Por ESENDOM
19 de marzo de 2026
In this Throwback Thursday, we revisit a 2018 article that still feels relevant because it raises a conversation we continue to need: the importance of approaching Dominican culture with care, context, and precision.
At the time, VIBE published a playlist to commemorate Dominican Independence and presented it as a Perico Ripiao playlist. The intention was clearly positive. It was an effort to recognize and celebrate an important part of Dominican musical identity. Still, the piece also reflected a common misunderstanding: not every merengue can be classified as merengue típico, and not every popular Dominican song belongs within the tradition of Perico Ripiao.
That is where ESENDOM’s contribution became important. Rather than dismissing the gesture, the article aimed to clarify an essential distinction within Dominican music. Merengue típico has its own identity, instrumentation, and history, and it deserves to be understood on its own terms. For that reason, discussing the genre requires more than assembling beloved or well-known songs. It also calls for attention to its roots and defining characteristics.
The article also touched on a broader issue: the need to place greater value on the work of Dominican scholars, writers, and researchers who have spent years documenting our music and culture. Too often, interpretations of Dominican life circulate more widely when they come from outside voices, even when Dominican thinkers have already addressed those same subjects with depth, rigor, and commitment.
Looking back, the article remains meaningful not simply because it offered criticism, but because it extended an invitation: to celebrate Dominican culture with enthusiasm, yes, but also with rigor. When our music is explained well, we do more than avoid mistakes. We honor its richness more fully.
ESENDOM responded in a constructive way by not only pointing out an inaccuracy, but also by offering alternative playlists that were more grounded in the spirit and tradition of authentic merengue típico.
That may be the clearest lesson from this throwback: our culture deserves to be celebrated, but it also deserves to be studied, heard, and named with care.
Read the article: A Real Merengue Típico (Perico Ripiao) Playlist for VIBE Readers