What was the name of Joe Arroyo's band on 'La Rebelión'?

Joe Arroyo’s band on “La Rebelión” was La Verdad.

The song was performed by Joe Arroyo y La Verdad and released in 1986 on the album Musa Original. Written by Arroyo, it became one of the defining songs of Colombian salsa and an international hit, built around a dramatic story set in colonial Cartagena.

Arroyo formed his own group, La Verdad, in 1981 after a decade with Fruko y sus Tesos. The band allowed him to develop a personal sound blending salsa with Colombian Caribbean styles such as cumbia, porro, and chandé, alongside influences from other Afro-Caribbean genres.

The title is often shortened to “La Rebelión,” although the song is also known as “La Rebelión (No le pegue a la negra).” Another interesting detail is that the recording includes a piano solo by Chelito De Castro. The song’s band name should not be confused with La Protesta, an earlier group with which Arroyo had performed.