The father of reggaeton is joining the TV industry. According to Deadline, Daddy Yankee (Talento de Barrio, la Reina de la Canción), known for his song “Gasolina,” has boarded the Netflix series Neon as an executive producer. The Puerto Rican reggaeton artist will also be making a cameo appearance in the show.
The series Neon revolves around three friends who move to Miami from a small town in Florida, hoping to become famous in the world of reggaeton. The show chronicles their big dreams as well as the harsh comic realities, like not having enough money for rent, that accompany attempting to make it in the music industry.
According to Deadline, Netflix has handed out an eight-episode series order for the series. It was also announced that Max Searle (Lady Dynamite, Dave) will be the showrunner.
The show stars Tyler Dean Flores (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Reefa) as Santi, a developing reggaeton artist who hopes to become the most famous reggaeton singer in the world, all with the help of his friends: Ness played by Emma Ferreira (Learn to Swim, Transplant), Felix played by Jordan Mendoza (ZIWE, Maurice on Mars), and A&R rep Mia played by Courtney Taylor (Single & Anxious, Abbott Elementary).
Other actors and actresses that have joined the cast of the comedy reggaeton series include Jessie Camacho (The Art of Passion, A Dangerous Affair) as Ynez; Cecille Colón (The Baker and the Beauty, Vivimos para esa noche) as Kimberly; newcomer Nicole Diane Rios as Lucía, and Ana Sofia Pomales (The Baker and the Beauty, Dance with Me) as Daniella.
Shea Serrano (Primo, Football U) and Searle will also serve as executive producers for the series. The SB Projects team of Scooter Braun (The Giver, Dave), James Shin (Dave, Unidentified with Demi Lovato), and Scott Manson (Justin Bieber: Our World) will also executive produce with Kyle Vinuya (All the Way, Minority Report) serving as a co-executive producer. Mendoza (Cry Battle, Every Damn Day), who plays Felix, will also serve as a consulting producer.
Yankee, also known as Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, announced his retirement as a performer after a thirty-year-long successful career in reggaeton music. He released a final album titled “Legendaddy” and will be doing his last performances at the end of the year. Yankee has also won five Latin Grammy Awards. His biggest hit “Gasolina” is the first reggaeton song to be inducted into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.
Reggaeton is a Latin American music genre that was born in Panama in the early 2000s. The genre got popular in Latin America and the rest of the world with Puerto Rican artist Daddy Yankee and his hit song “Gasolina.” In the last decades, the genre has gained popularity outside the continent of America with songs like “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and with artists like Karol G, J Balvin, Maluma, and in particular with Bad Bunny who is making history with his music.
Neon is still in pre-production and no release date has been announced.