J Balvin sat down with tastemaker Upscale Vandal, Latin Grammy-winning producer and artist Tainy and Reggaeton icon Yandel to discuss the legacy and fashion influences of the musical genre.
Speaking to Hot97’s Laura Stylez and Head of Youtube Music, AJ Ramos, the Latin artists discussed the evolution of fashion in Reggaeton culture.
“The evolution to me…being honest, we come from places where we don’t have access,” said Upscale Vandal on the fashion choices of early-2000s Reggaeton stars. “If you tell your parents, as a Latino, ‘Mom, I’m gonna go buy a $500 USD pair of sneakers,’ they might kick you out of the house.”
“In our countries, instead of buying a Mercedes, I am going to buy a house for my mom, I’m going to help the neighborhood,” he added. “So in the beginning I have a lot of ‘hate’ to Latin fashion,” he joked.
Vandal praised Balvin for pushing his style outside of the more traditional boundaries of Latin culture.
“We have to give him respect,” he said of Balvin. “He opened the door for so many people to feel comfortable with their own style.”
The conversation amongst the artists was in honor of the release of DYNASTY, a collaborative album between Tainy and Yandel alongside Foot Locker and creative incubator Greenhouse. The two men also recently launched a limited-edition collaboration with heritage American sportswear brand Starter.
“We are people that enjoy fashion,” said Tainy. “For us, it’s not just the music that’s important, it’s also everything that comes with the culture, fashion and style.”
Watch the 55-minute exclusive conversation above.
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