CUMBIA VS REGGAETON. Two custom sound systems. Dos estilos musicales. Who will win? El Gran Mono - Cumbia. Born on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, cumbia dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries as a blend of African, Indigenous, and Spanish musical elements. Over time, it spread throughout Latin America, characterized by heavy percussion, and an infectious, syncopated rhythm. New Flower - Reggaeton. Developed in the 1990s in Puerto Rico, reggaeton emerged from the intersection of Panamanian reggae, Jamaican dancehall, and American hip-hop and rap. It has since grown into a massive global phenomenon.