRIGUEZ "Malamarismo," is due for a followed. LaLa is finishing work rounds. Starr is a member of was born Martha "Because people see us reggaetón's commercial po- Spain's foremost rapper rose June 5 release stateside on her debut album. the group La Verdad. -ABY sante. or rap en Es- tential, Ivy Queen attributes to critical acclaim in the late through Machete Music and in- as reggaetón artists, they think one her stature to the fact that "I '90s for her hard -hitting lyrics cludes collaborations with reg- CECY B, DIAMONIQUE pañol have feelings and always have something to and poetic flow. ThoLgh her gaetón acts Tego Calderon and AND STARR doesn't maybe can't write the way I say, something to contribute. 2002 album "Lujo Iberico" Calle 13. Cecy B, Diamonique and Starr I never came with empty scanned just 2,000 copies in spit rapid -fire battle rhymes wrote this album." first single "Que rhythm or lyrics. [Men saw the United States and Puerto LALA on "Here We Come," a track Though (Let Them Cry) seeks that] the girl could write and Rico, according to Nielsen "It's hard to be a sad girl /In a from West Coast Latin hip - Lloren" heartbreak sing and go to the platform SoundScan, the album and its man's world /With a big booty hop compilation "Rikraf En- to avenge female to a familiar drum machine and kill, as we say." -ABY

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