El Negro 5 Estrellas —Luis González, from Santiago de los Caballeros— is a Dominican singer and composer of merengue urbano, the street-oriented current of merengue that is also called merengue de calle or mambo, and has been active since 2010.

«Plomo, plomo»

His breakthrough was «Plomo, plomo», released in September 2010. It gained notice at the Santiago basketball championship, where fans sang it whenever their team was winning, and it became a hit in the city; a video for it appeared on the label «Sunflower Entertainment». When the press profiled him that August he said the success had filled his week with bookings and surprised him. His first album already had songs ready, among them «Ella ta», «María va a la disco», «La vieja» and «A cualquiera le damos luz».

Early recognition

The 2010 edition of the Esendom awards, a poll decided by the votes of its readers and of the magazine Esendom itself, nominated him for Revelación del Año, which went to Prince Royce, named «Plomo, plomo» its Merengue of the Year and shortlisted it for Song of the Year.

Albums and collaborations

Later releases listed on a music directory include «Cómo Tú» (2016) and, in 2017, «Si Lo Mete No Lo Saca», «Hagamos el Amor Con la Ropa» and «Pa la Calle». He appears on «Rulay», a group track with Sujeto, Químico, Kiko el Crazy, Tivi Gunz, Shadow Blow and Haraca Kiko.

Legacy

A 2020 survey of new Dominican music by Radio Gladys Palmera placed him in the merengue and mambo scene of the street, alongside El Alfa and Omega.