Daddy Yankee’s ‘Gasolina’ Becomes the First-Ever Reggaeton Song to Be Added to the U.S. Library of Congress

Daddy Yankee’s ‘Gasolina’ Becomes the First-Ever Reggaeton Song to Be Added to the U.S. Library of Congress
Credit: Daddy Yankee, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

It feels like we just started perreando to “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee yesterday. But the reality is that it’s been on our rotation for over a decade. Yet, after its initial success, the song continues to rile up any party. It’s the ultimate timeless reggaeton song.  

Finding someone who isn’t aware of the song is a rarity – even the U.S. government knows about “Gasolina.” 

In fact, it was just announced that Daddy Yankee’s record-breaking hit has been added to the National Recording Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress. This is the first-ever reggaeton song to be added to the prestigious list.  

Naturally, Daddy Yankee is also over the moon at the news of knowing that his song made it to the Library of Congress. 

“For a kid who grew up in Santurce, a song “Gasolina” that was born in a Puerto Rico neighborhood and is recognized by the “Library of Congress” as one of the songs that transformed culture and changed musical history in the world and the US. is something I never dreamed of,” El Cangri wrote on his social media. 

“And the most beautiful thing was in Spanish. When you do things with love, passion, determination and discipline, everything you dream of can be possible.” 

Beyond the way “Gasolina” unites people, it deserves credit for being the song that allowed reggaeton to become mainstream. Of course, prior to “Gasolina,” Latin urban music by Afro-Latino pioneers, El General and Dj Chombo, was making the rounds. Though their contribution to the genre was historic, Daddy Yankee, undeniably, took it to another level.  

Irene Cara is another artist of Puerto Rican descent who was inducted to the Library of Congress for her song, “Flashdance…What a Feeling” (1983). Cara was a legend herself.  

As you can see, the power of Boricuas is strong.  

Dame más gasolina 

“Gasolina” makes part of Daddy Yankee’s “Barrio Fino” album and debuted number one on the Top Latin Albums chart. The energetic song allowed Daddy Yankee to become the first reggaeton singer to be nominated for a Latin Grammy.  

Though Daddy Yankee announced his retirement, he is still doing shows in Puerto Rico. For now, we can only hope he pulls a Jay-Z and comes back in a few years. 

The 2023 Inductions also include “Imagine” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono (1971); “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin (1971); “Like a Virgin” by Madonna (1984); “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey (1994); and “All Hail the Queen” by Queen Latifah. 

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