Puerto Rican Musicians Pioneered Global Salsa

Yes. Puerto Rican artists, especially in New York City, were instrumental in creating and popularizing salsa worldwide.

Key figures like Tito Puente coined the term "salsa" and fused Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, creating a crossover sound that appealed to Latino and non-Latino audiences globally.

The Nuyorican (New York Puerto Rican) community drove the 1960s–70s salsa explosion through labels like Fania Records.