From ‘Rico Suave’ Sex Symbol to Pastor & Industry Power Player: The Many Lives of Gerardo

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Ecuadorian multi-hyphenate Gerardo on journeying into pop stardom, coffee entrepreneurship and being the A&R behind the No. 1 hit 'Gata Only.'

Can’t Buy Me Love, and won a national breakdancing contest. After achieving mainstream recognition, he transitioned to working behind the scenes as an A&R for several big music corporations, playing a pivotal role in Enrique Iglesias’ U.S. breakthrough, and later contributing to the rise of reggaetón in the ’00s.

From the left Peter Lopez, Ted Field, Jimmy Iovine, Gerardo, Sylvia Rhone, Doug Morris at the “Rico Suave” record release partyWas introducing Spanglish within the mainstream pop landscape a challenge for you?At first, “Rico Suave” was all in Spanish. I shot the video myself and sent a big ol’ ¾ tape to MTV International. It was the hot stuff back then. I was doing a movie in Acapulco, and I hired a director to film my video. This is before I got my record deal with Interscope Records.

You moved to L.A. at roughly 12 years old from Ecuador. How did this cultural shift tune your musical style and personal identity? is happening to a lot of artists right now; Farruko, Daddy Yankee… Rappers, we don’t depend on our vocal skills, we depend on our experiences. There was a time in my life that I felt like I had lost it all, and I was struggling, trying to maintain the “Rico Suave” persona, but it was just too much, and I couldn’t do it. I gave my life . I told God that I was going to serve him from then on, and I have never gone back after making that decision. That inspired me to write.

I was broke. I didn’t know how I was going to survive, but I knew music. Even when I knew it was my time to give up that “Rico Suave” persona, I went back to the same people that hired me as an artist, Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field. I said, “Listen, give me the opportunity. I know how this crossover business works.” They did. They gave me the chance. Within a year, I signed Enrique Iglesias to Interscope Records.

 

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