Merenrap

Meren(gue)house/Merenrap (merenrap or merenhouse) is a hip hop music style formed by blending merengue music, with house music, hip hop music, and Caribbean music.

The hybrid music known as merenrap, merenhouse, or Latin house was formed in the 1980s by Puerto Ricans. Latin house combines house music, rap, Latin rhythms and Caribbean music. Puerto Ricans wanted to preserve their Latin roots as well as adapt to their new environment making it a result of transnationalism.

Dominican Merengue music can be considered an expression of Dominican transnationalism, as there was a significant shift in migration of Dominicans to New York City in the twentieth century. It is not surprising that merenhouse, a musical , was popular to a generation of bicultural youth growing up in New York City with Dominican roots that combined both aspects of their culture. Merenhouse is a symbol of national identity to Dominican Americans, easily identified by a euphoric sound.

The early 1990s saw a huge increase in immigration to the US from the Dominican Republic due largely to the greatly deteriorating economic situation of the Dominican Republic in the 1980s and early 1990s. New York City saw the bulk of this initial Dominican population growth, and once those first Dominican immigrates got settled in, New York City became the hub of Dominican culture in the US. "By 1990, an estimated 900,000 Dominicans—12 percent of the country’s population—lived in New York City alone". Dominicans also "tend to be more concentrated residing exclusively in barrios or ghettos like Washington Heights-Inwood, home to 59% of Dominicans registered by the INS". This potent concentration of Dominicans all in one place allowed them to bring in their own culture while they assimilated into the melting pot of cultures found in New York City. Merengue is one example of the many pieces of Dominican culture brought during this period of immigration, which was a key element to the creation of Merenhouse.

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