Rosie Perez Traces the Birth of Salsa in Nueva York

Rosie Perez Traces the Birth of Salsa in Nueva York

June 7, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

Rosie Perez explores the origins of salsa music in New York City and the impact of Fania Records.

Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress Rosie Perez takes us on the journey of the birth of salsa in Nueva York and the rebellious, seductive and political label that defined it: Fania Records. The 1960s brings social and political change to the world and to New York City, where a young Johnny Pacheco keeps people dancing with his orchestra and charanga music. The Dominican musician is also going through a divorce and his lawyer, Jerry Masucci, happens to be a fan of Johnny’s music. They formed Fania Records, changing music forever. This is the first episode of Futuro’s new podcast Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York. The first two episodes are out now  wherever you listen to your favorite shows . Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss upcoming episodes. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on  TikTok  and&nbsp…

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