While he may not consider himself a reggaetón artist, Tego Calderón's impact on the genre is undeniable. If anything, Calderón is more of an MC, and his albums have always tended to be distinctly hip-hop, which explains his massive crossover success. His debut record, El Abayarde, is one of the first to gain mainstream attention, putting him in the same league as Daddy Yankee and Don Omar, with whom he would later collaborate. His fusion of jazz and world music—including African, Caribbean, and Colombian rhythms—makes him one of the most innovative artists in the genre.