Black women have been central to reggaetón’s history, shaping its sound and culture from the early Reggae en Español era with Rude Girl La Atrevida, through Glory and La Sista, to modern stars like Tokischa, Lesley, and Anmily Brown. Despite systemic barriers, their artistry continues to define and inspire Latin urban music.
The casting of Zoë Saldaña as Nina Simone in the 2016 biopic sparked widespread backlash for perpetuating colorism and erasing Simone’s unapologetically dark-skinned identity. From the use of blackface to a prosthetic nose, the film failed to honor the legacy of a woman whose artistry was rooted in her experience as a proud, dark-skinned Black woman.
In her editor’s note for Enlatinidad, Katelina “Gata” Eccleston lays the foundation for a bold new media space centering comedy, culture, and commentary through a Latine lens. With her signature voice as a reggaetón historian and cultural critic, Gata challenges stereotypes, uplifts Afro-Latinx narratives, and invites readers to rethink what Latinidad truly looks and sounds like today.
