How long does it take to speak fluent reggaetón? Probably about 20 years of hits and formulas, like the ones W, El Sobreviviente — better known as Wisin — has delivered throughout his career.
On Thursday, we can officially call him the dean of the Universidad del Perreo. What started as a mysterious invitation to a university turned out to be a campaign for Wisin’s new album. Composed of 12 tracks and released under his own label, La Base Music Group, this album not only brings together collaborations with key figures in the genre like Ivy Queen, Don Chezina, Jory Boy, Jowell & Randy, Trébol Clan, Franco El Gorilla, Juanka El Problematik, and Mexican artist El Bogueto, but it also introduces Colombian artist Kapo as the first “graduate” of this musical university.
“As I’ve always said, it has been a collective effort,” Wisin tells Billboard in a Zoom interview from Miami. “If people out there are talking about salsa, the history of merengue, tropical music, the history of bolero, I think they also have to talk about the history of an established movement. A movement that continues to be talked about and where new stars keep being born. I think it’s a great project.
“It’s a project where we return to the original sound, the sound that started it all and opened so many doors,” he adds. “With all this success, different masterclasses are being planned with great figures of urban music, including myself and various colleagues, so that it’s not just an album but also a platform to help all these young people become great songwriters, great artists, great producers.”
