Chosen Few El Documental (2004) Movie Review Documentary about Reggaeton featuring interviews from Tego, Vico C, Tempo, El General, Fat Joe and many more...

 


For my money's worth, Chosen Few El Documental from the year 2004 is still the best Reggaeton documentary out there.  I will review the album later in a separate entry.  The release was originally a double album CD+DVD.  The album has original music from superstars like Don Omar, Nicky Jam, Baby Rasta & Gringo, NORE, Zion & Lennox, Cheka and more...  The DVD is a documentary containing the authentic history of Reggaeton.

Up until now, Chosen Few is the only documentary that features Panama prominently.  The other Reggaeton documentaries either don't feature Panama or completely gloss over it.  There have only been about 8 prominent Reggaeton history documentaries and I believe I saw most of them.  I think?

This is the first in a four part series.  The next 2 volumes get less entertaining as you go but are still a watch I feel.  They have different subject matters.  The second documentary which came with the Chosen Few II album was about the growth of Reggaeton in the United States and worldwide.  It also followed the Chosen Few concert tour along with backstage, concert and tour bus footage.  The names on that tour were impressive, it was Getto, Reychesta, Divino, Jowell & Randy, Fuego, LDA and Yaga & Mackie.

The third Chosen Few Documentary came with Chosen Few III.  It was a behind the scenes look at the making of the album and how important Boy Wonder felt it was to get big names from the United States like Cassidy, Rick Ross and Twista to collaborate with Latin acts.  Too bad that album flopped despite being very good.  That was back in the day when Latinos used to feel like the Americans were leeching off Reggaeton and trying to take away or exploit what was ours.  They rejected a lot of Hip Hop-Reggaeton collaborations because of that back then.

The fourth Chosen Few Documentary was about the next school and featured J Balvin prominently.  I only saw clips of it on YOUTUBE.  I never saw the whole thing.  It was part of the 2012 album Chosen Few Urbano and was the last in the series.  I tried to listen to that album but could never complete it.  I remember it sounding very mediocre compared to the others.  Even the next one in 2015 was much better where Baby Rasta y Gringo had the lead single.

The documentary is long but worth your time if you are a Reggaeton lover/connoisseur.  The only problem like all Reggaeton documentaries is that they never license the music.  If they do, it's only a couple of songs.  What you hear is mostly generic beats on all these docs though most feature famous artists.  There is no chisme nor inside scoops.  I think in the future they are gonna have to do separate documentaries on the malianteo, perreo and tiraera aspect in Reggaeton.  It's just too much to include.  One day they also have to do a VH1 style countdown on Netflix of the 100 greatest Spanish Rap and Reggaeton songs.  But license the damn songs and play them!

Chosen Few El Documental is very informative although, at times, generic.  The interview with Tempo as he awaited trial was historic.  Boy Wonder shows us he helped co-produce "Oye Mi Canto" as he coaches Nina Sky in the studio.  Wonder is an underrated exec/producer.  He is rarely mentioned alongside Raphy Pina, Noah or the likes of Alex Gargolas but he did a lot for the Reggaeton game, especially in the United States.  He also came razor thin close to exec. producing "House of Pleasure" but the parent company 'Urban Box Office' went out of business and Plan B went to Pina Records, meanwhile Chosen Few signed a one album deal with Machete Music.

All Reggaeton lovers should check it out.  The documentary, oddly enough, doesn't come across dated at all.  Maybe because some hits of the era like "Pobre Diabla" and "Pa Qu Retozen" are more prominent and relevant than ever in today's generation.  Oh yeah Tego is interviewed too.  I forgot to mention that in the Reddit post.  That was a real big deal as Tego doesn't do interviews with just anyone.

Rating: ****/5 Stars

Available to watch on YOUTUBE or if you can find an original copy of the CD/DVD edition for the Chosen Few Album

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