Peter Metivier — Pedro Julio Pérez Metivier, born November 17, 1993 in San Cristóbal — is a Dominican Christian rapper, and the artist most identified with dembow cristiano, the religious strain of the Dominican rhythm. He is credited with putting that combination on the map in 2017 with Tu ’Ta Forzando.

From the church band

Metivier came to music through his congregation, playing percussion with the church musicians as a teenager. He began writing urban songs at thirteen and recording them at sixteen, and turned professional at nineteen, while also serving as a youth leader at district and national level within his organisation.

Dembow cristiano

Dembow is the sound of the Dominican street — the rhythm of the colmado, the motoconcho and the club — and for a long time an unlikely vehicle for religious lyrics. Tu ’Ta Forzando, released in 2017 with Spiritual Bless, is the record generally credited with making the pairing work, and Metivier has been described since as the face of the genre.

The song drew a remix that gathered much of the scene: Rubinsky RBK, Lizzy Parra, Alex Linares, Jeiby and Odanis BSK. El Mejor Dembow followed as a later release, and he tags his own output #DembowConciencia and #realhiphop — dembow with a conscience, set against straightforward hip hop.

The wider scene

Metivier appears on Gangster de Dios 4, the posse-cut EP assembled by Propiedad de Dios with Natan El Profeta and El Philippe, alongside Lizzy Parra, Ander Bock, Misael J, Brayan Booz, MR. Yeison, R.E.A.L, Ricky Webber, Mayo Music and RL & Vanessa.