Maldy scores his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated Sept. 10), as Karol G and the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s “Gatúbela” launches at No. 37.
The single, released Aug. 25 on Universal Music Latino, debuts with 11.4 million U.S. streams, 2.9 million radio airplay audience impressions and 2,000 downloads sold in its first full tracking week (Aug. 26-Sept. 1), according to Luminate.
“Gatúbela” also opens at No. 4 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart, No. 15 on Latin Rhythm Airplay and No. 39 on Latin Airplay.
Maldy (real name: Edwin Vega) has been a steady hitmaker on Billboard‘s charts since the mid-2000s as half of reggaeton duo Plan B. However, he’d charted only once before under his own recording name: “La Formula Sigue,” with Zion, Arcangel, Lennox, Chencho and RKM & Ken-Y, reached No. 21 on Latin Rhythm Airplay in 2012.
Plan B, which comprises Maldy and Chencho Corleone, first appeared on Billboard‘s charts in 2006 with “Frikitona,” which hit No. 14 on Latin Rhythm Airplay and appeared on Hot Latin Songs. The duo has sent 10 more entries onto Hot Latin Songs, led by the No. 3-peaking “Fanática Sensual” in 2015. The act has also charted 27 songs on Latin Rhythm Airplay, including eight top 10s, four of which have reached the top five: the No. 4-peaking “Mi Vecinita” in 2014, and the No. 5 hits “Fanática Sensual” (2015), “Zapatito Roto” (2013) and “Te Dijeron” (2012).
Plan B’s two most recent sets charted on Top Latin Albums: Love & Sex (No. 2, 2014) and House of Pleasure (No. 18, 2010). The tandem’s most recent charting single, “Te Acuerdas de Mi,” reached No. 15 on Latin Rhythm Airplay and No. 29 on Latin Airplay in 2017.
Though Plan B hasn’t released any new music since 2018, Maldy recently told Puerto Rican podcaster Chente Ydrach that the pair hasn’t separated. “What we decided on was to work on our solo projects,” Maldy said (in Spanish). “[Chencho Corleone is] my blood cousin … blood weighs more than water. Despite whatever happened, we’re good. He’s doing his own thing, I’m doing mine. Do you get me? He is doing well, I am doing well.”
In August, Maldy signed a solo deal with Warner Music Latina.