X

Harmonically, 'X' is a deliberate blank canvas — a repeating four-chord minor loop that stays out of the way so production and vocal chemistry can do the work. What separates it from generic reggaeton is the Afro Bros' arrangement: layered synth stabs, Afropop-influenced percussion textures, and a dembow grid that feels slightly looser than the genre average. The harmonic simplicity is a feature, not a limitation — it keeps the song approachable across languages and markets while the sonic palette does the differentiating.

Written by a seven-person team spanning Colombia, the Netherlands, and Puerto Rico: Nicky Jam and J Balvin contributed as co-writers alongside Colombian producer Jeon, Juan Diego Medina, and the three members of the Afro Bros collective — Rashid Mohamed Siddiq Badloe, Shareef Mohamed Rachmet, and Giordano Mohamed Sharif Ahruf. The Afro Bros brought their Afropop and dancehall-inflected sensibility to a framework that gave both headlining artists complementary space on the track.

'X' (pronounced 'Equis') pairs Nicky Jam's melodic flow with J Balvin's charisma over the Afro Bros' Afropop-tinged dembow production. Released in March 2018 on Sony Music Latin, it became one of the defining reggaeton hits of the year and racked up billions of streams worldwide. Its breezy groove and bilingual appeal pushed both artists further into global markets.