Netflix’s Show Neon Addresses Whitewashing in Reggaeton

When I first heard about Netflix’s Neon, a series about reggaeton music, I felt nervous. Reggaeton is a genre and culture that is very precious to Latine, especially Caribbean Latine, people: Many of us grew up with the sound, so we all have memories and feelings about the genre. Moreover, the reggaeton music industry is notoriously problematic, as the artists that historically make it big across Latin America and the Latine diaspora tend to whiten the Black and Caribbean origins of the genre. That said, I was hesitant because I wanted to watch a TV show that was honest about the genre while also exploring how much Latines love the sound and its meanings, despite its flaws. I didn’t think Neon would deliver. Thankfully, I was wrong.