Daddy Yankee: “El Cartel: The Big Boss”

In the three years since “Gasolina” introduced the world to reggaeton, the genre has been saturated with copycats of Daddy Yankee’s rapid-fire style.

Unfortunately, even Daddy Yankee sounds like he’s imitating Daddy Yankee.

His new album, “El Cartel: The Big Boss,” is track-heavy with more than 20 songs but too many of them sound like “Gasolina” sequels. Some are catchy and even likable, but too few sound original.

The album features collaborations with several names from the English-speaking pop world, including Akon, Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.

Of those, the remix to “Impacto” featuring Fergie is especially awful. Despite landing in the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm chart, it sounds like a paint-by-numbers Daddy Yankee song, complete with a hyper beat and repetitious call-and-response lyrics.

The songs on which Daddy Yankee (born Ramon Ayala) has a chance to shine are those where he switches up his super-fast flow for some singing and more innovative rhyming.

Unfortunately, these occasional moments of authenticity can’t keep “El Cartel” from being a disappointing album. Too bad — it comes at a time when some people are already planning reggaeton’s funeral.

The Associated Press