Proyecto Uno
High-octane fusion of Dominican merengue and New York house. Aggressive brass, rapid-fire Spanglish rap, and inescapable 90s club energy for the ultimate party.
High-octane fusion of Dominican merengue and New York house. Aggressive brass, rapid-fire Spanglish rap, and inescapable 90s club energy for the ultimate party.
Proyecto Uno sounds like a humid New York summer night where the fire hydrant is open and every car is blasting a different rhythm. It is a relentless collision of traditional Caribbean percussion and the industrial pulse of 90s house music. The brass sections are bright and piercing, cutting through dense layers of digital drum machines and thick basslines that demand movement.
What makes them truly distinctive is their role as the architects of 'Merenhouse.' While their peers were choosing between the club and the barrio, Proyecto Uno lived in both. They pioneered the specific art of the Spanglish rap verse over a galloping merengue beat, creating a sonic bridge between the Dominican Republic and the East Side of Manhattan that felt entirely organic rather than forced.
Start with 'In da House' to experience the group at their commercial and creative zenith. It contains the essential anthems that defined a generation of Latin dance music. You listen to this when the energy in the room needs to be elevated from a casual gathering to a full-blown celebration where no one is allowed to stay seated.
Proyecto Uno (transl. Project One) is a Dominican-American Hip hop/Merengue house group which helped popularize a style of music that blends merengue with techno, dancehall, hip-hop/rap and reggae music. The band was founded in New York City's East Side in 1989 by Nelson Zapata and managed by Porfirio "Popi" Piña. Originally formed as traditional Merengue band, Proyecto Uno received recognition in the 1990s, when the group won Billboard Latin Music Awards, Premios Lo Nuestro and was nominated for an Emmy award. The current members are Nelson Zapata, Kid G and Paolo Tondo. The manager of the group currently is Rafael Zapata III. In July 2018, the Rolling Stone magazine listed “El Tiburón” in the position 24 of the top 50 greatest and more influential latin songs since the 50’s Besides touring in all Latin American countries, Proyecto Uno has also toured in Japan, Australia, Thailand, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and Spain among other more. On July 24 2024 the group received a special recognition from New York City mayor Eric Adams, in celebration of the group's 35th anniversary during their iconic show at Summerstage Central Park. In October 2024, Proyecto Uno closed the Billboard Awards in a celebration of their 35-year career.
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