Reggaeton, which fuses Jamaican dancehall with Caribbean salsa, Latin hip hop and electronic music has been banned by the Cuban government from radio and television in an effort to crack down on what the government deems to be vulgar music particularly degrading to women.
In announcing the ban, the government noted that it needed to preserve the country’s musical integrity. According to the official daily newspaper the Granma, Cuba has a long standing policy of banning performers whose music is deemed sexually explicit, or which could otherwise be interpreted as being demeaning to women.
The music is known for its pulsating beat and sexually explicit lyrics and has become a popular feature in clubs throughout Latin America and Europe. Critics also say that the music also contains explicit lyrics about drugs, violence, poverty, and homophobia.
It is said to have started in Puerto Rico about eight years ago before spreading to other parts of the world.
