Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York

About Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York

In 1964, an Italian-American ex-cop and a Dominican musician in New York City opened Fania Records, the “Motown of Salsa.” The artists from Fania toured the world, sold millions of records and changed culture forever. But Fania Records also became mired by royalty divisions, lawsuits and falling-outs. This is the story of the birth of salsa in Nueva York and the rebellious, seductive and political label that defined it: Fania Records. Hosted by Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress and Brooklyn native Rosie Perez and produced by Pulitzer Prize-winning Futuro Media. It is the most comprehensive audio narrative yet made about the birth and wild heights of salsa, a genre that continues to shape global culture today. New episodes available every Tuesday. Follow the show and don’t miss an episode! Join Futuro + and you can binge the entire season of “Our Thing: Birth of Salsa in Nueva York” right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Futuro Media

Category

music · society & culture · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 May 2026

Latest episode

23 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

10 of 12 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   23 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   NEW PODCAST ALERT: Reaching Out

   Twin brothers Sayre and Connor explore the complex distance between fathers and sons during their search for their biological father.

2. 

   6 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   NEW PODCAST ALERT: Muy Excited with Maria Garcia

   Host Maria Garcia explores Ricky Martin's career evolution and its impact on Latin music's cultural resistance in this interview.

3. 

   21 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   BONUS: The Cinderella Story of New York Legend Joe Bataan

   Senior Producer Jeanne Montalvo interviews New York legend Joe Bataan about his incredible career and the birth of salsa music.

4. 

   14 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   8. The End of Fania and the Rebirth of Salsa

   Host [Host Name] explores the dramatic end of Fania Records and the enduring legacy of salsa's rebirth in Nueva York.

5. 

   7 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   7. You Reap What You Siembra

   Host Maria Hinojosa interviews Ruben Blades about his journey from Panama to Fania Records, culminating in his groundbreaking collaboration with Willie Colon that redefined salsa music.

6. 

   30 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   6. Fania Finds its Roots in Africa

   Host Maria Hinojosa explores the Fania All Stars' profound connection to their African heritage during their historic Zaire performance.

7. 

   23 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   5. A Tale of Two Women

   Host Maria Hinojosa explores the contrasting careers of Afro-Cuban artists La Lupe and Celia Cruz, revealing the music industry's mistreatment of women.

8. 

   16 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   4. The Year Fania got Political

   Host Maria Hinojosa explores how drummer Ray Barretto's 1973 Fania concert at Yankee Stadium became a pivotal political statement for salsa music.

9. 

   9 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   3. The Night that Made Salsa

   Larry Harlow, a pioneering Fania artist, discusses his vision for the "Our Latin Thing" concert film, revealing how it ignited salsa's rise and a new Latino consciousness.

10. 

    2 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

    2. Real and Pretend Gangsters

    Host Maria Hinojosa interviews Joe Bataan and Willie Colón about navigating the music industry and projecting a gangster image in 1960s Nueva York.

11. 

    26 May 2026

    1. Fania Takes Nueva York

    Johnny Pacheco and Jerry Masucci forge a groundbreaking music partnership, creating Fania Records and forever changing the sound of New York City.

12. 

    7 May 2026

    Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York Trailer

    Rosie Perez explores the rebellious rise and cultural impact of Fania Records, the "Motown of Salsa," in this interview.

Inside a recent episode

NEW PODCAST ALERT: Reaching Out

Published 23 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Writing it down, recording it would remind you, and remembering it would make it true. Biology may connect us, but I'm a product of so much more than that. The decisions I make, the family and friends I choose to keep around me, those are the things that make me who I am. So for me, the new year means deleting those old numbers from my phone and spending more time searching not for my dad, but for myself. Again, a little over-precise. Maybe even a little cliche. The reality is, most people spend their lives searching for their parents. You know people with dead parents who search for them through baby photos and old letters. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

163 ratings

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