Proyecto Uno

Proyecto Uno originated on New York's East Side, where the group launched as a conventional merengue ensemble before folding in multiple urban American elements—techno, house, hip-hop, and salsa tinged with R&B. Nelson Zapata, the founder, grew up in the Dominican Republic; after relocating with his family to New York during middle school, he also absorbed American music. Recording began with the single "Brinca!!," aided by bilingual rapper Magic Juan, and the track scored a major success across South and Central America along with Latin neighborhoods in U.S. cities. The band's first album, Todo el Mundo, achieved comparable results, prompting tours through Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, and Argentina.

In pursuit of greater U.S. visibility by 1993, Proyecto Uno released In Da House, which spotlighted American freestyle vocalists Johnny Salgado and Erik Morales. The single "El Tiburon" gained traction on Latin and club charts, and New Era continued that momentum in 1996. A set of remixes appeared in 1998.