Raul
Acosta, better
known in the
music industry
as "El
Presidente del
Merengue,"
was born in
Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic
on September
8, 1971. Born
into a musical
family, at the
age of seven,
he and his older
brothers Iván
and Rafael,
in addition
to local neighborhood
kids, started
a pre-adolescent
music group
called "Los
Sobrinos Del
Rey". This
was the Dominican
version of the
Jackson 5. With
this early experience,
Raul was able
to develop his
musical talent
as well as his
stage presence.
The group went
on to perform
in two nationally
televised shows
on the government
TV station,
channel four,
for a show called
"Amarillis
con los Niños.”
At 9 years old,
the family relocated
to the United
States like
every other
immigrant family,
to work hard
and prosper.
With no English
skills, Raul
moved to Jersey
City, New Jersey
to start his
new life. Years
later, he moved
to Union City
where the Hispanic
culture was
growing stronger.
Upon
graduating from
high school,
Raúl
began his studies
in music and
sound engineering
by joining Kennedy's
Music World,
a local music
school. There
he worked retail
and operated
the music studio
as well as helped
students in
their classes.
In 1990, after
graduating high
school, he held
different positions
within the Hudson
County government.
Finally, in
1994, he formed
New York's hottest
and most established
merengue band,
Oro Sólido.
That same year,
he released
his self-titled
debut album,
Oro Sólido.
To his amazement,
it was the beginning
of a long and
exciting career
that has spanned
over 12 years
and worldwide
recognition.
The
albums came
almost every
year after that.
With hits like
"Ta Cache,"
"La Tanguita
Roja,"
"Maria
se Fue,"
"El Baile
del Beeper,"
"Una Nalgadita,"
"La Morena,"
and many more,
Oro Sólido,
positioned itself
as one of the
biggest Latin
music groups
in the world.
They have surpassed
various barriers
when it comes
to performing
in the Anglo
media and having
their music
played on English-speaking
radio stations.
Raul Acosta
has been nominated
for and won
numerous awards
throughout the
years, including
Premios Estrella,
Premios ACE
y Premio Lo
Nuestro, just
to name a few.
The
group has performed
regularly on
some of Hispanic
TV’s most
distinguished
and popular
TV shows. Oro
Sólido
was also the
first merengue
band to perform
on Fox 5 News
New York and
The Jerry Lewis
Telethon. The
group has also
performed over
5 times in the
renowned Madison
Square Garden
as well as other
famous arenas
like the Universal
City Amphitheater
in Los Angeles,
El Zócalo
de Mexico, Estadio
Modelo de Ecuador,
El Monumento
in Dominican
Republic and
the Meadowlands
in New Jersey.
The group has
shared the stage
with artists
such as 50 cent,
Leann Rhymes,
Celia Cruz,
Marc Anthony,
Fat Joe, Johnny
Ventura, Wilfrido
Vargas, Tito
Puente, El Gran
Combo and The
Temptations,
just to name
a few.
Keeping
in mind their
humanitarian
spirit, Oro
Sólido
also does benefit
work with different
organizations
like World Vision,
March of Dimes,
The Wheelchair
Foundation,
Health Plus,
Verizon and
the City of
New York's Commission
of Domestic
Violence.
Oro
Sólido
is also affiliated
to companies
such as Supercanal
Caribe, a growing
Latin cable
station in the
U.S. and Dominican
Republic. Recently,
the group launched
their own Oro
Sólido
Phone Card,
which proves
that they are
one of the biggest
market shares
in Latin music
presentations
worldwide, and
one of the most
promising acts
to be able to
knock on the
door of U.S.
mainstream markets.
Don’t
forget to check
out his new
album “Fantasía
Urbana,”
set to drop
very soon!
Oro
Solido 
