With nearly 5 million albums sold worldwide, performances at the world's to… Read Full Bio ↴With nearly 5 million albums sold worldwide, performances at the world's top Latin music festivals, and two Grammy nominations, Fulanito is one of the most popular and innovative acts ever born of the fertile uptown New York Latin hip-hop scene.

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.

La Novela
Fulanito Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Asi es que me gusta a mí, cuando tu te mueve' así
Tu me rompiste el corazón, con tu mini y tacó
Cuando la conocí, yo dije, aya, ella era para mí
Me asfixié cuando yo vi eso, solo pensando en caerle a besos
Que mujeryota mas linda, mira, como se mueve me alegra la vida
Entre a la pista a ponerme a ponerme cerca de ella
Parece como una estrella, esto es película
Esa mujer se puso a bailar, tienes un cuerpo como Iris Chacón

Quiero está' al lado de tu corazón, le dije "negra, mamita
Brega conmigo, te quiero como el aire que respiro
Tiene' un meneíto de bomba que no se compra

Asi es que me gusta a mí, (y eso es verdad)
Cuando tu te mueve' así ( y eso es lo que me gusta)
Tu me rompiste el corazón, (ay que mujer mas linda)
Con tu mini y tacón (me dejó encendío')
Asi es que me gusta a mí, (ay que tantas curvas)
Cuando tu te mueve' así (imagínate, y yo sin frenos)
Tu me rompiste el corazón (ay, que tragedia)
Parece como Iris Chacón (pero que novela Dios mío)

Cada madrugada bailamos juntos, me dio la gana adorarte mucho
Te dí teléfono para que me llames, al otro día te entregué la llave
De mi corazón y mi apartamento te hice reina de mi aposento
Nunca pensé que era' traicionera tratándome como tierra.
Eso es película esa mujer se puso a robar llevó la plancha y televisión
Mi ropa entera, el mejor sillón tomo mi disco de Nelson Ned,
Agárrelo de la pared, se llevó todo por mi mala maña
Después arrancó la piraña

Asi es que me gusta a mí, (me duele tanto)
Cuando tu te mueve' así (eso no se le hace a nadie)
Tu me rompiste el corazón, (ay que mujer mas bandida)
Con tu mini y tacón (me dejó planta'o)
Asi es que me gusta a mí, (ay que mujer mas falsa)
Cuando tu te mueve' así (tu eres una traicionera)
Tu me rompiste el corazón, (y yo te quería mucho)
Parece como Iris Chacón (cantinero tráeme otra)
Que estoy sufriendo aqui

Asesina, te llevaste lo mio pero eso no se queda asi tu me las vas a pagar
Y ahora el hombre más famoso de la Tierra: Fulanito de tal
Pena, es lo que siento en mi alma porque esa mujer no entiende
Me hace perder la calma (ay mamá)
Quiera Dios que encuentre' un hombre en tu vida
Que te dé todo el cariño que quizas yo no te dí (bótate pavoroto)
Quiera Dios que encuentre' un hombre en tu vida
Que te dé todo el cariño que quzas yo no te dí

Mátame, si te fuiste' con el otro es porque el te quiere mas que yo
Ahora, El te quiere mas que yo? (Bueno) porque te comas su ripiaita
Recuerda que me enfermaste, me enfermaste con tu traición (Pero Tom)
Cállate, no me digas ná' que yo te ví

Un amor así como tu no vale la pena si te vas que te vaya bien
Yo espero conseguir una que cuando yo le diga
Tu me quieres mucho?, ráscame aquí que me pica
Porqué? Porque yo no fui tan malo contigo
Yo, yo me rebuscaba como un animal
Pa' darte todo lo que tu querías, malagradecida

Te voy a desear una cosa bien buena: Que te lleve el diablo
Ojalá que te vaya bien

Overall Meaning

The song “La Novela” by Fulanito details a story of a man who falls in love with a woman and is initially captivated by her beauty and sensuality. The lyrics describe the feelings of the singer upon meeting this woman, which he refers to as a “mujeryota mas linda” (a gorgeous woman) and viewing her dance on the dance floor. He finds himself drawn to her and wants to be close to her, stating that he wants to “estar al lado de tu corazón” (be by your heart). The song goes on to detail the singer’s hopes and dreams for this relationship, as he professes his deep affection for her and even gives her the key to his apartment.

However, things quickly turn sour when the singer discovers that the woman has stolen from him and left him with nothing. In the end, he expresses his anger and frustration with her, wishing that she be cursed and that she find a man who treats her better than he did.

Overall, the song is about love, passion, heartbreak, and betrayal. It is a cautionary tale about blindly falling in love with someone, and the potential consequences of doing so.

Line by Line Meaning

Asi es que me gusta a mí, cuando tu te mueve' así
This is how I like it, when you move like that

Tu me rompiste el corazón, con tu mini y tacó
You broke my heart with your mini skirt and high heels

Cuando la conocí, yo dije, aya, ella era para mí
When I met her, I thought, wow, she's the one for me

Me asfixié cuando yo vi eso, solo pensando en caerle a besos
I was overwhelmed when I saw her, just thinking about kissing her

Que mujeryota mas linda, mira, como se mueve me alegra la vida
What a beautiful woman, look at how she moves, it brightens up my life

Entre a la pista a ponerme a ponerme cerca de ella
I went onto the dance floor to get close to her

Parece como una estrella, esto es película
She looks like a star, this is like a movie

Esa mujer se puso a bailar, tienes un cuerpo como Iris Chacón
That woman started to dance, you have a body like Iris Chacón

Quiero está' al lado de tu corazón, le dije 'negra, mamita
I want to be by your heart, I told her 'black beauty'

Brega conmigo, te quiero como el aire que respiro
Be with me, I love you like the air I breathe

Tiene' un meneíto de bomba que no se compra
You have a bomba dance move that can't be bought

Cada madrugada bailamos juntos, me dio la gana adorarte mucho
Every early morning we danced together, I felt like adoring you a lot

Te dí teléfono para que me llames, al otro día te entregué la llave
I gave you my phone number so you could call me, the next day I gave you the key

De mi corazón y mi apartamento te hice reina de mi aposento
I made you the queen of my heart and my apartment

Nunca pensé que era' traicionera tratándome como tierra.
I never thought you would be a traitor treating me like dirt.

Eso es película esa mujer se puso a robar llevó la plancha y televisión
This is like a movie, that woman started to steal, took the iron and TV.

Mi ropa entera, el mejor sillón tomo mi disco de Nelson Ned
My entire wardrobe, the best armchair, took my Nelson Ned record.

Agárrelo de la pared, se llevó todo por mi mala maña
Took it off the wall, took everything because of my bad habit.

Después arrancó la piraña
Then the piranha ran off

Asesina, te llevaste lo mio pero eso no se queda asi tu me las vas a pagar
Murderer, you took what's mine but it won't end like this, you'll pay for it.

Y ahora el hombre más famoso de la Tierra: Fulanito de tal
And now the most famous man on Earth: Fulanito de tal

Pena, es lo que siento en mi alma porque esa mujer no entiende
Grief is what I feel in my soul because that woman doesn't understand

Me hace perder la calma
She makes me lose my calm

Quiera Dios que encuentre' un hombre en tu vida
God willing, you find a man in your life

Que te dé todo el cariño que quizas yo no te dí (bótate pavoroto)
Who gives you all the love I maybe didn't give you (leave, coward)

Mátame, si te fuiste' con el otro es porque el te quiere mas que yo
Kill me, if you left me for someone else it's because he loves you more than I did

Ahora, El te quiere mas que yo? (Bueno) porque te comas su ripiaita
Now, he loves you more than me? (Well) because you believe his lie

Recuerda que me enfermaste, me enfermaste con tu traición (Pero Tom)
Remember that you made me sick, you made me sick with your betrayal (But Tom)

Cállate, no me digas ná' que yo te ví
Shut up, don't tell me anything, I saw you

Un amor así como tu no vale la pena si te vas que te vaya bien
A love like you is not worth it, if you go, I wish you well

Yo espero conseguir una que cuando yo le diga
I hope to find someone who when I tell her

Tu me quieres mucho?, ráscame aquí que me pica
Do you love me a lot? Scratch me here, it itches

Porqué? Porque yo no fui tan malo contigo
Why? Because I wasn't that bad to you

Yo, yo me rebuscaba como un animal
I, I worked hard like an animal

Pa' darte todo lo que tu querías, malagradecida
To give you everything you wanted, ungrateful woman

Te voy a desear una cosa bien buena: Que te lleve el diablo
I'm going to wish you something real good: That the devil takes you

Ojalá que te vaya bien
I hope that you do well

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: LUIS SEGURA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind