07/01/2025
This month’s collaboration is with and paying tribute to the connection between Puerto Rico and New York. Listen on Spotify or Apple Music, link in bio.
Often nicknamed “Municipio 79,” or the 79th municipality of Puerto Rico, New York has long served as a second home for many Boricuas. From the first waves of migration in 1917 through the 1940s, to the largest influx in the 1960s, Puerto Ricans have continually found and built community in the big city. This month’s playlist takes us on a journey through time, honoring the deep ties between the island and the diaspora, highlighting both the joys and struggles of Boricuas in New York.
The playlist kicks off with Puerto Rican producers, DJs, and lyricists like Vico C, Bobbito Garcia, Nina Sky, Big Pun, Ivy Queen, N.O.R.E., Lisa Lisa, and more—spanning the early days of hip hop, mid-90s dance music, and the 2000s reggaetón explosion. Through sampling, word play, and embedded Caribbean rhythms, many of these tracks, however, refer back to an earlier era of music, to the golden age of salsa and the first generations of Puerto Ricans in NYC.
To close, we pay tribute to these pioneers who started it all. Salsa singers, band directors, and musicians like Tito Puente, Willie Colón, La India, Héctor Lavoe, Fania All Stars, Yomo Toro, and countless others who lived their culture loudly and fearlessly through music in the city. In doing so, these artists set the stage for future generations of Boricuas away from their homeland, signaling the pride and joy to be found in their heritage.
