Daddy Yankee Los Homerun-Es CD

The first full album from one of the big names of the reggaeton underground.

Personnel: Daddy Yankee (rap vocals); Felix "Felito Guira" Rivera (guitar, bongos); Manuel Vazquez (guitar); Erielson Lugo (bass guitar); Felix "Tamboura" Rivera (tambora).
Recording information: Los Cangris Studios.
Photographer: Ferdinand Rodriguez.
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
When Daddy Yankee's BARRIO FINO broke out in a big way near the end of 2004, many assumed it was the debut for one of reggaeton's rising stars. Although Yankee spent some of his formative years in New York City, the hometown of his namesake baseball team, it wasn't until BARRIO FINO that he got wide exposure in the United States. In the wake of this success, Universal picked up his earlier release, the excellent LOS HOMERUN-ES.
As he grew up amidst the NYC hip-hop scene (in fact, Nas gave him one of his earliest breaks), Daddy Yankee, not surprisingly, stresses the rap aspect of reggaeton. The infectious hook of the opening track, "Intro/Segurosqui," could fit in on a Lil Jon song (Yankee would later collaborate with the crunk king) and hints at Yankee's unrestrained live energy. Yankee exhibits a fierceness on "Flow Gangsteril," a track boasting an ever-changing background that incorporates classical and merengue, along with West Coast-rap beats. He also proves himself a proficient toaster on tracks like "No Te Canses, El Funeral," as he rolls with ease from smooth vocals to a growl. LOS HOMERUN-ES presents an energetic and innovative MC working up to the height of his powers.