Deorro & Santa Fe Klan Join Forces to Release EDM-ified Cumbia Single “La Bandera”

Deorro and Santa Fe Klan have their flags up…

The 33-year-old Mexican-American DJ and 25-year-old Mexican singer, rapper and songwriter have teamed up for “La Bandera,” a cumbia banger that fuses rap and EDM, resulting in an explosive track that will get any party started.

Deorro, Santa Fe Klan,The pair’s new collaboration, released Thursday, April 10, is a celebration of Mexican culture and Mexican pride, from signature cumbia dance moves to the streetwear that rings true to the Chicano identity.

The chorus “Mexicano hasta que muera” only drives home the tracks powerful message, gifting Mexicans and Mexican Americans a new anthem.

The music video, directed by HeroKids, perfectly complements the sentiment Deorro and Santa Fe Klan transmit in their song.

Set at a house party where attendees are dressed in Chicano street fashion — oversized T-shirts, baggy jeans and heavy gold jewelry and bandanas as accessories — Deorro blasts “La Bandera” from his DJ booth while waving a Mexican flag.

Besides the fashion, the video depicts images that honor Mexican culture, including the Virgen de Guadalupe displayed in altars and outfits, a nod to the Catholic faith that is rooted in Mexican culture, and lowriders, which bounce to the rhythm of the song as Deorro and Santa cruise through Los Angeles.

Both artists are signed to Peso Pluma’s Double P Records. “La Bandera” is among a handful of releases Deorro will be dropping this year, according to a press release.

Deorro is slated to perform at Carta De Amor at Expo Park South Lawn in L.A. on May 2.

Los Lobos to Be Subject of Feature-Length Documentary Film

The origin story of Los Lobos is getting the Hollywood treatment…

The Mexican-American four-time Grammy-winning rock band, which has helped bring Chicano music to the masses over the last 50 years, will be the subject of the feature-length documentary with the working title Los Lobos Native Sons, currently in production and slated for a 2025 release.

Los Lobos

The film features testimonials from George Lopez, Linda Ronstadt, Tom Waits, Dolores Huerta, Bonnie Raitt, Flaco Jimenez and Cheech Marin, among others.

Formed more than 50 years ago in East Los Angeles, the group is unique and versatile, able to play roots rock, Musica Mexicana, soul, folk and a galaxy of other styles.

The film is co-directed by veteran filmmaker, producer and editor Doug Blush and photographer/filmmaker Piero F. Giunti, and produced by Robert Corsini and Flavio Morales.

Blush says,  “Los Lobos, as much as any modern band, has expanded and re-defined what’s possible in American music, and in their phenomenal half-century and counting, they’ve created a global fan base that proves that the wolf is very, very alive.”

The group was founded by David Hidalgo (vocals, guitar), Louie Pérez (drums, vocals, guitar), Cesar Rosas (vocals, guitar) and Conrad Lozano (bass, vocals, guitarrón). They played revved-up versions of Mexican folk music in restaurants and at parties.

The band evolved in the 1980s as it tapped into LA’s burgeoning punk and college rock scenes, sharing bills with the Circle Jerks, Public Image Ltd., and the Blasters, whose saxophonist, Steve Berlin, would eventually leave that group to join Los Lobos in 1984.

A major turning point came in 1987 with the release of the Ritchie Valens biopic La Bamba. The quintet’s cover of Valens’ signature song topped the charts in the U.S. and the U.K. Rather than capitalize on that massive commercial success, Los Lobos instead chose to record “La Pistola y El Corazón,” a tribute to Tejano and Mariachi music that won the 1989 Grammy for Best Mexican-American Performance. The group has moved from strength to strength in the years since, receiving everything from a Hispanic Heritage Award to transforming their song “Kiko” into a surreal skit about Elmo on Sesame Street.

 

Becky G Performs Oscar-Nominated “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot” During Oscars

Becky G brings the fire to the 2024 Oscars

The 27-year-old Mexican American rapper/singer performed “The Fire Inside,” the Academy Award nominated track from the Eva Longoria-directed film Flamin’ Hot, at Sunday’s Oscars.

Becky GDiane Warren penned the inspirational track for the film about Richard Montañez, the Frito-Lay janitor who became an executive after inventing Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Ahead of the ceremony at the Dolby Theater, Longoria talked about the excitement her directorial debut getting some recognition at the Academy Awards.

“I have goosebumps. I can’t believe it. I can because Diane Warren wrote the song, so she’s a genius and Becky G is a genius,” Longoria told Laverne Cox on Live from E! red carpet coverage. “Their performance tonight… You will never be more proud to be a Latino and a Chicano, but Becky’s thought and love that she put into this performance tonight is going to blow everybody away. She has some special guest from Inglewood.”

She continued, “We don’t ever get this platform. We, people of color, we don’t really get this stage. We wanted to bring our whole community with us tonight. We wanted to thank everybody for watching the movie [and] making it a success.”

Flamin’ Hot starred Jesse García as Richard Montañez and the cast included Annie González, Emilio Rivera, Vanessa Martínez, Hunter Jones, Dennis Haysbert, Tony Shalhoub, Pepe Serna, Bobby Soto, Jimmy Gonzales, Matt Walsh and Brice Gonzalez.

Harvey Guillén Joining Cast of George & Mayan Lopez’s “Lopez vs. Lopez” Series

Harvey Guillén has landed a primo role…

The 32-year-old Mexican American actor has joined the cast of NBC’s Lopez vs. Lopez as a family member.

Harvey GuillenGuillen, known for his scene-stealing role in What We Do In The Shadows, Chelsea Rendon and Jessica Marie Garcia will portray cousins on the series.

Guillén will portray Miguel, Mayan’s (Mayan Lopez) pseudo-intellectual cousin who spends his time getting his doctorate in Chicano studies and bragging about the TED talk he gave on the cultural significance of the Hot Cheeto.

Rendon will portray Luna, Mayan’s free-spirited cousin who travels the world in a camper and loves #vanlife, even if her only roommate is her porta-potty.

Garcia will portray ”Yesika” or @Hellyesika on all her socials. She is Mayan’s fabulous Tik Tok-dancing social media influencer cousin who does everything for “the Gram” including giving Mayan a taste of the glamorous life.

Lopez Vs. Lopez, which hails from The Conners duo Bruce Helford and Debby Wolfe, is a working-class family comedy about dysfunction, reconnection, and all the pain and joy in between.

George Lopez and Mayan Lopez star alongside Selenis Leyva, Brice Gonzalez and Matt Shively with Laci Mosley and Aparna Nancherla recurring.

Season 1 currently airs Friday night at 8 p.m. via NBC.

Jimmy Humilde Launches Own Chicano-Themed Online Series “Desde Abajo”

Jimmy Humilde is heading into under time…

The 42-year-old Mexican American recording artist and record producer has unveiled his very own series called Desde Abajo, which will be available on Amazon Music’s app and Twitch channel.

Jimmy HumildeFocusing on culture and its influence on the music industry in Los Angeles, the series will include the Rancho Humilde founder interviewing special guests like Fuerza Regida, Snow Tha Product, AB Quintanilla, Deorro, among others.

The first episode is already out with new episodes airing at 9:00 p.m. ET every other Wednesday until October 12.

Jimmy Gonzales to Star in George Lopez’s Amazon Drama Pilot “Once Upon a Time in Aztlan”

Jimmy Gonzales is right on Time

The Mexican actor has been cast as a lead alongside Arianna Williams on Amazon’s Once Upon a Time in Aztlan, the drama pilot from George Lopez.Jimmy Gonzales

They join previously announced cast LopezJesse Garcia and Annie Gonzalez.

Gonzales stars as the morally compromised Hector, whose pursuit of ‘get rich or die trying’ dreams landed his partner Arturo Duran in prison for thirteen years. Since then, he’s further cemented his influence over the Duran family: He has a son with Lola (Gonzalez) and is the de facto father figure for Angela (Williams). Despite his overtures to legitimize himself, he’s a lifelong hustler who’s baiting the attention of the FBI.

Willians portrays the character of Angela, a Gen-Z Afro Latina, who is described as fiercely independent, confident, and always adapting. The face of our modern Los Angeles. The Duran family have hung their hopes on Angela as their luminary, but she’s in deep debt to her nefarious uncle, who’s co-signed her loans to USC. Her father, Arturo (Garcia) returns to her life after a long absence, presenting a challenging new vision of her future.

Written by Javier Rodriguez, the one-hour drama from STXtelevision and Amazon Studios revolves around a Chicano family in the deep suburbs of Los Angeles as they come to terms with the falsehoods of the American dream, and their ability to defy expectations. The pilot will be directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, who helmed Eva Longoria and Demián Bichir in the Blumhouse/Imagine East L.A.-set drama, Lowriders.

Rodriguez executive produces with de Montreuil, photographer/director Estevan Oriol, LA-based artist Mister Cartoon, and Michael Connolly who put the Latinx package together under his STXtelevision-based Mad Hatter Entertainment banner.

Gonzales can currently be seen as the lead in Netflix/Endeavor Content’s Blue Miracle opposite Dennis Quaid. He can next be seen on Fox Searchlight’s biopic Flamin’ Hot as Hector Morales and currently is a recurring guest star on FX’s Mayans M.C.

Other credits include AMC’s Lodge 49, AMC’s The Walking Dead, and David E. Kelley’s Mr. Mercedes.

Williams played a supporting lead in a 2021 Lifetime Movie opposite Denise Richards. Although a relative newcomer to the small screen, she’s worked with Phylicia Rashad, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Ruben Santiago Hudson at the Billie Holliday Theatre.

Annie Gonzalez to Star in George Lopez’s Drama Pilot “Once Upon a Time in Aztlan”

Annie Gonzalez’s Time card is filling up…

The Chicana actress will star in the drama pilot Once Upon a Time in Aztlan, a project from George Lopez for STXtelevision and Amazon Studios.

Annie Gonzalez

Gonzalez will star opposite her Flamin’ Hot co-star Jesse Garcia, as well as Lopez, in the pilot.

Gonzalez will portray Dolores “Lola” Duran, the youngest of Gervasio Duran’s (Lopez) children. She’s the heart of the family, a spitfire mother, and entrepreneur who runs a bar-cabaret with her ex. She is always game, at the party, and in the riot.

Garcia will portray the show’s hero, Arturo Duran. After 13 years in federal prison, Arturo has missed a lifetime’s worth of changes. His second chance at life will be born through his transcendental artistry, which will single-handedly take possession of how the world sees the Southern California Dream.

Written by Javier Rodriguez, the one-hour drama revolves around a Chicano family in the deep suburbs of Los Angeles as they come to terms with the falsehoods of the American dream, and their ability to defy expectations.

Rodriguez executive produces with photographer/director Estevan Oriol, LA-based artist Mister Cartoon, and Michael Connolly who put the Latinx package together under his STXtelevision-based Mad Hatter Entertainment banner.

Gonzalez is returning for Season 2 of Netflix’s Gentefied on November 10. Her previous credits include VidaShameless, and American Horror Story. She portrayed Garcia’s wife Judy Montanez in Flamin’ Hot.

Garcia most recently appeared in Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico as DEA agent Sal Orozco. Up next, he will appear in the films Ambulance opposite Jake Gyllenhaal; Netflix’s The Mother with Jennifer Lopez; and the Richard Montanez biopic from Eva LongoriaFlamin’ Hot in the role of Montanez.

 

Amazon Studios Orders Pilot for George Lopez’s Drama Series “Once Upon a Time in Aztlan”

George Lopez’s Time has come…

Amazon Studios has ordered a pilot for the drama series Once Upon a Time in Aztlan from STXtelevision, starring and executive produced by the 60-year-old Mexican American actor/comedian via his Travieso Productions banner.

George Lopez

Written by Javier Rodriguez, the one-hour drama revolves around a Chicano family in the deep suburbs of Los Angeles as they come to terms with the falsehoods of the American Dream, and their ability to defy expectations.

Rodriguez executive produces with photographer/director Estevan Oriol, LA-based artist Mister Cartoon, and Michael Connolly who put the Latinx package together under his STXtelevision-based Mad Hatter Entertainment banner. Matthew Carnahan joined the package in the writers room and serves as EP.

Ricardo de Montreuil is directing the pilot and will executive produce along with Oriol and Cartoon’s longtime collaborators Mark Suroff and Marco Valadez, who produced the hit documentary LA Originals, which Oriol directed. Oriol’s work has been showcased in The Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives, The Petersen Automotive Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Art, and in Los Angeles’ and New York’s Art in the Streets exhibit, among others.

Natalie Chaidez Developing Television Series Based on the Late Oscar “Zeta” Acosta’s Novels

The late Oscar “Zeta” Acosta’s life story will be getting the Hollywood treatment…

Half-Mexican American television writer/producer Natalie Chaidez has acquired the film and television rights to the late Chicano attorney, politician, novelist and activist’s novels Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo and The Revolt of the Cockroach People.

Oscar “Zeta” Acosta

She will executive produce and supervise writing for an upcoming television series.

Chaidez is developing the project with Joe Loya and Phillip Rodriguez.

Acosta was a Mexican American activist in the Chicano Civil Rights Movement who disappeared in Mexico in 1974, a year after his second novel The Revolt of the Cockroach People was released and is presumed dead. He is also famously known for his friendship with Hunter S. Thomson, who characterized Acosta as Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

“Oscar Zeta Acosta has been a passion of mine since I first encountered his books in an East LA library. Acosta’s story is one of the deepest and cinematic stories in the Latinx canon. I’m thrilled to bring his story to life,” Chaidez told Deadline in an exclusive statement.

The televison series will feature elements from both of his published novels, the first is loosely based on his early years, and the second tells real stories from his later years during the Chicano movement while changing the identities of those involved. It’s currently being shopped around to networks and streamers.

Chaidez is currently co-showrunner on the second season of HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant alongside Steve Yockey currently in production. She was previously an executive producer and writer on USA Network’s Queen of the South and served as creator and executive producer of the Syfy drama Hunters.

Annie Gonzalez Signs with Innovative Artists 

Annie Gonzalez has new representation…

The Chicana actress has signed with Innovative Artists for representation.

Annie Gonzalez

Gonzalez plays Lidia on Netflix hit series Gentefied, which is heading into its second season. Her other recent credits include the role of Amanda on Starz’s Vida, as well as Showtime’s Shameless and Amazon’s Good Girls Revolt.

Gonzalez, a East Los Angeles native, grew up singing with the band Quetzal, which has been a noted force in the Chicano movement.

She was one of the original dancers on Jamm X Kids for the WB and has been appearing on TV since the age of 10. She was recently cast in the series regular role of Jessie on ABC’s comedy pilot Bucktown, opposite Jane Lynch and Nicole Richie.

She also has a YouTube page with videos dedicated to her thoughts on spirituality, self-love, peace, positivity and living life as a Latina.