Afropop Classic September 18, 2025
Hispanic Heritage Month 2025: A History of Puerto Rican Salsa
Discover the origins of Puerto Rican salsa as legendary bandleaders Rafael Ithier, Quique Lucca, and Willie Rosario share the story of how a Venezuelan DJ and Fania Records turned Cuban-style music into a global cultural identity.
The first time Puerto Rican bandleader Willie Rosario heard the word salsa applied to the Cuban-style music he played was in Venezuela, where DJ Phidias Danilo first popularized it. Subsequently applied as a marketing tool by Fania Records in New York, the word quickly became a marker of Puerto Rican identity. We talk to the founding bandleaders of the genre -- Rafael Ithier (El Gran Combo), Quique Lucca (Sonora Ponceña), and Willie Rosario -- and presents immortal hits of early Puerto Rican salsa. Produced by Ned Sublette with José Mandry.
