NeoPerreo: A Subgenre on the Rise

You might be familiar with reggaeton, the genre defined by big hits such as Bad Bunny’s ‘Safaera’ or even dating back to Daddy Yankee’s ‘Gasolina.’ Reggaeton has its early origins in 1980s Panama, blending reggae music with Latin American ball music—soon it began to spread into Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Reggaeton became a hallmark for the Afro-Latinx population, embodying their culture and influence in Latin America.

Reggaeton continued to evolve in the Caribbean, forming the genre known as perreo. Although perreo itself is not too different from reggaeton, this subgenre was meant to highlight the sensual dancing aspect of reggaeton usually meant for a club or party setting.

With this came the birth and rise of neoperreo, but what makes neoperreo different from just perreo? The prefix ‘neo’ signifies that it might just be a new form of perreo, and although this is true, its sound has become much more distinct than expected.

Just like subgenres such as hyperpop/deconstructed club have risen from upbeat pop music as a result of being situated in a modern-day club setting, neoperreo formed in loud, trendy places dominated a younger Latinx audience. Although perreo was already marked as a genre that was meant to be played at a club/party, neoperreo took this further by incorporating electronic and hard-hitting trends from the deconstructed club scene.

Its social scene is also, perhaps surprisingly, a formative aspect of the genre as well. Queer communities that frequent certain clubs influenced the formation of neoperreo’s distinct sound – similar communities also led to the formation of subgenres mentioned above like hyperpop. The difference is that neoperreo, while maintaining the classic perreo/reggaeton sound, also became a genre that was most loved by queer, Latinx communities already familiar with reggaeton.

Here are some HOT NeoPerreo songs you should listen to.

1. El Alma Que Te Trajo – Safety Trance ft Arca