Gabito Ballesteros Partnering with Anuel AA for Special Pre-Super Bowl LIX Video on FOX Deportes

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Gabito Ballesteros is lending his voice to this year’s Super Bowl coverage…

The 25-year-old Mexican singer, songwriter and record producer – considered a rising star in the corridos tumbados movement – will be part of the Super Bowl LIX broadcast on Sunday, February 9.

Ballesteros will appear in a video singing alongside Puerto Rican urban star Anuel AA just prior to the game on FOX Deportes.

“It’s Mexican music and Latin culture within this great event that is seen by millions of people,” Ballesteros tells Billboard Español. “Thank God they will know our music, our history, and it fills us with pride to be here.”

It has not been specified exactly which song they’ll perform.

The video will serve as the opening for the channel’s broadcast of the most anticipated sporting event of the year in the U.S.: the NFL Super Bowl. This year, it’s the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Philadelphia Eagles at the Caesars Superdome stadium in New Orleans.

According to FOX Deportes, the collaboration between Ballesteros and Anuel AA was recorded in December in Mexico City and “maintains the tradition of connecting with diverse audiences through music, culture and sports.”

In the past, other prominent Mexican figures — such as Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Los Tigres del Norte and Banda MS — have similarly inaugurated the channel’s Super Bowl telecast.

About his participation alongside Anuel AA, Ballesteros says he was “excited to be able to share this experience with these type of people who are an important part of Latin music” — adding, “I felt a great connection with him, and I look forward to something in the future.”

When asked if he was a fan of American football, he replied that he was a big fan of all sports and the discipline that comes with being an athlete.

“In general, I admire all the teams. I look up to them and I know they will offer a great game,” he says.

Originally from the Mexican state of Sonora, Ballesteros has topped the charts with hits such as “Lady Gaga” with Peso Pluma and Junior H, and “AMG” with Peso Pluma and Natanael Cano, two songs that made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 across all genres in 2023. Last year, he debuted on multiple charts with his album The GB.

Most recently, he signed with George Prajin‘s Double P Management.

Emmanuel Gazmey, better known as Anuel AA, rose to stardom in the reggaetón, rap and trap genres.

Among other chart achievements, four of his albums have reached No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, including Real Hasta la Muerte (2018), Emmanuel (2020), Los Dioses (2021) with Ozuna and Las Leyendas Nunca Mueren (2021).

Arturo Sandoval Among This Year’s Kennedy Center Honors Recipients

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Arturo Sandoval has earned a special national honor…

The 74-year-old Cuban jazz trumpeter, pianist, timbalero and composer will be among this year’s Kennedy Center Honors recipients.

Sandoval will be recognized alongside director Francis Ford Coppola, rock band Grateful Dead, blues and rock singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt and the venue The Apollo.

While living in his native Cuba, Sandoval was influenced by jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown and Dizzy Gillespie. In 1977 he met Gillespie, who became his friend and mentor and helped him defect from Cuba while on tour with the United Nations Orchestra. Sandoval became an American naturalized citizen in 1998.

His life was the subject of the film For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story starring Andy García.

Sandoval has won 10 Grammy Awards, Billboard Awards and one Emmy Award. He performed at the White House and at the 1995 Super Bowl.

Mickey Hart, Billy Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bobby Weir will be recognized for The Grateful Dead. Jerry Garcia, lead guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, died in 1995.

The ceremony will take place on December 8, for broadcast on December 23 on CBS.

This will be the 47th year of the honors, which started in 1978. It’s one of the premiere cultural events of the year in D.C., typically attended by the president and first lady, as well as the chief justice of the Supreme Court and congressional leaders. President Joe Biden has hosted the recipients at a White House ceremony and reception just before the Kennedy Center event. The night before, the State Department also hosts a ceremony for the honorees.

Done+Dusted will produce the ceremony for the third year, in association with ROK Productions.

The first Kennedy Center honorees were Marian Anderson, Fred Astaire, George Balanchine, Richard Rodgers and Arthur Rubinstein.

Shakira Dazzles as First-Ever Halftime Show Performer at 2024 Copa America Final

Posted on July 15, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Shakira is celebrating a shining performance…

The 47-year-old Colombian superstar made her official Copa America debut during a special halftime performance during the tournament’s final match on Sunday, July 14.

In the midst of the Argentina vs. Colombia game, Shakira took Hard Rock Stadium by storm with a medley of old and new hits.

The superstar, dressed in a metallic silver skirt and halter top, kicked off the performance singing “Hips Don’t Lie.”

“Te Quiero, Colombia!,” she chanted in the middle of the song.

Accompanied by a group of dancers—female and robots alike—she continued with “Te Felicito,” “TQG,” and “Puntería,” all while flaunting her flawless dancing skills.

On television, the soccer field showcased large 3D wolves and floating gems, all representing her new era.

Shakira has taken center stage at many renowned sports events including the World Cup, Davis Cup, NBA All-Star Game and the Super Bowl, but this marks her first performance at the oldest international soccer tournament.

It also marks the first time ever that a soccer match features a halftime show a la Super Bowl, longer than 15 minutes. But organizers took advantage of the fact that this year’s Copa America took place in the U.S., where half time shows are customary.

“Shakira is an extraordinary South American star who has dazzled the entire world,” Alejandro Domínguez, president of CONMEBOL, previously said in a statement. “Her songs are sung and danced to in every corner of the planet, turning her art into a global phenomenon that crosses borders and is enjoyed by millions of people. We are sure that her performance at the Copa América USA 2024 will enhance the message of healthy passion and unity through sport.”

Ahead of her performance, her compatriot Karol G performed Colombian’s national anthem, and Abel Pintos performed Argentina’s national anthem.

Shakira to Perform at Halftime of Copa America Final

Posted on July 13, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Shakira is preparing for some Copa action…

After rumors that the 47-year-old Colombian superstar would perform at Copa América’s final match, Shakira has been officially confirmed to perform on Sunday, July 14, when Argentina and Colombia will play for the championship.

Shakira will sing during halftime of the match, scheduled for 8:00 pm ET at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Some 54,000 people are expected to attend.

She will be the first musical act to perform during the halftime of the Copa America final.

Her song “Puntería,” featuring Cardi B, is the official song of TelevisaUnivision’s 2024 Copa América CONMEBOL coverage.

“Shakira is an extraordinary South American star who has dazzled the entire world,” said Alejandro Domínguez, president of CONMEBOL, in a statement. “Her songs are sung and danced to in every corner of the planet, turning her art into a global phenomenon that crosses borders and is enjoyed by millions of people. We are sure that her performance at the Copa América USA 2024 will enhance the message of healthy passion and unity through sport.”

But this isn’t Shakira’s first performance at a high-profile soccer match.

The Colombian pop star, a former partner of Barcelona and Spain star defender Gerard Piqué, has performed at three World Cups.

Additionally, she performed at the 2020 Super Bowl.

Frank Ramos Among 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Awards of Excellence Honorees

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Frank Ramos has entered a special recognition…

The 85-year-old Latino former public relations director for the New York Jets has been named among the 15 recipients of the Pro Football Hall of Fame‘s third annual Awards of Excellence.

The Hall of Fame’s awards are presented in five categories to those significant contributors who’ve helped drive the accomplishments of their profession, individual NFL clubs and pro football.

Ramos, a New Yorker and transplanted Floridian, is the longest-serving PR representative for a single New York pro sports team.

He spent his entire 39-year public relations career with the Green & White, from their first season known as the Jets in 1963 through 2002. He never missed a game — working 681 in all — with the highlight coming on January 12, 1969, at Miami’s Orange Bowl when the Jets stunned the favored Baltimore Colts 16-7 in Super Bowl III.

Ramos was selected as a member of the Super Bowl PR group each year of his career and was often a key voice in helping shape the league’s public relations positions.

“I’m excited to be going into the Hall with dear friend Bill Hampton and with my fellow PR directors, Harvey Greene of the [Miami] Dolphins and Dan Edwards of the [Jacksonville] Jaguars,” Ramos said Wednesday night. “I was very fortunate to have such a long career with the Jets and to have worked with outstanding owners Sonny Werblin, Leon Hess and Woody Johnson. But I wouldn’t be going to Canton without the help of so many former outstanding assistants, associates and interns. I still bleed Jets Green. Go J-E-T-S.”

The five groups presenting the Awards of Excellence — assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers, public relations personnel and film/video directors — created their own selection committees and set their own criteria for choosing their class members.

Ramos and the other 2024 honorees will be recognized in Canton, OH, with an evening reception on June 26 and a luncheon emceed by Hall of Famer Dan Fouts on June 27.

Isiah Pacheco Helps Lead Kansas City Chiefs to Second Consecutive Super Bowl Championship

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Isiah Pacheco is a two-time Super Bowl champion…

The 24-year-old Puerto Rican professional football player, a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, rushed the ball 18 times for 59 yards in Sunday’s 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.

Pacheco added six receptions (on six targets) for 33 yards, including two receptions on the Chiefs’ game-winning drive in overtime.

Pacheco proudly draped himself in a Puerto Rican flag on Sunday night to celebrate the team’s third Super Bowl victory in just five years.

The two-time Super Bowl titleholder — whose father hails from Ponce, Puerto Rico — is unabashedly proud of his roots. At last year’s Super Bowl, Pacheco wore a helmet featuring the iconic flag of the Caribbean island and U.S. territory, now memorialized in the NFL Hall of Fame.

“I feel amazing,” Pacheco told Telemundo Deportes in English, after the victory on Sunday. “Mind, body and soul. Eliminated distractions. It took all 53 of us tonight to get the job done.”

He was recruited to play football for Rutgers University in 2017 and made his NFL debut after being drafted by the Chiefs in 2022. Pacheco has played in every game since then.

“It’s the hard work you put in, during season, at practice,” Pacheco said. “When something happens, you’re going through adversity, you shake it off. Next play.”

At the Super Bowl LVIII, Pacheco was vying for the title against a team with another player of Puerto Rican descent — San Francisco 49ers’ offensive lineman Jon Feliciano, whose father is from Añasco, Puerto Rico.

Marcello Hernandez Stars in Nissan’s Upcoming Super Bowl Commercial

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a family affair for Marcello Hernandez… with a Regional Mexican twist.

The 26-year-old Cuban and Dominican American stand-up comedian, actor and Saturday Night Live cast member stars in Nissan’s upcoming Super Bowl commercial, appearing alongside the members of Grupo Frontera

The 60-second commercial released on Monday (February 5) features Hernandez retelling the riveting story about his unexpected, yet adventurous journey while test-driving the latest Nissan Pathfinder. Just as he hits the road, Hernandez gets calls from his abuela, sister and uncle asking him — and the Nissan salesperson as his co-pilot — to pick them up. So, they do.

“From the dealership to the mountains, desert and beach, Hernandez and the salesperson make their way through this epic adventure, the Pathfinder navigates various terrains while thrilling everyone across all generations of the family,” an official description of the ad reads.

As he’s telling this nail-biting story in a diner, Grupo Frontera pops up from a booth behind him and asks Hernandez to keep narrating his epic adventure. “Qué? No, sigue, sigue,” the group orders.

The ad will air on TelevisaUnivision on Sunday, February 11, as part of the network’s Super Bowl 2024 broadcast for Spanish-language viewers.

Univision will also broadcast a pre-kickoff performance — featuring a special performance by Puerto Rican star Myke Towers — presented by Nissan, which will air on Univision at 4:00 pm ET Sunday from the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

“At Nissan, we’re always looking for ways to deeply connect with our customers,” said Marisstella Marinkovic, chief marketing officer, Nissan USA, in a statement. “We’re using the nation’s biggest game day to air an in-language spot that reignites the love of Nissan among bicultural Latinos, who comprise many of our customers. From our partnership with TelevisaUnivision, to the Latino talent and the director we casted, we brought music and sports together to create a thrilling in-language and in-culture experience.”

“This is a significant moment for TelevisaUnivision, and we’re excited for Nissan to debut their Spanish-language creative to our audience,” added John Kozack, executive vice president of multimedia sales at TelevisaUnivision. “Latinos are an economic powerhouse, and this national stage provides the perfect opportunity for brands like Nissan to reach this fast-growing demographic – and further our goal of showcasing the value and importance of in-language and in-culture advertising to this consumer base.”

Jenna Ortega Stars in Doritos’ Dinamita Super Bowl Commercial

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jenna Ortega will be bringing the action, and her abuelas, to your television screen during this year’s Super Bowl.

The 21-year-old Mexican American actress and Wednesday star is appearing in Doritos’ Super Bowl ad for the snack brand’s new rolled chip brand, Dinamita.

Ortega appears alongside her fictional grandmothers, Dina and Mita, for a grocery store trip.

When the Scream actress walks to another aisle, a feud begins between Dina, Mita and another Doritos Dinamita fan played by Danny Ramirez.

The grandma-duo duke it out with the Top Gun: Maverick actor over the last chip bag — motorized scooters and all.

Ortega, oblivious to her grandmothers’ high-speed chase, calls out for them at the grocery store.

Dina and Mita karate chop and kick their opponent but still have grandmother-like tendencies, including taking a break from the action to coo at a baby. While fawning at the infant, Ramirez escapes in an elevator with the chips. But he can’t get away that easily. Dina and Mita create a makeshift zipline to knock him out and take back the snack.

“It’s not dynamite,” the ladies correct Ramirez. “It’s Dinamita.”

“Abuelas!” Ortega says, taking the chips out of Dina and Mita’s hands. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Doritos has been a part of Super Bowl commercial breaks for 24 years, according to a release, but this is both Ortega’s and Doritos Dinamita’s first-ever Super Bowl commercial. Ortega told PEOPLE filming the commercial was like “coming home.”

“For the first year of my career, I was only allowed to do commercials,” she explained. “And I did some big ones, but nothing to the level of this or to this extent. So it was like a weird nostalgic, ‘Wow, it’s been 12 years and then this is where I’m at now.'”

Ortega told PEOPLE that, in addition to loving the chip brand, her costars and commercial crew drew her into the project.

“You have Dina and Mita, two Latinas as the lead, and then we got to bring Danny Ramirez on board, who is another really wonderful Latino actor who’s doing so well right now,” she said, adding shout-outs to the director, cinematographer and the other film crew members. “I think that it is just a really, really wonderful celebration of Latin culture.”

Kid Cudi to Co-Headline FanDuel’s Annual Super Bowl Party

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Kid Cudi is preparing for a Super performance…

FanDuel is partnering with Spotify this year for its annual Super Bowl party, with the 40-year-old part-Mexican American singer, songwriter and actor co-headlining alongside Calvin Harris.

The 2024 FanDuel Super Bowl Party powered by Spotify — which will be held at LIV inside the Las Vegas Strip’s newest resort, Fontainebleau Las Vegas, on Friday night, February 9 — is the company’s third annual Super Bowl event and will feature a live recording of The Ringer Gambling Show podcast with hosts John “JJ” Jastremski, Raheem Palmer and “Cousin Sal” Iacono.

On January 12, Kid Cudi released his ninth studio album, Insano, which features collaborations with Travis Scott, ASAP Rocky, Lil Yachty, Pharrell Williams, the late XXXTentacion, Lil Wayne and Young Thug.

The project debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart dated January 27.

The event comes just two days before Super Bowl LVIII at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on Sunday (February 11), where the Kansas City Chiefs will take on the San Francisco 49ers for the championship.

It was announced in September that Usher would headline the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show. Usher also announced that his ninth album, Coming Home, will arrive on Super Bowl Sunday. This set marks his first new album since 2016’s Hard II Love, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

Max Renews “Bookie,” Featuring Jorge Garcia, For a Second Season

Posted on January 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jorge Garcia’s bookie life continues…

Max has renewed its sports book series Bookie, featuring the 50-year-old Cuban & Chilean American actor and former Lost star, for a second season.

The renewal comes two weeks after the season one finale of the show, which stars Sebastian Maniscalco.

From Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, the series follows bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as he and his partner, former NFL star Ray (Omar Dorsey), romp around Los Angeles trying to keep their illegal sports betting operation in play.

The series premiered on November 30.

Season 2 presumably will show whether Danny can win back the affections of his wife Sandra, played by Andrea Anders, after his Super Bowl win seems to have torn them apart, as well as Ray dealing with the fallout of his mother’s wedding, which saw the groom seemingly die at the alter.

Produced by Warner Bros. Television, Bookie also stars Vanessa Ferlito as Danny’s side-hustling sister Lorraine, Garcia as reluctantly reformed drug dealer turned soccer expert Hector and Maxim Swinton as Sandra’s ten year old son.

Charlie Sheen also reunited with Lorre for a few appearances.

“The collaboration between Chuck and Sebastian has proven to be a winning hand and we’re looking forward to continuing the story with this incredibly talented cast and crew,” says Amy Gravitt, executive vice president, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & Max Comedy Series.

Channing Dungey, chairman, Warner Bros. Television Group added, “There’s no doubt that Chuck and Nick’s Bookie won big this season as they took us on a hilarious ride into the underbelly of illegal sports gambling, featuring a cast led by another dynamic duo: Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey. I’m looking forward to watching more of their antics in Season 2. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew, and thanks to our partners at Max.”

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