Tego Calderón "The Underdog"

As the first reggaetón artist to be signed to a major record label in the U.S., Tego Calderón is the right man to take the genre to the next level, as his much awaited The Underdog / El Subestimado surpasses all expectations. The Underdog, his third album, offers a sophisticated musical trip that features reggaetón, hip hop, dancehall reggae, blues, salsa, soul funk, rumba and other Afro-Caribbean stylings, with a solid musical production is anything but stale.

From this album forward, Calderón is no longer a reggaeton-only star. He's transformed himself into a deep artist with a conscience, kissing away the easy money by bringing up issues like race, parenthood, poverty and the war in Iraq. He raps and sings with a smooth and serio delivery, his distinct smokey voice as sure as Snoop Dogg's, and the line-up is just as confident: from Jamaican dancehall master Buju Banton, to Salsa legend Oscar D' León as well as reggaetóneros Don Omar, Yandel and upstarts Eddie Dee & Voltio.

Calderón aims high and hits the target with an album that is as rich as the culture he represents. For sure. But will reggaetón fans take the next step with The Underdog?