Arts & Entertainment

Mamaroneck Reggaeton Singer Releases New Video

A Mamaroneck reggaeton singer and rapper will release his new video on April 5.

 

With its distinctive bassline and snaredrum rhythm, reggaeton's hypnotic sound has a cultural melting pot of influences including Jamaican dancehall, Trinidadian soca, and Latin American salsa, bomba, hip-hop and electronica, with lyrics that are typically sung or rapped in Spanish. Originally called Reggae en Español (Spanish Reggae), the music genre originated in Panama, but evolved into what is now reggaeton in Puerto Rico during the '80s. Reggaeton artists have a wide following in Latin American countries like Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela as well as Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

ALXX—better known as Mamaroneck resident Alejandro Portillo—is a singer/rapper who cites his musical influences as well-known reggaeton artists Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Dalmata, Zion y Lennox, Rakim y Ken-Y as well as British rapper Plan B. 

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For the past 2 1/2 years, ALXX has been promoting his songs and videos on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, but has not yet signed with a label.

"Everything I have done is because of my effort and the hunger to follow the dream I always wanted. That is why today I am here," he said.

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With his new video "Dejate llevar" (Let Yourself Go)—shot at Lolita's Cocina in Greenwich, CT—ALXX hopes to appeal to not only his core fans in the Spanish-speaking community, but to Westchester residents who may not be tuned into reggaeton. The video will be released on April 5 on ALXX's YouTube channel here; it was directed by Dom Garcia, and stars ALXX and model Maria Alejandra Pernia, with makeup by Diana Alvarez.

Fans of ALXX can vote here to help his video win a Univision Premios Juventud (Youthfulness Awards)—an award granted for Spanish-speaking celebrities in categories like film, music, sports—which would make him the first Westchester resident to win the prestigious award. 


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