Reparto is Cuba’s hidden musical gem that today is getting its long overdue international spotlight.
Powered by its blend of reggaeton, hip hop, timba, rumba and the signature Cuban clave, reparto (named after the barrios or housing projects in Cuba) has captivated the musical taste buds of people around the globe in recent years.
Part of that success is due to the current viral song, “Dichavate,” by Ya Ice Dilan, Helabusador and Rey Tony that has amassed nearly 10 million video creations on TikTok alone since its release date last Christmas Eve.
“It’s a song that if you’re sad, it serves you in your sadness; if you’re happy, it serves you in your happiness,” Helabusador previously told Billboard. “It is a very emotional song. It has something that connects. The song has magic.”
That precise magic has also connected with artists such as Maluma, who reacted to the cheeky and provocative reparto track on TikTok: “Que hp vicio,” he said, which translates to “what a hell of an addiction.”
But long before today’s “Dichavate” craze, reparto music traces back to the mid-2000s thanks to its first exponents such as the late Elvis Manuel (who tragically drowned in 2008 as he migrated to the U.S. by raft), Adonis MC, El Uniko and, most notably, Chocolate MC, who ultimately blessed the movement as “reparto.”
Since 2018 — when public WiFi hotspots were made more accessible on the island — a new wave of artists there have used social media to bring to the forefront the genre that was once considered “reggaetón of the poor,” but today represents the sound of modern-day Cuba.
Below, see a list of artists who are obsessed with reparto music, including a few who have even experimented with it:
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Bad Gyal
Image Credit: Txema Yeste Bad Gyal is one of the first international stars to talk about her love for reparto music. As someone who’s from Spain — one of the top three countries where reparto music is mostly consumed — the singer told Billboard at the 2025 Premio Lo Nuestro red carpet that she listens to the Cuban genre when getting ready for an awards show.
This January, she was one of the very first artists to react to “Dichavate” on TikTok, months before it blew up on social media: “what does this music have?” she captioned the video, where she’s seen singing the song. Bad Gyal has also been spotted performing to the song during her Más Cara World Tour that kicked off this March in Spain.
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Daddy Yankee
Image Credit: Courtesy DY Records On his 2025 album and debut Christian set, Lamento en Baile, Daddy Yankee did not hold back from experimenting with the tropical-infused urban rhythm. Co-produced by Cuban hitmakers La Companioni and Nando Pro, who are behind the hits of Gente de Zona and the late El Taiger, to name a few, “Toy Hermoso” is primarily a salsaton that later transitions to a reparto beat. The Puerto Rican artist briefly spoke about tapping into the genre during the star Q&A at Billboard Latin Music Week last year.
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El Alfa
Image Credit: Juan Carlos Restituyo Casilla (JC Restituyo) Last August, El Alfa hopped on the bandwagon, teaming up with Bebeshito, one of the genre’s biggest exponents today. In their first collaborative effort, the artists dropped “ROPOPOCHO,” a track produced by Roberto Ferrante for Planet Records that finds the Dominican artist steering away from his signature dembow sound into the world of reparto music.
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Greeicy
Image Credit: Alejandro Hinojosa Earlier this week, Greeicy surprised her 13 million-plus followers on TikTok with a sultry dance to “Dichavate,” where she’s seen wearing a baby blue beret, color-blocked tank top and baggy jeans as she’s swaying her hips. “Que sabrosura la que tiene el reparto. Mucha C A N D E L A,” she said, which translates to “reparto has such amazing flavor.”
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Lenny Tavárez
Image Credit: “Maleante (Remix)” video screenshot Lenny Tavárez has been supporting Cuban artists who do reparto music for three years now. One of his first collaborations was in 2023 with Wampi — one of Billboard’s Latin Artists to Watch in 2026 — on “Maleante (Remix).” Last Spring, he teamed up with Cuban duo Charly & Johayron for “I Love U Mai,” an afrobeats-tinged reparto produced by Távarez’s longtime producer King Swift. The Puerto Rican star also guests on Cuban artist’s Wow Popy’s forthcoming album, Mundial, releasing later this year.
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Maffio
Image Credit: Ahmed González Sayoux Latin hitmaker Maffio has been a longtime cheerleader of the Cuban genre, first dropping the hard-hitting, viral reparto track “Nosotros” in collaboration with L Kimii, Nacho and DJ Conds, and later teaming up with Wampi on “Talentosa,” part of Wampi’s debut studio album El Rey de la Habana — both released in 2025. Earlier this year, the Dominican producer teased that a reparto remix of his seven-year-old mega hit, “Cristina,” is in the horizon with Cuban artists Dale Pututi and Nesty.
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Maluma
Image Credit: Christopher Polk/Billboard In a new thirst trap video, Maluma shared a snippet of himself singing the viral “Dichavate” while drenched in sweat in a sauna. Shirtless, messy hair and with a flirty smile, the Colombian superstar is seen singing part of the reparto song, while also captioning the video with: “what an addiction.” The provocative short clip has garnered nearly 25 million views on TikTok at time of publishing.
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Nacho
Image Credit: Ahmed González Sayoux Nacho was reeled in for L Kimii, Maffio and DJ Conds’ “Nosotros,” released last spring through Plus Media Music. “The Dominican Republic has its dembow, Puerto Rico has its reggaetón — today Colombia is taking over Afrobeat, and I think that’s going to happen with Cuba as well,” the Venezuelan artist previously said to Billboard. “Reparto is a wealth of rhythms combined: there’s son, there’s salsa, there’s timba, there’s reggaetón. There’s a bit of everything, and I’ve been in love with that genre for a long time.”
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Nicky Jam
Though he has yet to experiment with reparto melodies, Nicky Jam is joining forces with Cuban artists who have done reparto music. This January, the Puerto Rican artist teamed up with Charly & Johayron on “Magia,” a sweet afrobeats track co-produced by Roberto Ferrante and El Bandolero. Additionally, the “El Perdón” singer will soon drop a collab with Cuban newcomer El Shadow, who in February went viral on Instagram for inviting Nicky to jump on his song that will soon be released under Plus Media Music.
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Omar Montes
Image Credit: “Secreto (Remix)” video screenshot Spanish singer-songwriter, Omar Montes, hopped on not one, but two reparto songs this year: “Algo Bonito (Remix)” with Nyno Vargas, Dany Ome y Kevincito El 13, and “Secreto (Remix)” with Payaso x Ley, Nyno Vargas, JEYY LUCAS, Richard Morales, and Elebbara — both released this month.
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Ozuna
Image Credit: “Paciente” video screenshot In April, Ozuna posted a short TikTok clip alongside repartero duo Dany Ome & Kevincito El 13 in a recording studio. The three artists shared a snippet of their first collaboration called “Paciente.” “Desde ayer me considero un REPARTERO !!!! Ñooo ahiiiii titaaaaa tuuu” (since yesterday I consider myself a repartero) the Puerto Rican superstar expressed in the clip, along with the Cuban slang “ñooo,” which can loosely be translated to “wow!” The official music video featuring all three artists premiered April 22.
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Ryan Castro
Image Credit: El Skinny Before his Colombian colleagues Maluma and Greeicy jumped on the “Dichavate” bandwagon, Ryan Castro was already hooked with the track. Looking dapper in a navy blue sweater, the Colombian artist posted a clip bopping his head and singing along to the viral tune. “Es un vicioooooooooooo” (it’s so addictive), he captioned the video.
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Sergio George
Image Credit: Alessandro Martino For his 2025 album, Ataca Sergio! Presents: Urban Salsa Sessions, Latin hitmaker Sergio George recruited Bebeshito — one of Billboard’s 2026 Latin Artists to Watch — for “Lo Sabe.” The track is powered by Sergio’s innovative salsa rhythm and Bebeshito’s signature reparto sound.
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Tito El Bambino
Image Credit: Courtesy: Plus Media Music Reggaetón icon Tito El Bambino is not one to shy away from stepping outside his comfort zone. Recently, the Puerto Rican star joined forces with Dale Pututi and Nesty on “Los Despechaos,” which effortlessly and gracefully laces música mexicana with the Cuban reparto genre, and he also invited Wow Popy on his own “Hoy Quiero Amarte” (2025), a song that laces salsa and reparto.
