Dem Bow 

Note: This is mostly El Chombo's research. I am condensing this for people that are curious about the history of the "genre." You can find him on YouTube. You need to know Spanish to learn from him.

Dembow (correctly written as "Dem Bow") is not a genre of music but a song and a colloquial slang from Jamaica. It means "them bow." The name was popularized by a song called "Dem Bow" by Shabba Ranks that was released in 1990. In Shabba Ranks song, he brings up a couple of social issues in Jamaica. "Dem Bow" has a racist and homophobic meaning. 1) "Them bow" means one bows to the white man. 2) "Them bow" means one bows as a way to have sexual intercourse with another man. Jamaica was an English colonized territory from 1655 until 1962 when they got their independence. Jamaica's society in the 80's and 90's and before was homophobic. This song presented these issues.

Shabba Ranks didn't popularize the famous (or infamous) "Tumpa-Tumpa" rhythm, that came after. The rhythm doesn't come from Jamaica, but Africa; as do the vast majority of latin rhythms. The "Tumpa-Tumpa" rhythm was actually popularized from a song produced by Dennis "The Menace" Thompson and the singer Nando Boom. "Pounder" is actually what the rhythm is called.

Urban Dictionaries TOS prohibits URLs, I would have included them.

Main Source:

MoluscoTV. (2021, January 31). El Chombo le contesta a Ozuna, Anuel y Molusco si el Pop es un genero SI o NO. YouTube.

Fast forward to the 22:30 time code.

Yw.

Persona Amateur: "Este Dembow tiene flow"
Persona Big Brain: "Que es el Dem Bow para tí?"
Persona Amateur: "Pues es genero de música no?"
Persona Big Brain: "No es genero, es una canción. El ritmo 'Tumpa-Tumpa' que escuchas hoy en día se llama 'Pounder.'"

Dem Bow by _co_razon_ January 24, 2022

Tro' Dem Bowz! 

A common "ebonic" colloquialism typically utilized by Caucasian teenagers to suggest that they intend to engage into a bout of fisticuffs. It may also be used in jest to mock the colloquialism itself. When used in jest, the expression is often accompanied by throwing one's arms in the air as though he is halfway through a pull up.

"How dare you speak negatively of my Mercedes-Benzzzz! Let's Tro' Dem Bowz!"

"Ayo Patty P! I have very good job skills. I can build pyramids of golf balls and I can Tro' Dem Bowz(hands go up in the air as though halfway through a pull up)"

Tro' Dem Bowz! by Ayowinslow August 5, 2009

dembow 

Slang in reggaeton for beat. The reggaeton rhythm or beat.

Dembow: Éste tipo de música (reggaeton) El Ritmo. (Lorna - Papi Chulo "suavemente you con el dembow...").

dembow by h0mi December 28, 2005

dembow 

A rhythm or "beat" that defines virtually ALL reggaetón music. It is known for its 4-on-the-floor beat and bold intermediate snares that makes reggaetón music instantly recognizable.

The word dembow actually originated from a track called "Dem Bow," sung by Shabba Ranks and produced by Bobby Digital. The song featured the Poco Man Jam Riddim (which was based on a song by the same name produced by Steely and Clevie), which has the distinct beat that all reggaetón music is made of. Funnily enough, even though the rhythm itself was the same, the riddim itself rarely actually turns up in reggaetón music. Instead, another riddim called the Pounder Riddim, which was produced by Panamanian musician Dennis "The Menace" Thompson.

It had the same rhythmic sound as the Poco Man Jam Riddim but used different drum sounds and was intended for use with Nando Boom's "Ellos Benia." It was THIS riddim that has been sampled, recycled, chopped up, and reused over and over in almost all of reggaetón music to date. It could be argued that no other sample has been resampled more and has had such a lasting afterlife than the Pounder Riddim over 30 years later. Even if the riddim isn't directly resampled, reggaetón producers will almost always recreate the sound using similar drums and arrangements.

"Bailando sexy le doy el dembow, dembow!
Ella le encanta como le algo y le doy dembow, dembow!"

—Chorus to Wisin & Yandel's "Llamé pa' Verte"

Translates roughly to how a woman is dancing sexy and the singer gives her dembow (dembow meaning reggaetón music, the rhythm, beat, vibe, etc.)

dembow by TheLumpyPumpkin September 17, 2022

dembow 

The music Dembow is a genre that originated in the Dominican Republic , which was developed by the mid- 1990s Although this type of music boomed in the 2010s, it's influenced by much earlier genres of Rap and Hip Hop. :) REBT

Dembow is used as Dominican Republic's own expression of Hip Hop, Rap, Reggae & Reggaeton :) REBT

dembow by RamonEBT January 23, 2016

dembow 

In Puerto Rican rap slang, something really great. Also, a fine woman.

Dembow, dale dembow.

dembow by diatrevolo November 9, 2003

dembow 

jamaican slang that means they're gays or homosexuals. separating, dem for them,and bow for gay.

nando boom - dembow, panama rerggae song, popular in erarly 90's, and the song that has the original beat that actual reggaeton uses

dembow by yoyobanton November 3, 2013