re-gay-ton

La Cruz drops steamy locker room music video & Gay Twitter™ declares “re-gay-ton” is officially here

By · Updated on January 26, 2024

A massively popular music superstar, Bad Bunny has been putting reggaeton in the international spotlight, while simultaneously fighting to make Latin pop and hip-hop more LGBTQ+ friendly

But, if Bad Bunny is the voice of a modern, more queer-inclusive reggaeton, then rising star La Cruz is taking the genre to the next level—call it “re-gay-ton.”

Take a look for yourself; the video for the artist’s latest single, “Quítate La Ropa” is sweaty, sexy, sporty, and extremely gay:

To back up a bit, reggaeton is a subgenre of Latin American pop music said to have originated in Panama in the 1980s, blending elements of dancehall and rap with traditional Latin rhythms.

As it grew in popularity across the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, the genre began making its way into U.S. music charts in the 2000s, with crossover success for artists like Daddy Yankee and Shakira’s smash hit “Hips Don’t Lie.”

Then, in 2017, Daddy Yankee linked up with Luis Fonsi for the record-breaking “Despacito,” which, along with a Justin Bieber-assisted remix, is widely credited for bringing Spanish-language pop into the mainstream once again, paving the way to global stardom for Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and more.

Related:

6 times Bad Bunny proved to be one of the most woke LGBTQ allies out there

The Puerto Rican trap artist made headlines this week when he spoken openly about his sexuality, saying it does not “define” him or anyone else.

Which brings us back to Alfonzso La Cruz, an out queer Venezuelan artist who’s making big waves with his new single.

“Quítate La Ropa” is La Cruz’s first release since his 2022 debut album, Hawaira. As the title makes clear—it translates to “take off your clothes” in English—the track isn’t exactly subtle about its sexuality, and is all the more powerful for it.

Not unlike American hip-hop, raggaeton is a genre with spotty history when it comes to inclusivity, and has been broadly criticized for lyrics that promote violence and perpetuate misogyny. Not to mention, queer voices seldom break through as homophobia lingers in the culture.

That makes La Cruz—and his unabashedly queer songs like “Quítate La Ropa”—stand out all the more. Through his music, he hopes to inspire the community with a message of freedom of expression and dismantle outdated ideals of rigid masculinity.

That’s depicted quite vividly in the track’s attention grabbing video, which is set in a gym and features plenty of shirtless, muscled men twerking in denim in the locker room.

Hot? Oh, definitely. But it’s also pretty radical, all things considered. Here’s hoping this is just a taste of what’s to come from La Cruz, and that his loud and proud raggaeton anthems open the door for more queer Latin American artists to embrace themselves and join him on the dance floor.

A clip from the “Quítate La Ropa” video has made its way to Gay Twitter™ where its been spreading like wildfire. If he keeps it up, La Cruz could be a worldwide household name like Bad Bunny in no time.

Here are just a few of our favorite reactions:

Related:

5 Spanish-language series to stream for a hot gay Latin summer

It takes talent and vision to create television that can function simultaneously as entertainment and porn. These are 5 Queerty-approved Spanish series to stream for your horny gay summer. 

Don't forget to share:

Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...

We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?

Once Monthly Annually

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated