Highly Relevant With Jack Rico

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! I am kicking off a retrospective series for Hispanic Heritage Month where I revisit with you my favorite interviews of the last five years. We start it off with the star of In The Heights and Transformers 7, actor/singer Anthony Ramos. In this interview I did with him on October 5th, 2018, Ramos is coming off of a co-starring role in Broadway’s HAMILTON with Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the Oscar-winning film A STAR IS BORN (no pun intended) with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. You can hear him reflective, grateful, and open to whatever the universe has in store for him. It’s an interesting interview with a star in the making.Highly Relevant PlaylistSacaLaCamara - Manu ManzoSuerte - J BalvinSay Less - Anthony Ramos

My guest this week is Camila Legaspi, the Chief Content Officer of Latina Media Ventures, the company which owns Latina Magazine. She joins me this week for an in-depth discussion on the relaunch of Latina.com. We discuss why the brand took a hiatus, why it decided to return, and what role will it play for this new generation of Latinas. Can the brand work its magic again?Highly Relevant PlaylistUNA NOTA - J Balvin, SechPAUSA - Martox y Gian Rojas DAIKIRI - Simon Grossman

In this episode, director Rodrigo Reyes discusses his new film '499,' a documentary about how Spanish colonialism has traumatized the people of Mexico today. He and I will talk about how he got his movie funded and what inspired him to make this film. And I also talk to Stanford Professor Tomás Jiménez about the latest Census numbers and what they really mean to Latinos. Highly Relevant Music PlaylistLinda- Tokischa feat. RosalíaVil Reptil - Duplat feat. Soy EmiliaEstadio Estudio - CLUBZ

Dominican-born Emilio Sosa, the new Chair of the American Theatre Wing, is the first Latino to chair the prestigious organization. He is a Tony-nominated costume designer whose Broadway career includes, ON YOUR FEET!, MOTOWN: The Musical, and his Tony nomination for Gershwin’s PORGY AND BESS. We discuss his humble beginnings as a young Dominican living in the South Bronx, how his ambitions and dreams led him to work with the likes of Spike Lee, Celine Dion, and Wynton Marsalis, and what his vision for America’s stages will look like in the next four years. Will it become more multicultural under his tenure? Highly Relevant Music PlaylistFunk Aspirin - Cimafunk y George ClintonGemini Amor - YoandriPsicodelico - sete y Giorgio Siladi

I talk to Uruguayan filmmaker Maximiliano Contenti whose new horror film THE LAST MATINEE is in theaters right now. We discuss the 90’s inspiration behind the film as well as tackle colorism in Uruguayan and Argentine cinema. How does it relate to American cinema today? Plus, how do his generations’ filmmakers feel about the Hollywood industry today? Do they aspire to it OR are they rebelling against it? Highly Relevant PlaylistQue Locura - J BalvinLos Viejos Vinagres - Los Auténticos Decadentes y Panteón RococoTodo y Nada - Playa Limbo

It's no secret Asian talent and creators are in high demand in Hollywood right now. Teresa Hsiao, creator and showrunner of 'Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens,' realizes how much interest there is for her and her friends right now. Latinos are starting to see glimmers, but for us, it's not the same. We're struggling in Hollywood, the numbers back it up. So what advice does Teresa have for us? Listen in and hear what she has to tell me.Highly Relevant PlaylistTrebol - Ben AlerEME - MIEL, Bardo JoséIgual a nadie - vangoura

In this week's episode, I invite a few friends to recommend what they've enjoyed reading, watching, or listening to as of late. Maybe it'll help you choose your next mental escape.Gonzalo Peña - InnoLatino PodcastAgustina GameroRoman Rojas - Tremenda Vaina PodcastJuan Doe - http://www.juandoe.comHighly Relevant PlaylistConexión Total - Bomba Estéreo, Yemi AladeDon’t Go Yet - Camila CabelloNo Necesito Más - Marissa Mur

In this episode, we discuss Camilo's new 'Kesi Remix' with Canadian pop star Shawn Mendes who sings in Spanish for the very first time. Entertainment reporter Lucas Villa from wearemitu.com joins me to find out how Latino Mr. Mendes wants to be since he's also dating Cuban megastar, Camila Cabello. I also recommend 3 quality films you might have known about for your viewing pleasure this weekend.Highly Relevant PlaylistLuna de Plata - La GarfieldTodo El Dia En La Cama - Cheo Destroy The Empire - Pachyman

Joining me today are the podcast hosts of Pero Let Me Tell Yo, DJ and Ish, two Cuban-Americans based in Miami who give me their perspective of the protests in Cuba and what it all means for the future of Cuba and Cuban-Americans in Miami.Highly Relevant PlaylistCabala - Xiomara Fortuna Cortar - Raquel Sofía (feat. Los Macorinos) Tú - Okills, Melissa Robles

Newsletters have become a very popular way of consuming news. The first newsletter I ever read was Brian Stelter's from CNN. The first Latinx newsletter I remember subscribing to was Elisabeth Rosario's 'The Latinx Collective' which I interviewed her about it almost 3 years ago. Back in March, the news website Axios partnered with Telemundo to create Axios Latino. Co-editor Mariana Franco joins me today to discuss how the newsletter is going, why non-Latinos are subscribing, and she shares some reasons why she believes Spanish-speaking newspapers aren't booming.Highly Relevant playlistPerreo y Lloro - Simona y Los del ControlLlueven - Claridad y Oli MiglioliYasser Tejeda - El Sol de la Madrugada

Christian Herrera and producer 2Deep, co-founders of LA's Gasolina Records, join me today to discuss American Reggaeton, a new musical movement by US-born Latino reggaeton artists who want to break into the Latin-American market. How did they build their record label, why are American Latino reggaetoneros being iced out by the fans and industry? How will Gasolina Records change that? Listen in and find out.Highly Relevant PlaylistDeja - Bomba EstéreoHigh Season - Poolside y BuscabullaKTJDN - Nebulossa

In this week’s episode, Cuban-American writer-director Carlos V. Gutierrez discusses his first feature-length film - LOCKED IN. We discuss what it took him to get his first Hollywood movie made, if directors and writers are responsible for improving the image of Latino-created characters on film, and what we have to do to convince studio executives that Latino stories are worth watching. Highly Relevant PlaylistTodo De Ti - Rauw AlejandroSuerte - YorghakiUn Millon - The Marias

My guest today is actor Juan Pablo Raba who co-stars in Liam Neeson’s border thriller The Marksman out on streaming now. He plays Mauricio, a Mexican cartel soldier out to retrieve his missing prize. We tackle Hollywood’s fixation with border stories and why Juan Pablo believes border stories need to continue to be told. We also debate The Marksman’s “white savior” narrative and why he believes the movie is really a “brown savior” film.Then I review J Balvin's 'Boy From Medellin' documentary. Highly Relevant PlaylistNagano - CLUBZ y Ela Minus Commitment - Luna LunaNeon - Patterns

Los Rivera Destino are a young Puerto Rican band who are driving a new wave of modern boleros in Latin music. They’ve already collaborated with the likes of Bad Bunny and Pedro Capó. We discuss why they believe boleros are having a renaissance, the story behind how they collaborated with Bad Bunny, and whether they are pro or nay for Statehood in Puerto Rico.Highly Relevant PlaylistLo Hice, Te Dejé - Daniel, Me Estás Matandomuero x ti- Noah Pino Palo y CLUBZEso Que Me Das - Juan Pablo Vega y Esteman 

My guest this week is actor/singer Christian Chavez, former member of the musical phenomenon RBD. Christian has a new Telemundo super-series out now called “LA SUERTE DE LOLI” where he plays Matías, a clever and openly gay assistant who is having problems in his marriage. We discuss identity, language, fame, depression and if there is a RBD super-series reunion in the works.Highly Relevant Music PlaylistDelorean - Mi$HNRZQuedarme Con Vos - Los Hermanos Morgan y Hot Plug BeatsDisco Stu - The Crayolas

This week my guests are Cuban Poet Richard Blanco and Puerto Rican band Buscabulla. Richard Blanco was the first Latino, immigrant and openly gay poet to be chosen to read at a Presidential inauguration. He recited 'One Today' at Barack Obama's 2013 Inauguration. We spoke on the role poetry should play in our country right now. Puerto Rican duo 'Buscabulla,' founded by Raquel Berrios and Luis Alfredo Del Valle, have a recent album called 'Regresa' which includes 11 tracks. This is my favorite album of 2020, English or Spanish. We talked how they’ve handled not having a live-audience to perform to, why they won’t sing in English, how their track 'La Fiebre' is really about Bad Bunny, and how Reggaeton is being influenced by indie music.Highly Relevant Music PlaylistLa Luz (Fin) - Kali Uchis y BuscabullaLo Vas A Olvidar - Rosalia y Billie EilishDe Una Vez - Selena Gomez 

Colombian actress Vanessa Rubio, who stars as Carmen Díaz in the hit Netflix show ‘Cobra Kai,' joins the show to discuss what it’s like to be on a hit mainstream show, what her first reaction to hearing she was officially cast in ‘Cobra Kai’ was like, what she thinks of more interracial relationships like she has with Johnny Lawrence, and why she believes the arts are needed more than ever right now.The Highly Relevant PlaylistDrivers License - Olivia RodrigoSupernova - Chia CassanovaPuente - Vale

Camilo Lara is the brainchild of ‘Mexican Institute of Sound,’ one of the most innovative musical bands in Latin music. Why he doesn't play the Grammy's is beyond us. We discuss the meaning behind his new single - 'My America Is Not Your America' - why racism exists in Mexico, how he collaborated with Pixar’s Oscar winning-film ‘Coco’ and how pop culture will no longer come from America, but from other cultures throughout the world. It’s a candid and memorable conversation you won’t want to miss.Music PlaylistLa Fiebre - BuscabullaPronto - CLUBZQuema - Sotomayor

Happy Thanksgiving! Our guest today is actress and producer Aubrey Plaza who has a new psychological thriller called BLACK BEAR out December 4th. We did a deep dive on her Puerto-Rican heritage, if she identifies as a Latina, does she speak Spanish and if she wants to make latinx films. Also she explains why breaking Latina stereotypes is a priority for her.

With the 2020 election right around the corner, political reporter Rafael Bernal from TheHill.com, helps me breakdown if the Latino vote is a myth or if it will elect the next President of the United States. We also tackle the question that has been on minds of many as of late… should Alexandra-Ocasio Cortés run for President in 2024? The Highly Relevant Playlist7’11 - ReynaDias de Paja - Clara CavaIguanas - Boca Paila