Wisin Launches ‘Universidad del Perreo’ & Signs New Management: ‘The Music Speaks’

Wisin's new album brings together legendary reggaetón figures like Ivy Queen, Don Chezina and Jowell & Randy.

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Below, Wisin explains how Universidad del Perreo was created and the successful social media campaign that allowed him to connect in a different way.

How does this initiative really work beyond the album.

We started with an album featuring the original sound, the sound that started it all, but it doesn’t end there. Obviously, the first ones to be impacted are those who already registered at UniversidadDelPerreo.com, which now has more than 2 million people.

I almost died when I saw the number. I said, “What happened here?” Well, those first people are the ones who will be the first to receive all these videos. So, if you’re one of those 2 million people and you want to be a producer, songwriter, or learn about the music business, you need to stay tuned because we’re about to start sending out videos to help you and guide you to start your journey in music properly and clearly.

What exactly happens when you subscribe to the Universidad del Perreo.

Listen closely: We’ve already sent out some initial videos that I think everyone has received. In the first video, I explain my verses. There are many verses from “W,” from my history, that have very Puerto Rican slang, very street-level language, and in other countries, they might not understand our slang.

So, I’m explaining what it means so that they can learn more about our culture, how people talk in Puerto Rican neighborhoods and “los cacerios” (housing projects).

From there, we’re going to start launching masterclasses with various successful colleagues from the industry, where we’ll talk about production, songwriting, how to produce a track, how to be part of it, and how collective work impacts a proper production.

These masterclasses will be led not just by me, but by great friends — such as Luny Tunes, DJ Nelson, Playero — all of these pioneers who started this movement.

How did you approach the collaborations on the album? Did you already have in mind who you wanted to include, or was it a team decision.

I think in music we can’t always plan what’s going to happen, but of course, I knew Ivy Queen had to be on it. I think she’s the first woman who opened doors for all the new female artists out there today doing what they’re doing.

Chezina had to be on it as well. I’d dare to say he was the first and biggest urban music artist in Puerto Rico. Obviously, Jowell & Randy, Jory, Trébol Clan, Franco El Gorila — they’re all legends, and they each have a very unique sound that brings back that memory of what true reggaetón is.

Who among them had you not recorded with for a long time, and how did it feel to work with them again.

What did you want to convey to tell the story of reggaetón.

You know, music speaks. Because perhaps an Ivy Queen, a Don Chezina, Baby Rasta & Gringo, and different artists — there’s a new generation that might not consume their music, but they need to understand that they were the ones who opened doors for their favorite artists to be here today.

I think the original sound is always needed because it’s our DNA, it’s where we come from, it’s the foundation of our genre.

I believe the work has been a collective effort, where all these producers — from DJ Urba, the first producer who made “Saoco” with Daddy Yankee in 2004, whom I brought back for this project, which is why the sound is so original to Jumbo, Los Legendarios, and Nico Canadá.

Nico Canadá is one of those guys who worked with Playero from the “OGs,” representing the original reggaetón sound; [producer] Monserrate is also part of it. It’s been a collective effort.

I think it would be impossible for me to take on that champion title without mentioning them.

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