Magic Juan (musician)
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Magic Juan (born July 27, 1971) is a Dominican-American merengue/ hip-hop artist, widely known as the King of Merengue Hip Hop and the former lead rapper and singer of the group Proyecto Uno. The group gained success with hits like "Brinca", "25 Horas," and among others, Rolling Stone recognized his hit "El Tiburon"[1] as one of the 25 biggest Latin songs ever recorded, cementing the group's legacy with over 5 million albums sold. After leaving group Magic Juan pursued a solo career, blending hip-hop, reggae, dembow and bachata in his own music. Known as "El Negrito del Swing,"[2]Magic Juan has sold over 5 million albums worldwide,performing in more than 75 countries.
In 2024, Magic Juan made a return with his album "Superheroe," which blends reggaeton, merengue, and hip-hop. The album reflects themes of resilience and empowerment, drawing inspiration from his personal experiences and the stories of everyday heroes. His contributions to Latin music have earned him numerous accolades, including the Billboard Latin Music Awards, Premios Lo Nuestro, and Premios Juventud,[3] and he was nominated for an Emmy award.
His participation in the "Free Cover"[4] live unplugged series broke streaming records, and his collaboration on the Beatnuts' hit single Se Acabo recently made TikTok’s Top 10 viral songs list in 2022.
Early life and education
[edit]Magic Juan was born in Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey.[1] He is of Dominican descent. He joined the school choir at the age of ten and took piano, guitar, and drum lessons. After high school, he played with the idea of studying marketing, but after an offer to join Proyecto Uno, a merengue band with heavy urban and hip-hop influences, he decided to drop out of New York Institute of Technology in order to pursue his interest in music.
Career
[edit]Juan's bilingual rapping was featured on the single "Brinca," which went to number one in over eight countries in Latin America. Proyecto Uno went on to sell over three million albums worldwide. Juan soon desired to record his own solo material. In 2003, he released his solo debut, La Prueba, and became the New York correspondent for Telemundo's Latin hip-hop show, The Roof.
In 2004, he released Libertad: The Magic Juan Mix and the double CD, Inevitable.[2] On June 9, 2009, Magic released his third studio album as a solo artist, The Sure Bet, containing a wide variety of musical influences, including hip hop, reggae, bachata, salsa, and merengue.[3] The album's first single was "Baby Come Back".
Solo albums
[edit]- Hokus Pokus : Give Me The World (1991)
- Flia: The Album (2000)
- La Prueba (2003)
- El Duro (2004)
- Libertad: The Magic Juan Street Mix Jump Off (2004)
- Inevitable (2004)
- Quiscalle (2007)
- The Sure Bet (2009)
References
[edit]- ^ Valdes, Alisa. "ON THE BEAT HOW PROYECTO UNO IS WORKING TO BE THE NEXT BIG THING", Boston Globe, February 25, 1996. Accessed August 5, 2009. "Magic Juan, 24, a native of Teaneck, was born to Dominican parents."
- ^ David Jefferies[clarification needed]
- ^ "Magic Juan - Sure Bet CD Album".
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- Record producers from New York (state)
- Musicians from Teaneck, New Jersey
- Musicians from Manhattan
- People from Washington Heights, Manhattan
- American reggaeton musicians
- American merengue musicians
- American hip hop musicians
- American rappers of Dominican Republic descent
- Living people
- 1971 births
- 21st-century American rappers
- New York Institute of Technology alumni