Founded by Winston De La Rosa and his brother in-law Rafael Vargas, Fulanito is the first group known to combine "perico ripiao" - traditional accordion-based merengue sounds from the hills of the Dominican Republic - with modern hip-hop and rap.
While industry leaders initially questioned the commercial potential of such an unusual mix of sounds, Fulanito proved them wrong, becoming a party favorite in the U.S., the top-selling act in Colombia, and one of the most recognizable and adored Latin acts from Chile to Switzerland to Japan.
With their 1997 debut album, "El Hombre Mas Famoso de la Tierra" "(The Most Famous Man in the Land,)" Fulanito fast gained international fame with the hit singles "Guallando" ("Grinding") and "La Novela" ("The Soap Opera.") The album sold 500,000 copies, shocking even Winston and Rafael, who say they expected it to sell no more than 10,000, and hoped it would simply "help us get gigs".
"Guallando" featured 61-year-old accordionist Arsenio "El Maestro" De La Rosa's (Winston De La Rosa's Father) lightening chops, and was a surprise hit, co-opted for jingles spun endlessly in nightclubs across the hemisphere. According to Miami-based music writer Karl Ross, "Guallando" marked the first time U.S.-born Dominican performers began to mine their musical roots for inspiration. The addictive, resulting sound appeals as readily to rap fans and world music aficionados - and to many in between. Boston Globe music writer Elijah Wald called Fulanito's sound "fresh and hip, completely different from the mechanical beat of most house fusions". The word "Fulanito" means, roughly, "Little John Doe" in Spanish slang. The roots of the word lie in West Africa, where Spaniards kidnapped men and women to be brought to Spanish colonies in the New World. Among the people brought to the Spanish Caribbean were those of the Fulani nation, known in Africa as great merchants. They brought their skills of commerce with them, and eventually it was known in the Caribbean that if you wanted something done, you went to the Fulani, or business guy.
Vargas was born in the Washington Heights neighborhoods of Manhattan, Winston in the South Bronx during the beginning of the hip-hop era. They grew up in homes saturated with tradition Latin sounds, including merengue and bolero.
In the early 1990s Vargas scored an international dance/house music hit in English with "Wiggle It", recorded by his first organized group, 2 in a Room. The single sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. Vargas later joined Jose Rafael "Pickles" Fuentes and Winston "Big Win" De La Rosa who were known as the 740 BOYZ. Together as the 740 BOYZ, they went on to created a huge international hits like "SHIMMY SHAKE" and "BUMP BUMP". While hanging out at the De La Rosa household, Vargas was treated to many impromptu concerts by the elder De La Rosa, and was reminded of how excited Dominicans got when they heard the traditional old merengue sounds. Having shunned thier parents' music for most of thier lives, the BOYZ suddenly became intrigued by the idea of combining rap, hip-hop and perico ripiao. They asked the elder Arsenio De La Rosa if he would mind experimenting a bit. Soon, the accordionist and the rappers were recording "Guallando".
The song was completed in 1996, and when they played it for friends and family to test the waters, "They loved it", they said. "They went nuts". They approached several large Latin labels, and were rejected by all. "They said they didn't think it would sell anywhere outside of New York and the D.R."
Finally, they convinced thier house/dance label, Cutting Records, to press a Fulanito CD in 1997. The resulting half million in sales astounded everyone in the Latin music industry, where a mere 50,000 sold represents a gold album.
Fulanito's second album, "El Padrino" "(The Godfather)", was released in 1999. On it, Winston experimented even more, incorporating the sounds of samba and other Latin rhythms. Vargas raps about his life, about people he has known, and about having a good time. Fuentes gave his input and ideas of his life in the tough Washington Heights. They were sorry to see the title cut from "El Padrino" misinterpreted by some as glorifying gangster life, saying Their intentions were just the opposite. "The gangster dies at the end", they say. "Sure, he had a lot of money, cars, women, but none of it mattered because he was dead". Vargas says he wrote it with some of the young men he'd grown up with in mind. Another song on the album, "Mother's Day," shows a softer side of the BOYZ, as they pay tribute to their mothers.
The group's third album, The Remixes, was released in March of 2001, and contains three new songs. Their fourth album is expected in the fall of 2001. With a solid tour schedule that takes the group from North Carolina to Japan in the span of a month, Fulanito shows no signs of slowing down.
Callate
Fulanito Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que tus palabras falsas nada que ver conmigo
Que te devuelves de y dejame en paz
Hecha pa allá
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Callate
Abreme la puerta
Dejame entrar que te quiero hablar
Dejame explicarte lo que me pasó pa
Mi yo te lo pinto todo yo te lo cuento todo
Con mas detalles
Se que amanesi toda la noche en la calle
Sin llamar tranquila negra lo que quiero amar
Deja el relajo quiero hagotar abre
El asunto fue que me pinché una goma
Por andar por horas sirviendo a una loma
El celular no estaba funcionandon
De fulano estaba y nadie ayudando
Ahy pero que es habaldor con el mismo
Cuento de la noche anterior
Pero mi amor no sea así no me ignores
Que te trae flores delas mejores
Callate y no digas mas
Que tus palabras falsas nada que ver conmigo
Que te devuelves de y dejame en paz
Hecha pa allá
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Callate
Callate y no digas mas
Que tus palabras falsas nada que ver conmigo
Que te devuelves de y dejame en paz
Hecha pa allá
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Callate
Y no me digas que no
Que me pides que me calle la boca
Tengo para ti un amor y que me estes
Sugiriendo para siempre viviras como una reina conmigo
Y yo quiero ser tu amante y tu a amigo
Y con todo lo que yo trabaje
Y para eso tu mueres aquí aquí aquí
Te lo doy todo mami si lo quieres
Tu crees que yo ando por ahí besando
Otra mujer con ese pinta labios y camisa
Blanca paresco quien tin quien
Esa fuiste tu esta tarde
No te recuerdas cuando yo estaba saliendo
Por la puerta me pegaste un beso
Callate y no me digas mas y porque tu eres tan mala
Que tes palabras falsas nada que ver conmigo
Y que fue lo que yo te hice a ti
Que te devuelves de yo soy el que paga renta
Aquí que no se te olvide y dejame en paz
Hecha pa allá habre la puerta antes
De que los vecinos llamen a la policia
Callate y no digas mas
Que tus palabras falsas nada que ver conmigo
Que te devuelves de y dejame en paz
Hecha pa allá
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Callate
Tengo algo importante que decirte
Callate
Mi amor no sea así
No me abandone
Dejame en paz
Perdoname si te hice creer que yo era infiel
Abreme la puerta
Callate
Ten compación
Se me estan trisando los huevos
La leche y el pan caliente
Dejame en paz
Vengo de la pulperia con comida pan chiqui
Te lo suplico cariño
Callate
No seas mala recorona
Mal informada creyendo todo
Lo que te dice tu amiga
Yo soy sincero hambre de familia y te quiero
Eres mi vida eres mi unico tesoro
Y ya no me pase con ese coro que si me hace el favor
Callate y no digas mas
Que tus palabras falsas nada que ver conmigo
Que te devuelves de y dejame en paz
Hecha pa allá
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
Callate
The song "Callate" by Fulanito is a passionate plea from a man to his lover to stop talking and spreading lies about him. He implores her to leave him alone and return to wherever she came from because he wants nothing to do with her. The song starts with the words "Callate y no digas mas" meaning "Be quiet, and say no more" which is repeated throughout the song. He begs her to let him explain what really happened to him and why he has been away, and he wants to paint a picture for her with all the details. He admits that he made a mistake and that he has suffered as a result of it. He pleads with her to forgive him and not to be so outspoken and mean-spirited towards him because he is sincerely sorry.
The singer tries to defend himself and establish his innocence throughout the song. He is portrayed as a devoted and loving partner who is wrongly accused and judged by his lover. He apologizes for any perceived infidelity and tries to convince her that he is sincere in his love for her. Although he is somewhat defensive, he genuinely loves her and wants to prove it to her. Despite this, he sees the futility of trying to convince her and just wants her to leave him alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Callate y no digas mas
Be quiet and do not say anything else
Que tus palabras falsas nada que ver conmigo
Your false words have nothing to do with me
Que te devuelves de y dejame en paz
Turn around and leave me alone
Hecha pa allá
Get out of here
Que eso si que todo lo que yo te pido
That is all I ask of you
Abreme la puerta
Open the door for me
Dejame entrar que te quiero hablar
Let me in so I can talk to you
Dejame explicarte lo que me pasó pa
Let me explain to you what happened to me
Mi yo te lo pinto todo yo te lo cuento todo
I'll paint the whole picture and tell you everything
Con mas detalles
With more details
Se que amanesi toda la noche en la calle
I know you spent the whole night on the street
Sin llamar tranquila negra lo que quiero amar
Without calling me, my dear, whom I want to love
Deja el relajo quiero hagotar abre
Leave the fuss, I want to talk about it, open up
El asunto fue que me pinché una goma
The issue was I got a flat tire
Por andar por horas sirviendo a una loma
Because I was serving a hill for hours
El celular no estaba funcionandon
The phone wasn't working
De fulano estaba y nadie ayudando
Fulano was there and nobody helped
Ahy pero que es habaldor con el mismo
Oh, but what a gossip he is about the same thing
Cuento de la noche anterior
Story of the previous night
Pero mi amor no sea así no me ignores
But my love, don't be like that, don't ignore me
Que te trae flores delas mejores
I bring you the best flowers
Y no me digas que no
And don't tell me no
Que me pides que me calle la boca
You're asking me to shut up
Tengo para ti un amor y que me estes
I have love for you and yet you
Sugiriendo para siempre viviras como una reina conmigo
Suggesting that you will always live like a queen with me
Y yo quiero ser tu amante y tu a amigo
And I want to be your lover and your friend
Y con todo lo que yo trabaje
And with everything I worked for
Y para eso tu mueres aqui aqui aqui
And for that, you die here, here, here
Te lo doy todo mami si lo quieres
I'll give you everything, baby, if you want it
Tu crees que yo ando por ahi besando
Do you think I'm out there kissing
Otra mujer con ese pinta labios y camisa
Another woman with that lipstick and shirt
Blanca paresco quien tin quien
I look like someone else
Esa fuiste tu esta tarde
That was you this afternoon
No te recuerdas cuando yo estaba saliendo
Don't you remember when I was leaving
Por la puerta me pegaste un beso
You kissed me as I was leaving
Y porque tu eres tan mala
And because you're so mean
Que tes palabras falsas nada que ver conmigo
Your false words have nothing to do with me
Y que fue lo que yo te hice a ti
And what did I do to you?
Que te devuelves de yo soy el que paga renta
You turn around, I'm the one who pays the rent
Aquí que no se te olvide y dejame en paz
Remember that, and leave me alone
Hecha pa allá habre la puerta antes
Get out of here, open the door before
De que los vecinos llamen a la policia
Neighbors call the police
Tengo algo importante que decirte
I have something important to tell you
Mi amor no sea así
My love, don't be like that
No me abandone
Don't abandon me
Perdoname si te hice creer que yo era infiel
Forgive me if I made you think I was unfaithful
Ten compación
Have compassion
Se me estan trisando los huevos
My balls are hurting
La leche y el pan caliente
The milk and the hot bread
Vengo de la pulperia con comida pan chiqui
I come from the store with food, small bread
Te lo suplico cariño
I beg you, darling
No seas mala recorona
Don't be mean, gossiper
Mal informada creyendo todo
Misinformed, believing everything
Lo que te dice tu amiga
What your friend tells you
Yo soy sincero hambre de familia y te quiero
I am honest, I want a family, and I love you
Eres mi vida eres mi unico tesoro
You are my life, you are my only treasure
Y ya no me pase con ese coro que si me hace el favor
And don't let that chorus go on anymore, if you do me the favor
Contributed by Zoe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@maura699
La mujer que sale en este vídeo es divina.
@rosaalbaortizcabrera621
Los cuentos clásicos de un hombre que se pasa la noche fuera de casa están en esta canción.
@yorhalismargaritauzcategui2854
quien no bailo con fulanito lo mejor de esa epocaaaaaa
@cositita100
gracias a kien subio este video!!madre miA ke recuerdos taaan bonitoooos!!!
@darwinacosta9166
Tiempos Buenos y que jamas van a volver con buenas musicas y buenas minitekas
@JAYRAMIREZD
no hay nada mejor q los tiempos de antes y para prueba un boton paaaaaaaaaaaaaa saludos desde: C A R A C A S........Venezuelaaaaaaaaaa
@camigil4514
la mejor música que tiempos aquellos dios si volvieran
@estefanylabastida2092
jajajaja excelente cancion, vieja pero buena. mi esposo y yo gozamos un bolon cuando la escuchamos. desde venezuela es lo maximo
@garisailehe8660
LA MUSICA ES BUENA Y LA MUJER ES HERMOSA
@12617159
Excelente canción, vídeo y escenografía