Flashback

by Jonathan WidranIf you've heard about the monstrously popular musical movement known as reggaeton -- a Latin-driven genre offering an explosive, highly danceable mix of hip-hop, rap, and reggae -- but have never checked it out, Ivy Queen makes it easy for you with this comprehensive 20-track collection. The New York Times once said of the Puerto Rican-born artist, "There's only one significant reggaeton rapper, Ivy Queen, and she's been burning up the dance floors since the late '90s -- breaking through to a wider audience with her duet "In the Zone" with Wyclef Jean." That track is curiously missing from this mix of 16 infectious greatest hits and four new joints, but Flashback has more than enough driving grooves, chunky beats, symphonic atmospheres, and infectious raps to compensate. These include Ivy's latest sizzling hit "Cuentale" and a reggaeton-ed up twist on Selena's classic "Si una Vez." The songs that best capture the Queen's irrepressible inspirations, spirit, and vibe are the sexy anthem "Te He Querido, Te He Llorado," "Yo Soy la Queen" (featuring a speedier rap over a quick-thump hypnotic beat), and "Reggae Respect." But at heart, Ivy is really about the party and getting people moving, a theme reflected in her hits "Quiero Bailar" and "En la Disco."