In the wake of
Daddy Yankee's breakthrough success with
Barrio Fino (2004),
Machete Music re-released
Los Homerun-es, a semi-compilation of previously released material from the
reggaeton superstar's underground years. Most of this material was originally released on Puerto Rican mixtapes, some of it dating back to the 1990s.
Los Homerun-es, originally released in 2003 by
VI Music, kicks off with some more recent material; for instance,
"Segurosqui" and
"Gata Gangsta," the latter a collaboration with
Don Omar, were released shortly before
Barrio Fino. These album-opening songs are highlights, no doubt, but
Los Homerun-es gets especially interesting once the track list reaches
"Donde Mi No Vengas," the first of a run of tracks taken from
Playero mixtapes. These recordings date back to the mid-'90s and consequently are formative in nature, with
Daddy Yankee employing a
reggae-style flow over a rudimentary "dem bow" riddim for several minutes. These
Playero recordings are quite storied nowadays, and it's great to have them readily available here in good quality. There are also some non-
Playero mixtape recordings;
"Mix Rap 1: 30-30/Mi Fanatico/Se Acelera el Flow," from 1997, is one such highlight, featuring New York legend
Nas and showcasing
Daddy Yankee rapping over a
Mobb Deep-style rhythm. In total,
Los Homerun-es represents a selective journey through
Daddy Yankee's underground years, before he teamed up with
Luny Tunes and broke through with
"Gasolina." In fact,
Los Homerun-es is an ideal complement to
Barrio Fino, for the stark contrast of the two reflects the evolution
reggaeton underwent in 2003-2004, roughly the point in time when the style came to fruition after years of street-level synthesis. ~ Jason Birchmeier
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