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Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva YorkAuthor: Futuro Media
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 dont 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 for more information. Language: en Genres: Documentary, Music, Music History, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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2. Real and Pretend Gangsters
Episode 2
Tuesday, 2 June, 2026
In the mid 1960s, young musicians Joe Bataan and Willie Colón are quickly owning the boogaloo scene in East Harlem and the Bronx. The problem—Morris Levy, the mob boss who owns hit-making labels, is one of the few routes to stardom. Bataan and Colón have to figure out how to avoid Levy, while projecting a gangster image themselves.Listen to the Music Behind Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York playlist here.Archival courtesy of The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library, Buyout Footage, Craft Recordings, a Concord company, and Mary Kent’s Salsa Talks interviews, Maria Hinojosa for Latino USA, Martin Cohen Congahead Archives. This episode also utilizes a fair use clip from NBC Boston. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ and you can binge the entire season of “Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York” right now. Plus, get exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.








