A household name for Dominicans across the globe, Rubby Pérez was a prominent figure in merengue music as he defined an entire generation and transformed the genre’s sound throughout his career.
Following his death at the Jet Set nightclub on April 8 in Santo Domingo, after a roof unexpectedly collapsed during his live performance, resulting in 232 fatalities and 225 injuries, many Dominicans have been mourning the man who was known as “The Loudest Voice in Merengue.”
In addition to Pérez, some of the many victims included: Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco; Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the Caribbean country’s Monte Cristi province; and designer Martín Polanco.
“There are not enough words to express the pain caused by this event,” said Antonio Espaillat, owner of the Jet Set Club, in a statement posted to Instagram following the tragedy. “What happened has been devastating for everyone.”
In various videos shared online, audience members are seen and heard noticing something had fallen from the ceiling seconds before everything came crashing down. Dominican authorities have yet to discover what caused the disaster.
With this sudden catastrophe, the Dominican Republic lost one of its most energetic and distinctive powerhouses– a voice that truly represented the country’s vibrant culture.
“When the news of the tragedy broke, it crossed Dominicans’ minds that we lost one of merengue’s best exponents, one of the defenders of our rhythm, one of the best voices in merengue,” Dominican citizen, Gruby Méndez, told The Informer.
A Legacy Written in Dance and Song
Merengue is a music style that originated in the Dominican Republic’s northern Cibao region in the mid-19th century. Portrayed by its upbeat and electrifying sound created by traditional instruments like the accordion, the tambora and the güira, merengue is regarded as the Dominican Republic’s national music genre.
Its blend of European, African and Taíno influences creates unique rhythms that people usually dance to in pairs, taking a step on each beat, simultaneously swaying the hips and moving in circles.
Pérez’s career in the genre was kick-started when Dominican musician Wilfrido Vargas chose him to be the lead vocalist of his orchestra when recording the 1983 album “El Funcionario.”
“When I started to form a musical group, I wanted to find the loudest voice for one of the songs I was going to record,” Vargas said via Instagram following the singer’s death. “Every note he sang, every stage he stepped on, every heart he touched are witnesses to his greatness.”
One of Pérez’s first hits when singing with Vargas’ orchestra was titled “El Africano.” Although released more than 40 years ago, it remains one of the songs Pérez is most known for, one that is constantly played at Dominican functions.
Méndez recalls this was the first song she heard by Pérez.
“The children and youth of that time made it the must-have song of all the parties,” she said.
Peréz wasn’t only popular in his home country. His music’s African and Taino motifs inspired other Afro-Latino artists to make compositions that authentically represent the ties between cultures.
While they are an American music group, C+C Music Factory sampled “El Africano” for their 1994 song “Robi-Rob’s Boriqua Anthem,” celebrating co-founder Robert Civiliés’s Puerto Rican ancestry through its distinct Caribbean sound and liveliness.
The group posted a tribute for Pérez on Instagram after the Jet Set incident, as their current frontwoman, Euince Quiñones, is from the Dominican Republic.
“His electrifying performance of ‘El Africano’… helped immortalize the song,” C+C Music Group wrote. “It ‘s a reminder of how music carries across cultures and generations.”
Once the merengue legend established his solo career in 1987, tracks like “Buscando Tus Besos,” “Volveré” and “No Voy a Llorar,” Pérez modernized the genre by making songs that also focused on lyricism and vocal ability rather than solely emphasizing fast tempos, enhancing his stage presence in the process.
Dominican Maira Herrera grew up listening to Pérez’s music and called his music “very contagious.”
“I remember I danced to his merengue titled, ‘Tu Vas a Volar,’ with a friend when I was about 17 years old,” she told The Informer, “and from then on it’s been my favorite song.”
His lyricism, often focusing on yearning for love or heartbreak, allowed Pérez to pour the essence of the Dominican spirit, made up by a deeply emotional and vivacious community that deeply loves music and dancing, into his songs. His tender lyrics combined with high-energy beats presented Dominican culture to the world.
“[His] influence on merengue is characterized by his defense of our rhythm [and] good lyrics,” Méndez said. “He bet that merengue would represent us all over the world.”
While the legend’s death was a shock, part of an unforeseen tragedy that left the Dominican Republic heartbroken, his legacy will carry on as his vocal force remains a love letter to the country and a unifying force for Dominicans globally.
“His music will continue to transcend from generation to generation, and he will continue to conquer millions of hearts with his music, even after his untimely departure,” Herrera said. “I think that his legacy will live forever, and will continue to be the loudest voice of merengue.”
