Which Panamanian-born genre is Spanish-language reggae that developed in the 1970s?

The Panamanian-born Spanish-language reggae genre is called *Reggae en Español*.

The style grew from Jamaican reggae and dancehall within Panama’s Afro-Caribbean communities. Early Spanish-language performances appeared in the 1970s, while the scene expanded and became more recognizable during the 1980s. Jamaican musical influence reached Panama through longstanding migration and cultural links connected with railway, banana-industry, and Canal construction.

In 1977, the Guyanese immigrant known as Guyana and the Panamanian DJ Wassabanga are credited with introducing reggae rhythms with Spanish lyrics in Panama. By the 1980s, performers such as Renato, El General, Nando Boom, and Chicho Man were adapting Jamaican riddims for Spanish-speaking audiences.

Reggae en Español is sometimes treated as an early foundation of reggaeton, but the terms are not identical. Reggaeton developed later through additional hip-hop, dancehall, and Latin-Caribbean influences.