Nicky Jam Named Ambassador of Fat Joe’s Rewind It 10 Beard Dye Brand

Nicky Jam is adding a little color to his resume…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American urban singer-songwriter has been named the latest ambassador for Fat Joe’s  Rewind It 10 beard dye brand.

Nicky Jam,Nicky Jam’s dark brown beard dye coloring package is now available at CVS, Sally BeautyAmazon and the Rewind It 10 website.  

“I’ve been coloring my beard for years and tried all the other brands, but nothing looks more natural than Rewind It 10,” said Nicky Jam in a statement. “I love Rewind It 10. Thank you to Fat Joe and the whole team at Rewind for the opportunity – let’s go.”

Nicky Jam joins a decorated lineup of Rewind It 10 ambassadors, including Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (who is dating Taylor Swift), DJ Khaled, model Tyson Beckford, Tank, television personality Brody Jenner, MMA fighter Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and more.

“Nicky Jam is truly a global icon in the music industry. He shattered the mold as a musician and now we’re proud to partner together to break new barriers in the hair and beard coloring industry,” Rewind It 10 co-founder Jeff Aronson added. “He embodies the essence of the product and is a perfect addition to our Rewind It 10 family to ensure we’re continuing to reach a wide-ranging array of consumers.”

Nicky Jam, Rewind It 10,On the music side, Nicky Jam released his Insomnio album in September, featuring Sean Paul, Ryan Castro, Eladio Carrión and more.

“I’m not going to be a singer for the rest of my life,” he told Billboard as part of his September cover story. “I think I’ll probably retire soon … Well, not retire. Singers never retire. You just tone it down.”

Alejandro Sanz to Make Special Appearance at This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Week

Alejandro Sanz has achieved Icon status…

The 55-year-old Spanish Grammy-winning singer and songwriter will take part in this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week.

Alejandro SanzSanz, a four-time Grammy and 22-time Latin Grammy winner, will sit down for an exclusive Icon Q&A.

Sanz joins a star-studded lineup for the five-day event, featuring exclusive panels, conversations and performances by Latin music’s biggest stars.

Previously announced participants include Bad Gyal, Belinda, Camila Fernández, Chiquis, DANNA, Danny Ocean, Dei V, Domelipa, Eslabon Armado, Fat Joe, Gloria Estefan, J Balvin, JOP, Keityn, Kunno, Lele Pons, Luis Alfonso, Lupita Infante, Majo Aguilar, María Becerra, Marko, Mau y Ricky, Mon Laferte, N.O.R.E., Omar Courtz, Paola Jara, Peso Pluma, Pipe Bueno, Sophia Talamas, Yahritza y Su Esencia, Yeison Jiménez, Yeri Mua and Zhamira Zambrano, with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

“It’s an honor to welcome Alejandro as he prepares to release new music,” says Leila CoboBillboard’s Chief Content Officer for Latin and Español, in a press release. “We pride ourselves in being a home for artists where they can speak creatively and openly, and we can’t wait to hear what Alejandro has to say.”

Sanz’s Icon Q&A marks his return to Latin Music Week after he sat for an exclusive conversation in 2003.

From his debut in 1991 with Viviendo Deprisa to his album of the year Latin Grammy-nominated latest studio album SANZ, released in December 2021, Sanz has established himself as one of the most well-known and influential artists around the world.

With more than 25 million records sold, all his albums have obtained multi-platinum status in Spain, Latin America and the United States.

Throughout his career, Sanz has collaborated with renowned artists from all over the world, from Alicia Keys to Shakira, Destiny’s Child, Laura Pausini, Ivete Sangalo, Juanes, Juan Luis Guerra, Marc Anthony and many more.

Among his latest releases are “NASA” with Camilo; “La Despedida,” included in the soundtrack of the movie Bullet Train; and “Yo Soy” with Eros Ramazzotti.

He recently obtained his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was honored by his hometown of Andalucía with the city’s highest distinction, a medal with the title of “Favorite Son.”

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Billboard Latin Music Week will take place October 14-18 at The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater. Tickets are available for purchase here.

Belinda To Participate in This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Week

Belinda is preparing to highlight Latina power at this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week event.

The 35-year-old Spanish-Mexican singer and actress will participate in Billboard Latin Music Week 2024, Billboard announced on Monday.

BelindaBelinda is among a roster of new conference participants that includes Camila Fernández, Chiquis, Dei V, Eslabón Armado, Kunno, Lupita Infante, Majo Aguilar, Omar Courtz, Yahritza y Su Esencia and Zhamira Zambrano will participate in

These artists join previously announced participants including Bad Gyal, DANNA, Danny Ocean, Domelipa, Fat Joe, Gloria Estefan, J Balvin, JOP, Keityn, Lele Pons, Luis Alfonso, Maria Becerra, Mau y Ricky, Mon Laferte, N.O.R.E., Paola Jara, Peso Pluma, Pipe Bueno, Sophia Talamas, Yeison Jiménez and Yeri Mua.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Billboard Latin Music Week will take place October 14-18 at The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater. Tickets are already available for purchase here.

“Miami Beach is a global destination for arts and entertainment, and this is a perfect example, hosting Billboard Latin Music Week,” said Miami Beach mayor Steven Meiner. “And just like Latin music is the heartbeat of many communities, the Billboard Latin Music Week is becoming the heartbeat of Miami Beach. We are really proud to have that partnership.”

Panelists include Venezuelan content creator Marko, who’ll speak on the panel “From Viral Hits to Billboard Charts: The Power of Content Creators.”

“Us content creators have become a must to take music to the masses,” said Marko at the press conference. “We’re doing work that began a few years ago basically with no credibility. Today, we have the possibility and blessing to have an important brand like Billboard give us our own panel to display our work and accomplishments with music. It’s a fact that content creators are the new DJs.”

Mau and Ricky will speak at the panel titled “Venezuela Rising,” where Venezuelan artists will discuss the global impact of Venezuelan artists and also, their role in their country’s current political climate.

Speaking at Billboard Latin Music Week “Provides us a platform to continue speaking about our country and what’s happening there now,” said Mau. “Thanks for giving us the opportunity to speak about Venezuelan talent and also about what things need to change in Venezuela. And thanks for the opportunity to speak to a new generation. It’s so important to me to give them the tools not many of us had when we started.”

Other newly added speakers include Belinda and Zhamira Zambrano, who will participate in The Women’s Panel, Global Rising: A Conversation with Female Stars from Around the Globe, shining a spotlight on the diverse talent and voices of trailblazing Latina artists.

The highly anticipated Legacies panel will bring together Chiquis, Majo Aguilar, Camila Fernández and Lupita Infante to discuss how, by building on their remarkable dynasties, they have crafted their own careers while honoring their family names and the evolution of Latin music.

Dei V and Omar Courtz will be part of Next Gen Reggaeton: An Evening Curated by J Balvin.

Meanwhile, the panel Families Who Work Together will feature Yahritza y Su Esencia, whose sister manages the group, and Eslabon Armado, whose mother serves as their manager, highlighting the unique dynamics of family partnerships in music.

Kunno will lend his expertise as the moderator of the From YouTube to Charts panel with chart-topping artists that started their careers on social media.

Billboard Latin Music Week will coincide with the Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will air on Telemundo. Latin Music Week tickets will not include access to the awards show this year. Instead, Billboard will host a special 35th-year anniversary celebration on the evening of October 18, where INSIDER badge holders will receive exclusive invitations to this star-studded event.

J Balvin to Headline This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Week

J Balvin is helping celebrate Latin music…

The 39-year-old Colombian singer will headline the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week.

J BalvinThis year’s 35th annual event will take place from October 14-18 at The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater. 

Known for his massive influence on Colombian reggaetón and global Latin music, the Medellín superstar — who is fresh off releasing his sixth solo studio album Rayo — will host a special night titled “Next Gen Reggaetón: An Evening Curated by J Balvin” during the week.

The event promises an exciting lineup of surprise performances and guests, all chosen by Balvin himself.

The global superstar and entrepreneur is a highly decorated and critically acclaimed cultural icon who has won multiple Billboard Music Awards and plenty of chart accolades, including nine No. 1 tracks on the Hot Latin Songs chart like “Mi Gente” with Beyoncé, “Ginza,” “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)” with Black Eyed Peas) and a No. 1 on the Hot 100 (“I Like It” with Cardi B and Bad Bunny).

Apart from his curation, Balvin will engage in an exclusive Superstar Q&A moderated by Leila Cobo, chief content officer for Latin/Español at Billboard, providing deeper insights into his music and influence. The session aims to foster intimate and enlightening discussions.

“Latin music is living its most successful and globally recognized moment ever this year. But Billboard has been proudly at its side for over 35 years as the main flagbearer, supporter and ultimate opinion maker for Latin music around the world,” said Cobo in a press release. “During a year when Latin music is dominating the charts and the cultural zeitgeist, we are thrilled to return to Miami Beach, the global capital of Latin music, for this exciting week-long event.”

The announcement also highlighted the expansive lineup for this legacy event, featuring a blend of established stars and emerging talents including Bad Gyal, DANNA, Danny Ocean, Domelipa, Fat Joe, Gloria Estefan, JOP, Keityn, Lele Pons, Luis Alfonso, Maria Becerra, Mau y Ricky, Mon LaFerte, N.O.R.E., Paola Jara, Peso Pluma, Pipe Bueno, Sophia Talamas, Yeison Jiménez, and Yeri Mua, with more to be announced in the coming months.

Tickets are now available here.

Fat Joe to Host New Starz Interview Series “Fat Joe Talks”

Fat Joe is ready to talk

The 53-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper will host a new interview series for Starz.

Fat JoeEntitled Fat Joe Talks, the new program will “give viewers unique access into the lives of today’s most influential personalities who drive the cultural zeitgeist,” the network announced.

The 30-minute episodes will follow Fat Joe as he travels throughout the U.S. to conduct conversations with cultural icons.

Fat Joe Talks is an exciting foray into talk, and who better than Joe—a legend in and of himself—to drive provocative conversations that tap into the zeitgeist and matter to our audience,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming for Starz. “We are thrilled to be working with Joe and our partners at SpringHill and Embassy Row to launch this incredible show, offering authentic, backstage, rare access to these cultural icons.”

Embassy Row will serve as the production company on the project.

LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Philip Byron and Jamal Henderson will executive produce for SpringHill, while Michael Davies will executive produce for Embassy Row.

Fat Joe is a Grammy-nominated recording artist, author, actor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and media personality from the Bronx, New York. He has amassed several multiplatinum and gold studio albums and mixtapes, while also playing an influential role in the careers of other musicians including DJ Khaled, Big Pun and Remy Ma.

Prior to having his own Starz series, Fat Joe began his foray into hosting with the 2022 and 2023 BET Hip-Hop Awards as well as episodes of The Drew Barrymore Show and The Wendy Williams Show.

He also previously led The Fat Joe Show, an Instagram Live talk show where he held conversations with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Floyd Mayweather, Jamie Foxx, and more.

Fat Joe Partners with Food for the Poor to Create New Relief Fund to Uplift Haiti

Fat Joe is helping the people of Haiti…

The 53-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper, a long-time advocate for humanitarian causes, has announced a new partnership with international charity Food for the Poor to create a new relief fund to uplift Haiti, which is currently undergoing political and economic strife due to the surge in violence within the country.

Fat Joe“My heart goes out to all the Haitians that are suffering because of this humanitarian crisis. Many of my close friends are Haitian, so we’ve been watching this tragedy unfold and exploring the most efficient and effective ways to provide meaningful support,” Fat Joe tells Billboard. “All relief items and financial contributions will go directly to Food for the Poor so they can safely distribute the donations directly to the families in need.” 

Titled Fat Joe & Friends Relief for Haiti, relief items needed include new and unused portable mattresses, pillows, blankets, diapers, underwear, soap/body wash, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, combs/brushes, solar-powered lanterns, fuel-efficient cooking stoves, mosquito nets, reusable water containers and more.

Since early March, armed gangs have taken over the country, burning down police stations and closing down the airport and the capital, Port-au-Prince. Both the airport and port remain closed during this time. In addition, the armed gangs raided two of the country’s biggest prisons, freeing more than 4,000 inmates.

Through late March, 1,500 people were killed and 800 injured during these vicious attacks. In addition, according to the United Nations, more than 50,000 people have fled the country because of the rampant attacks.

If you’d like to donate to the fund, click here.

Fat Joe Joins Kamala Harris for White House Discussion on Easing Marijuana Penalties

Fat Joe is fighting to ease marijuana penalties…

The 53-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper joined Vice President Kamala Harris to lead a White House discussion on Friday, March 15, on easing marijuana penalties, with Harris saying it’s “absurd” that the federal government classifies marijuana as more dangerous than fentanyl, the synthetic opioid blamed for tens of thousands of deaths annually the United States.

Fat JoeHarris, a former state prosecutor in California, also criticized the federal classification of cannabis as “patently unfair.” The government currently is reviewing how it classifies marijuana, and Harris urged that the process be wrapped up as quickly as possible. 

Fat Joe, a Grammy-nominated artist and philanthropist whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, moderated a subsequent closed-door discussion that included Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and individuals who received pardons for prior marijuana convictions.

President Joe Biden has issued pardons to thousands of people for federal marijuana possession and commuted long sentences handed down for nonviolent drug offenses. In 2022, he urged governors to pardon state offenses. Beshear then invited people convicted of simple marijuana possession to apply for pardons in Kentucky. Biden launched the process to review how marijuana is classified in 2022.

A full seven in 10 U.S. adults favor legalizing marijuana, according to Gallup polling. Support for legalization is closer to eight in 10 among 18- to 34-year-olds, a demographic whose support for Biden, who is seeking reelection, has softened since he took office.

“I cannot emphasize enough that they need to get to it as quickly as possible and we need to have a resolution based on their findings and their assessment,” Harris said of the Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice, which are handling the review.

“But this issue is stark when one considers the fact that on the schedule currently marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin,” she said during the public portion of the meeting. “Marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin and more dangerous than fentanyl, which is absurd. Not to mention patently unfair.”

“So I’m sure DEA is working as quickly as possible and will continue to do so and we look forward to the product of their work,” the vice president said, referring to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid blamed for tens of thousands of deaths annually in America.

U.S. regulators are studying reclassifying marijuana shifting it from a drug that has “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” known as “Schedule I,” to the less tightly regulated “Schedule III.”

Biden mentioned the marijuana classification review during his State of the Union address earlier this month. He said during a campaign appearance in Milwaukee this week that “no one should be jailed for marijuana.”

“If you’re just using, you should have that wiped off your record,” Biden said.

Cartagena opened the roundtable by saying he’s hot on the issue of price transparency in health care “but, today, when the vice president calls me, I stop everything.”

He got a little ahead of himself when he proceeded to dismiss journalists so the closed-door discussion could begin, prompting Harris to tell him to “hold on” because she had a statement to make, too.

Fat Joe Partnering with Power to the Patients to Advocate for Price Transparency in Healthcare

Fat Joe is advocating for more transparency in healthcare…

53-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper is teaming up with Jelly Roll, Wyclef Jean and Power to the Patients for an event in Washington, D.C. to advocate for a more affordable and equitable healthcare system through price transparency.

Fat JoeTaking place on Wedenesday, January 10 at Hamilton Live and with congressional leaders and government officials in attendance, the event see the artists “shed light on the injustices created by a healthcare system that hides its prices, stifling competition and evading accountability for overcharges and price gouging,” according to the announcement.

As part of the event, Fat Joe will serve as emcee while Jelly Roll and Wyclef Jean will perform.

“The U.S. healthcare system is America’s sickness,” said Fat Joe. “Healthcare price transparency isn’t a partisan or complicated issue. It’s common sense. The only people opposed to it are healthcare industry interests profiting by keeping patients in the dark. Price transparency can protect patients, families, employers, workers, even our own government from healthcare overcharging and pricing fraud as it does everywhere else in the economy. Clear prices allow consumers to choose affordable treatments without worrying that routine care will result in overcharges and even bankruptcy. Price transparency holds hospitals and insurance companies accountable, forcing them to compete and lowering costs, improving healthcare access, quality, and outcomes.”

Power to the Patients has played a key role in raising awareness on Capitol Hill about the urgent need to pass comprehensive healthcare price transparency legislation.

Last April, Fat Joe met with congressional leaders and the White House to advocate for the enforcement of price transparency rules that most hospitals around the country are disregarding.

And last September, he tapped Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, French Montana, Method Man and Chuck D to unveil a public service announcement with Power the Patients, demanding elected officials commit to price transparency to allow for more honest, affordable, and equitable healthcare across the country.

The musicians called out hospitals and insurance companies that continue to hide prices by posting “estimates” or “average prices” instead of dollars and cents and noted the deception leads to the “stifling of competition, overcharges, fear, debt, and devastation all over the country.”

As a result of the continued awareness campaign, momentum for healthcare price transparency legislation has accelerated with both chambers of Congress taking action to advance legislation.

Fat Joe will join Power to the Patients, affiliated organization Patient Rights Advocate, and employers from across the country in meetings with Congressional leaders urging them to seize the momentum and get healthcare price transparency legislation passed and sent to President Joe Biden’s desk.

Paramount+ to Premiere Nick Barili’s New Docuseries “De La Calle” in November

Nick Barili is hittin’ the calle next month…

Paramount+ will premiere the 44-year-old Argentinian-American award-winning journalist, executive producer, director and writer’s new docuseries De La Calle in the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday, November 7.

Nick BariliAcross 8 episodes, Barili explores Latino urban music from the U.S. to Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Spain and beyond.

The series takes a journey into the Latine diaspora to map the evolution of Urbano music and cultures that ignited the musical revolution of Rap, Reggaeton, Bachata, Latin trap, Cumbia and other sounds that influence music and culture worldwide.

Nick Barili, De La CalleInterviewees include Fat Joe, NORE, Residente, Mala Rodriguez, Nicky Jam, Nicki Nicole, Villano Antillano, Sech, Goyo, Nathy Peluso, Santa Fe Klan, Jessie Reyes, Feid, Aleman and Gente De Zona, among others.

“As a first-generation immigrant who learned how to speak English through Hip Hop at Malcolm X Elementary, I grew up straddling two worlds, speaking English at school and Spanish at home,” Barili, the project’s co-creator, executive producer and host, shared in a statement.

He continued, “I was influenced by El General and Calle 13 as much as E-40 and OutkastDe La Calle was created to explore how the seeds from the street that inspired Hip Hop are also present throughout Latin America and Spain. Going to the neighborhoods where El Movimiento was created, talking to the pioneers who were actually there and sharing the origin stories of superstars of today and tomorrow. I’m thrilled to have MTV Studios and Paramount+ as partners to bring De La Calle to the world.”

Fat Joe Calling for Transparency in the Nation’s Healthcare System

Fat Joe is helping raise awareness about the nation’s healthcare system…

The 53-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American rapper has joined Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Rick Ross, Chuck D, and French Montana for a special PSA that advocates for more transparency in the healthcare system.

Fat Joe“Today, we confront a health care system that has been rigged against all of us,” they collectively said in the minute-long video. “Hospitals force patients to sign contracts for services without ever showing us actual prices, stifling competition, overcharging without accountability. And if we can’t pay, these same contracts allow them to take everything we own.” 

Partnering with Power to the Patients, they labeled the current healthcare system as an “American healthcare crisis,” and rallied for more honest, affordable and equitable healthcare nationwide.

The video also came ahead of the congressional voting on healthcare transparency bills in Washington, D.C.

“Stifling competition. Overcharging without accountability and we can’t pay. These same contracts allow them to take everything we own,” they continue. “Creating so much fear that millions and millions of Americans refuse to enter a hospital. Our health and our lives at stake. This is an American humanitarian crisis. We demand prices and transparency in healthcare.”

Earlier this year, Power to the Patients, Fat Joe, City Council members and various union groups in New York City joined forces to advocate for transparency efforts.

That resulted in Mayor Eric Adams signing the Healthcare Accountability and Consumer Protection Act in June 2023.

The Act launched the nation’s first Office of Health Care Accountability to allow New Yorkers to compare hospital costs for the same services.