Renowned Dominican artist Vakeró once again demonstrated why he is considered one of the most versatile performers on the national music scene by delivering one of the most memorable performances at the opening ceremony of the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games, Santo Domingo 2026.
Before an audience of over 30,000 people and millions of viewers who watched the event’s broadcast, the man nicknamed “The Rappers’ Singer” surprised the crowd by performing the iconic hit “Mr. Boombastic” – originally released in 1995 by Jamaican artist Shaggy –entirely in English, sparking a standing ovation from the audience.
One of the evening’s most memorable moments was his collaboration with Ky-Mani Marley, son of the legendary Bob Marley, who performed the classic “Could You Be Loved”. The two artists recorded an unreleased track that will be included on the highly anticipated album “Vlack Kaviar”, a production that will be presented soon.
For this performance, Vakeró wore an exclusive outfit designed by Mich Román, conceived as a direct tribute to Dominican cultural identity and the artist’s own roots. The design paid tribute to the character of the Guloya, establishing an aesthetic dialogue with the English-speaking Caribbean, the central theme of the inaugural ceremony’s musical narrative.
The historic opening ceremony was generally produced by Alberto Zayas and musically produced by Antonio González, who brought a world-class show to life.
At the end of his performance, Manuel Varet “Vakeró” expressed his deep gratitude for being invited to participate in an event that will mark the history of sports and culture in the Dominican Republic. The artist also expressed the deep emotion he when he saw one of his greatest dreams come true: recording a single with Ky-Mani Marley and sharing the stage with a direct descendant of the legendary Marley famil, an experience he described as one of the most important and moving moments of his artistic career.
The “The Rappers’ Singer” continues to present an intense program of performances both at home and abroad. In addition, he is currently immersed in the shooting of the film “NaMaste digo”, details of which will be revealed soon.
At the same time, the artist is promoting his latest single, “El Maestro Sol”, available on all digital music platforms.
*The XXV Central American and Caribbean Games take place from July 24 to August 8, 2026 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
