**Reggaeton Versus #2 Old School Vs New School – Yesterday’s Legend or Today’s Legend, who is better Don Omar vs J Balvin**

Like, do we even have to continue this?  Y’all know it’s easily Don right?  All jokes aside, there is a generation today who are aware of Don Omar, but actually put J Balvin ahead of him.  Though I comprehend their perspective, I really do, from an old school guy’s view, they come across as a little insane.  But regardless, I will articulate the J Balvin fan’s “insane” perspective as best as I can.

**Case for J Balvin:**  J Balvin surpassed everyone in Reggaeton history when it comes to numbers and hit singles except for Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee, and surprisingly, Karol G.  This includes Don Omar whose biggest hit to date remains “Danza Kuduro”.  Were J Balvin’s albums universally acclaimed?  No.  But he has 5 albums that sold over a million units each.  His biggest album “Vibras” sold over 6 million units.  And Balvin is the guy that put Reggaeton back on the map at a time where the mainstream had completely forgotten about the genre.

Who cares if J Balvin writes his songs or not.  He had some of the biggest hits of all-time in songs like “6 AM”, “Ahora Dices”, “Ay Vamos”, “Mi Gente”, “No Es Justo”, “Bonita”, “Otra Vez”, “Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola”, “Rojo” and so many more…  He is a Bonafide Reggaeton legend and one of the biggest Latin artists in history.

**Case for Don Omar:**  The Last Don.  That’s it.  Case Closed.  For real though, it’s hard for someone post the 2010’s to understand Don’s significance, especially if they weren’t there for “The Last Don” era.  First off, J Balvin doesn’t even have one album that comes close to “The Last Don”, not one.  Next, before Don, singing and harmonizing in Reggaeton was fairly uncommon.  Don Omar was the first mainstream star in Reggaeton who did it via crooning.  He could flow and Rap too, but were he not such a gifted singer with a great voice, Reggaeton as a whole may not have become half as big as it was.

There’s no need to mention he ghostwrote big hits for Hector & Tito like “Baila Morena” and “Si Estoy Facil”.  He would continue to transcend the genre for over two decades and did in so many styles.  There’ the Electro Soca hit of “Danza Kuduro”.  The Hardcore Rap of “Bandoleros” where he hangs in there with the great lyricism of Tego Calderon.  The Bachaton club banger “Dile”.  The Underground style Perreo Anthem “Hasta Abajo”.  The timeless Reggaeton ballad “Vuelve”.  Balvin wishes he were half as versatile.

**Reggaeton Party Mane Verdict:  Don Omar over J Balvin**

Sorry for making the result so obvious.  To be fair, if it were from “Danza Kuduro” forward I would have J Balvin and Don Omar as even.  But his “Last Don” run was so legendary it cannot be denied.  And even Balvin’s “Vibras” era which was pretty historic doesn’t quite come close to matching Don’s 2002-2006 run.