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.
Pecho a Pechuga
Fulanito Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Huh esta fiesta parece una granja
Aprieta aprieta, aprieta engancha
Ay michelito
(A hora si)
Que se puso buena la cosa
(Aquí)
Con este ritmo mi tierra
(Que)
Y por mi madre muevo a cualquiera
Perico rapio lao a lao
Como se baila bien pegao
Pecho a pechuga bien quemao
Pecho a pechuga do it now
Engancha, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Engancha, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Engancha, pecho a pechuga, baby
Fulano explícamele a esta gente como se baila
Esta cuerdion
Pecho a pechuga chuga, chuga, chuga, chuga
Pero bueno parece que el maestro oncenio eta montao
(Sigue ahi)
Que te va muy bien no pare
(No)
No me venga aquí con aguaje
(Ay qué)
Ponerse a la linia señore
(Get down)
Every body open your chorus
Perico rapio side to side
Get on da good foot, do it right
Pecho a pechuga, just to press
Pecho a pechuga, make it press
Engancha common, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Engancha, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Engancha, pecho a pechuga, baby
Y tengo aceite
Apriétame mami si quiere rebalar
Friendo pechuga, pechuga, pechuga
Pechuga, pechuga
Engancha
(Ay que calor)
Its getting hot up in here
(Move)
Fulanito trajo la leña
(Aquí)
Y van a quemar el techo
Si sigue pechuga a pecho
Llamen lo bombero
Esto aquí son los rumbero
No quieren agua lo que quieren fuego
Tambora güira alcoldion
It's gettin' hot in here, it's gettin' hot in here
It's gettin' hot in here, 911, some body
It's gettin' hot in here, it's gettin' hot in here
It's gettin' hot in here, 911, somebody, body, body, body, body, body
Huh, y no me explico
Esta baina de merengue americanizao
No lo paso, huh nunca
Ey, yo shut up your face, I know how to dance
Huh, no ay que saber almar coete
Para bailar esto, ay michelito
Pecho a pechuga chuga, chuga, chuga, chuga
I know how to dance
Tranquilo, Bobby
Engancha, it's gettin' hot in here
Aprieta, its' gettin' hot in here
Engancha, it's gettin' hot in here
Aprieta, 911, somebody
Aprieta, it's gettin' hot in here
Engancha, it's gettin' hot in here
Aprieta, 911, somebody, body, body, body, body
The song "Pecho a Pechuga" by Fulanito is a high-energy merengue track that invites listeners to get up and dance. The lyrics are primarily focused on the dance moves themselves, with repeated calls to "engancha" (hook), "aprieta" (squeeze), and "pecho a pechuga" (chest to chest). There are also references to "Perico rapio lao a lao," which means "Perico (a nickname for a person) quickly sweeping side to side," and "tambora güira alcoldion," which refers to the percussion instruments that provide the driving rhythm of the song.
Though the lyrics don't have a deep message, the song is quite popular in the Latin dance club scene and has been remixed and covered by various artists. The repetitive nature of the chorus makes it easy to sing along and the high-energy beat is perfect for getting people out onto the dance floor.
Overall, "Pecho a Pechuga" is a fun and catchy song that encourages listeners to let loose and have a good time on the dance floor.
Line by Line Meaning
Pecho a Pechuga, engancha
Breast to breast, hook up
Huh esta fiesta parece una granja
This party looks like a barn
Aprieta aprieta, aprieta engancha
Squeeze squeeze, squeeze hook up
Ay michelito
Oh my goodness
(A hora si)
(Now yes)
Que se puso buena la cosa
Things are getting good
(Aquí)
(Here)
Todo el mundo están en la cosa
Everyone is into it
Con este ritmo mi tierra
With this rhythm from my homeland
(Que)
(What)
Y por mi madre muevo a cualquiera
And I can make anyone move for my mother
Perico rapio lao a lao
Perico moved side to side
Como se baila bien pegao
How to dance well close together
Pecho a pechuga bien quemao
Breast to breast, well burned
Pecho a pechuga do it now
Breast to breast, do it now
Engancha, pecho a pechuga
Hook up, breast to breast
Aprieta, pecho a pechuga
Squeeze, breast to breast
Engancha, pecho a pechuga, baby
Hook up, breast to breast, baby
Fulano explícamele a esta gente como se baila
Explain to these people how to dance, dude
Esta cuerdion
This is crazy
Pero bueno parece que el maestro oncenio eta montao
But it seems like the Oncecian master is on the rise
(Sigue ahi)
(Keep going)
Que te va muy bien no pare
You're doing really well, don't stop
(No)
(No)
No me venga aquí con aguaje
Don't come here with attitude
(Ay qué)
(Oh my)
Ponerse a la linia señore
Get in line, folks
(Get down)
(Get down)
Every body open your chorus
Everyone open up your encore
Pecho a pechuga bien quemao
Breast to breast, well burned
Pecho a pechuga do it now
Breast to breast, do it now
Engancha common, pecho a pechuga
Hook up, let's do breast to breast
Engancha, pecho a pechuga, baby
Hook up, breast to breast, baby
Y tengo aceite
And I have oil
Apriétame mami si quiere rebalar
Squeeze me, mommy, if you want to slide
Friendo pechuga, pechuga, pechuga
Frying chicken breast, breast, breast
Engancha
Hook up
(Ay que calor)
(Oh it's hot)
Its getting hot up in here
It's getting hot in here
(Move)
(Move)
Fulanito trajo la leña
Fulanito brought the firewood
(Aquí)
(Here)
Y van a quemar el techo
And they're going to burn the roof
Si sigue pechuga a pecho
If they keep doing breast to breast
Llamen lo bombero
Call the firefighters
Esto aquí son los rumbero
This is where the party people are
No quieren agua lo que quieren fuego
They don't want water, they want fire
Tambora güira alcoldion
Drum and guiro party
911, somebody, body, body, body, body, body
911, somebody, body, body, body, body, body
Huh, y no me explico
Huh, and I can't explain it
Esta baina de merengue americanizao
This thing of Americanized merengue
No lo paso, huh nunca
I don't like it, huh never
Ey, yo shut up your face, I know how to dance
Hey, shut up your face, I know how to dance
Huh, no ay que saber almar coete
Huh, you don't need to know how to make rockets to dance
Para bailar esto, ay michelito
To dance this, oh my goodness
Tranquilo, Bobby
Relax, Bobby
Engancha, it's gettin' hot in here
Hook up, it's getting hot in here
Aprieta, its' gettin' hot in here
Squeeze, it's getting hot in here
Engancha, it's gettin' hot in here
Hook up, it's getting hot in here
911, somebody, body, body, body, body
911, somebody, body, body, body, body
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALFONSO DE LA ROSA, RAFAEL VARGAS, WINSTON ROSA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ricardo Hernandez Jr.
Esta canción me cambio la vida. Desde que escuché esta canción, he estado muy dedicado a la música latina. Una de mis pasiones.
rigoberto hernandez ramos
El folclor tiene la capacidad de adaptarse, sobrevivir y con la leyenda de Arsenio pues fue un fenómeno
JUCES85
cuando escuchas fulanito en el 2020 y tedas cuenta que no ahi igual
Martha Reyes
2023 😊🎉🎉🎉🎉
Dario cortes
Cuando escucho fulanito, no se porque pero empiezo a mover un pie. Saludos desde Chile, uno de los buenos grupos Fulanito.
PERICLES
Me trae recuerdos de las tardeadas en la secundaria, saludos de México
Bankai T_Rex
Este tigere estaba a otro nivel todavia hoy sigue en fuego!!!
Conejo de Jalea
que buen video ya no me acordava de estos tipos muy buen grupo ,
Juan Carlos Campos
Que grandes temas así pase el tiempo yo las seguiré escuchando y bailando
Golden Jay
Damnnn this brings back soo many memories 😩🇩🇴🔥🔥