Daddy Yankee - Rompe (Karaoke Version)

Daddy Yankee, who closed the show, is a dogged performer, often pushing his unremarkable voice to the breaking point when he can’t think of anything better to do. His song “Rompe” (“Break It Down”) is currently No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin chart and could become reggaetón’s second mainstream hit. The song reduces reggaetón’s already simple forms to an insistent four-note phrase. The rhythm track is synchronized with the word rompe, which is repeated three times, with less syncopation than in most reggaetón songs but with as much enthusiasm. As the audience happily chanted along with Yankee, the women in the crowd executed subtle variations on a circular dance move that could be described as “butt in orbit.” The two words that consistently elicited the loudest response, however, had little to do with music: “Puerto Rico!” ♦