Salsa music is one of the most popular genres globally today. From Cuba to Japan, many countries in the most populated continents have some form of salsa music played, performed, and danced to.

In one sense, the evolution of salsa music as a genre is a bit complicated and sometimes controversial.

As a matter of historical fact, the "salsa" music that is popular world-wide today was distinctly American-made.

It began in several boroughs of New York where there were large immigrant and second-generation Caribbeans (Mainly Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and some Dominicans).

But to fully understand the developments of salsa and give it some historical justice, we must also acknowledge the roots of how salsa developed into the way it did in America.

The original roots would draw you as far back as various parts of Western and Central Africa. As slaves were brought to the Americas (in this case the Caribbean), they brought with them their cultural traditions.

By the early 1900's, a unique Afro-Caribbean sound propped up in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and to some extent the Dominican Republic.

When Cubanos and Puerto Ricans began migrating to the U.S. (New York and Central/South Florida became hot destinations), they brought with them these continued musical traditions.

Many of the immigrants were musicians who played music from their country.

The musical sound began to integrate elements of American music such as jazz and blues.

This paved the way for the unique development of "salsa." Some of the early pioneers of this Caribbean sound detested the word "salsa" as unauthentic. Celia Cruz herself declared that there is no such thing as salsa; it's merely "old Cuban music."

Controversy aside, "salsa" would become what Latin@ Americans and the world would come to know of this "reemerging" music.

Indeed, salsa, is therefore a unique American-made genre that morphed existing music from the Caribbean into an exciting, global sound that is as popular as ever today.