Reggaeton needed a racial reckoning. Afro-Latinos are leading it.
Written by Bethonie Butler
That’s largely because the industry is structured in a way that allows White artists to thrive, says Katelina Eccleston, a reggaeton scholar who explores the genre’s history on her website, Reggaeton con la Gata.
“If you look at the hiring and the talent in all levels in the industry, it’s just lacking diversity,” Eccleston says. “And that translates into the decision-making.”
Written by Maritza Zuluaga
Katelina Eccleston, AKA Reggaeton Con La Gata on J-Lo and racist endearments
“I don’t even put all of the blame on her. There is too much zooming in on the artist,” she said. “I would rather point the finger at the team. Somebody wrote that song, someone heard it, someone presented it to her, she heard it, they recorded it, someone produced it, someone mastered it, presented it to a boardroom, got the greenlight for the video, the director heard it, the dancers heard it.”
Written by Griselda Flores
Afro-Latino Artists Are Speaking Out. Is The Industry Finally Ready to Help Them?
They’ve long faced discrimination — in their home countries, the United States and the industry at large. A new wave of promotion from labels and streaming platforms could finally start to change that.
Available to be read by Members of Billboard Latin Only
For the kids who grew up with reggaetón: an interview with Katelina Eccleston, creator of “Reggaeton con la Gata”
“Ivy Queen is iconic because at the time of her introduction to the movement lyrically, her music transcended a number of intersections tying in feminist attitudes into a largely macho space,” Katelina says.
She elaborates how Ivy Queen timeless hit Yo Quiero Bailar and her classic Reggae Respect were executed with such success during a time where the movement was moving so quickly makes her master of her domain. Before we wrapped up our conversation, Katelina mentioned one of her podcast episodes where she talks about how under this new era, and new market, she is not a fan of the clean reggaetón that is being produced.
Foundations & Migrations, Joy & Resistance: How interdependent Black and Latinx communities and heritages created hip-hop culture and reggaeton.
“In comparison, hip-hop cultivates, nurtures and invites Black women to create and influence culture. Although hip-hop has a lot of growth to do in regards to protecting and nurturing darker-skinned Black women, Black women have been able to have powerful careers,” she adds.
Aired LIVE 9/13
Now more than ever is the time to celebrate the rich diversity of our Latino culture and gente. That is exactly what we will be doing on our first ever TV special, Se Habla USA Celebrando Juntos. Tune in THIS Sunday, September 13th to meet young Latinos who are keeping traditions alive, while also impacting the food and music industries with their unique voices and style! From topics like how our favorite Latino foods came into existence to Afro-Latinos making waves in their industries, we’re covering it ALL. Swipe to see a sneak peek of some of the celebrity guests and influencers that Univision’s @FranciscaLachapel and @Yarel_Ramos will be speaking to and be sure to catch part one of our two part special this Sunday at 5pm ET on @Univision!
Hosted by Isabella Gomez Sarmiento
The House has passed a bill with bipartisan support to create a new Smithsonian museum dedicated to American Latinos. If signed into law, that museum still has a long way to go to become reality.
No es música urbana, es un movimiento
Hosted by Nuria Net
El término ‘música urbana’ se utiliza comúnmente para agrupar las músicas hechas por afrolatinxs; géneros tan variados y transnacionales como el reggaeton, el trap, el dembow y la champeta. Esta etiqueta genérica ha sido cuestionada por sus orígenes en el contexto norteamericano (“urban music” para describir la música hecha por afroamericanos) ya que carga con un fuerte bagaje racista y hoy, la conversación vuelve a tomar impulso gracias a voces como Katelina “Gata” Eccleston y Jennifer Mota. Nuestras invitadas hoy en LATINXTRANSFER son periodistas, críticas culturales y sobretodo, documentalistas de estos géneros y sus intérpretes que siguen siendo discriminados en los medios tradicionales y en la industria. Recientemente Gata, Jenny y otros periodistas de medios como Remezcla han hecho un llamado a reconsiderar la categoría “música urbana” y sustituirla por el término “el movimiento”. Nos lo cuentan y abrimos debate.
Truth Serum with Aida Rodriguez and Julissa Arce Raya, Melinna Bobadilla, Katelina Eccleston
Hosted by Aida Rodriguez
Aida Rodriguez is joined by Julissa Arce Raya, Melinna Bobadilla and Katelina Eccleston to discuss intersectionality and the heavy impact of police violence on Latinos in the US.
The Recording Academy Has Retired the Term ‘Urban’ — Is Urbano Next to Go?
Written by Latin Music Editor Suzy Exposito
“‘Urbano’ does not reflect the richness of the politics, passion and creativity of the varied sounds,” adds reggaeton scholar Katelina Eccleston. “El movimiento is an opportunity to reach back into the raices,” she says, referring to reggaeton, reggae and rap en español’s legacy of political resistance.
Resistencia Y Reggaeton via Locatora Radio
Hosted by Diosa & Mala Muñoz
For the first half of this capítulo, we discuss defunding the police, frameworks for collective liberation, protesting safely, and the ongoing pandemic.
For the second half of this capítulo, we chat with Gata, the creator and host of Reggaeton con la Gata about the origins & blanqueamiento of Reggaeton, which convos ARENT happening, and paying respect to the movement’s elders.
Ozuna: The Golden Child of The Digital Streaming Era
Written by Jennifer Motaval for VIBE
Reggaeton historian and founder of Reggaeton Con La Gata, Kathleen Eccleston, credits Ozuna’s success to not only his special pen game but his confidence to be unapologetically himself…..“Ozuna is important to today’s world of streaming and music because of visibility,” she says. Culturally, in Latin America, pet names like chiquitawhich means shorty, gordita translating to fatty, and negrito/a for an Afro-descendant are often used as a form of affection—it’s a cultural practice to address someone by their appearance.
Why The Debate On Rosalia’s Rise In Spanish-Language Latin Music Matters
Written by Mariela Santos for NYLON
According to TV host and artist Kathleen «La Gata» Eccleston, various artists have been looking to revive their careers by making reggaeton music, and collaborating with artists from the urban movement….credit isn’t given to Black reggaeton artists, and the pioneering Panamanian-Jamaican artists that developed reggae in Spanish, when it’s due. This is one manifestation of the colorism present throughout Latin American countries and Latinx communities in the United States, privileging whiteness.[/
Meet The Afro Latina Purveyors of Reggaeton
Written by Marjua Estevez for Teen VOGUE
There is a glaring issue within the genre of reggaeton: the exclusion of black women in music videos. This is the topic that Panamanian-American host Gata tackles in an 8-minute Youtube clip. “We have a problem, we want black music but we don’t want black women?” the 25-year-old asks at the beginning of the video. The clip, which is part of the show Reggaeton Con La Gata, is a testimonial account where the host speaks on the history of reggaeton, the exclusion of dark-skinned Afro-Latinas from the genre’s music videos, and her own experiences navigating Latino culture.
Panamanian TV Host Asks: Where Are the Black Latinas in Reggaeton? (VIDEO)
Written by Amanda Alcantara for Latino Rebels
«There is a glaring issue within the genre of reggaeton: the exclusion of black women in music videos. This is the topic that Panamanian-American host Gata tackles in an 8-minute Youtube clip. “We have a problem, we want black music but we don’t want black women?” the 25-year-old asks at the beginning of the video. The clip, which is part of the show Reggaeton Con La Gata, is a testimonial account where the host speaks on the history of reggaeton, the exclusion of dark-skinned Afro-Latinas from the genre’s music videos, and her own experiences navigating Latino culture.»
Written by Barbara Gonzalez for Cassius
Bruno said her lecture materials will consist of analyzing song lyrics, music videos, and also videos from popular creators such as Mitú and Reggaetón Con La Gata, who she also asked to review her syllabus. Some popular musicians she’ll be highlighting include Ivy Queen, Cardi B, Amara La Negra, La Sista, Jennifer Lopez, Nina Sky and more. While Bruno admits she has struggled with getting other academics to realize the legitimacy in her work, she said she is standing on the foundation of other Black and Latinx scholars who have done this work on race, culture, and music before her. In her own research, she uses race, colonialism, anti-blackness, Latinx experiences in urban cities to create points about how they all play into the culture of each genre.
How Black Panamanians Have Made Gold Jewelry an Intrinsic Part of Their Culture
Written by Michael Butler for Remezcla
Similarly, television host Katelina Eccleston-Cooper can’t remember a time when gold wasn’t a constant in her life. From her birth, gold has formed a part of her identity.“I’ve gotten the gold chain, the gold baby wristlet with the beads, and my name – and all of my family members have it, too,” she says. “It was something that was part of of our upbringing.”
“They view it as unnecessary; we view it as cultural,” she says. “I understand it from all angles, but in the same way someone wants to buy $200 Gucci flip flops, I can buy a $200 gold tooth. I think Americans can be hypocritical in the sense of how people display money. It’s funny because the majority of people I know who use gold teeth in Panama are black and, they’re not poor, but they’re also not rich. That’s why I tie [gold] so much to Afro-Latinidad because I feel like it’s just as Black as the Afro.”