I was going to nobody who was really famous. I was going for real music, real people, and you know, to keep some of the legacy, especially for given music, because that's my heritage. It's a beautiful thing to have. You know. The family is important, believe it or not. For me, it's the biggest production. And when I was leaving, I got the bag and the like. They say, you could be famous, but you have to pay the bill. Now, you know price Sometimes it's not to get a diploma.
Price when you accomplish something and you share with other people. My dad told me one day, the best feeling in the world is when you give something to somebody. The worst feeling what you had to ask. Money is important, and success is important, but I think to be happy and to feel, I mean that you did something for the community, for global is an incredible thing. I never got to sleep if I feel I have to tell
you something that you have to hear. I don't like to hold anything for anybody, because I think that's what should be set used to tell me. You can sell records, you cannot buy love. I say, if you don't sign her, you don't get you Ennifer Love. You don't get Shack and you don't get glorious seff marketing. But it was a crazy idea. I got on a boat that was only like twenty two feet, very small boat, and we got lost for seven days without food and water.
And my mom was pregnant.
Was pregnant? I mean, Sacha told me that. Well, look the way you went to school, I said, Miami High Season. Man, I never go there. They never teach you English.
Oh Sacha, what a little twirch. Welcome earthling space worms, Senora, senoras and everything in between. The truth is, I could sit here and only talk about the human being on the couch with us today, and that would be way more than a gift to us. All I could talk about the way he's been married to his wife for forty six and a half years, wow, and he's still leaving notes love notes on her nightstand and in her luggage.
The way he works twelve hours a day and still drops off medicine for his daughter and her partner on the way home. And the way he waits except at five am to feed stray animals that probably wouldn't consider themselves straight at all, considering they have better mattresses than most of us, not to mention what he's managed to achieve in other ways. It would be a shame to not list those accomplishments, because they are just as rare as his soul.
We are in the presence of a living legend, with an astonishing nineteen Grammy Awards, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, induction into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and so much more.
Emilio is not just a producer. He's a musical and artistic architect who has helped shape the global soundscape for over four decades, writing and creating the soundtrack to our Lives, working with supernovas including Shakira, Reggie Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Celia Gruz, Carlos Vives, the Whalers, Gloria and Emily Is, Stefan, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Carlos Santana, and the list goes on, and contributing to some of the biggest movies of all time,
including Top Gun, The Special, Anastasia, The Little Mermaid, and so many more.
But why is he truly the best? Because he's my pops and a grandpa and a husband and a son, and trust me, one of the best ones to ever exist in all of the galaxies, including here in outer space. And that's probably the accolade if you asked him, he'd be most proud of. Please welcome to outer space the one and only my Poppy because.
She's my daughter. I love her fool So you know, say what you get. I mean when you have it, such a beautiful family. But you know, the only thing I can tell you, I never see a give on astronaut. I can tell you.
Okay, well, you're the first. For those of you out there, this conversation is going to be in Spanglish, so you're gonna hear a little bit of English, so get ready for.
Maybe another language the world. It was a lot about you, and that's good. You're somebody that should be studied for many, many, many many years, not only because of, like we mentioned, what you've accomplished, but who you are inside. I think that's what truly makes you out of this world. And there's a few things about you that we know or that maybe you haven't talked about. A lot that I would love to ask you today, starting with everybody knows
Miami Sandwichine and everybody knows Mom. Everybody knows Miami Latin Boys even but can you tell us about El conjunto Kapatio.
Co hunt Kapeta was something that you know, I wanted to be an advansition when I was in Cuba and we used to play when everybody went to launch it. You know, in Santiago de Cuba, we used to bring all the kids around to your Goman performer and then the only thing available wasn't.
Accordion And how old were you?
I was probably eleven years old, wow, twelve years old. But it was a tough time at the same time because I will haven't the best time of my life. But I made a decision at eleven years old to go leave Cuba to save my family, not to get any military as so realistic and sometimes probably you don't know, it's really hard to confront life when you're eleven years old. You have to make a decision to live knowing that
pro you will never see your family again. But if I could stay at the time, that could be the end of my family. To stay in a communist country. My music was what I saved my life. I think that's the reason I done so many great things from music. Because you know, when you do something you love, that's the man thing and life and to me was a blessing many years after real and I with a family. I have a beautiful marriage and my family is a beautiful family. I have the best daughter in my whole life.
I love you too, so you know, it's a beautiful thing to have. You know, the family is important, Believe it or not. The family is extremely important for me. It's spent for me. It's the biggest production. So what you're talking only to accordion conga take guitar. You know something. We became really famous and there was time you know, believe it or all that. You know, they after three years, I mean the the bis A game, we left to Spain.
It was incredible because you know, getting too Spain, living with a beautiful family, and you know, I tell this story because people need to know your life can change in one minute and a flight to spend eight hours. When I got there, we was almost homeless, and we used to go to a church for food and you know, and I used to eat it between Monday and Friday. I used to go to the church where I call the given people and then afterwards, I mean Sari and Sonday.
So a guy played the accordion and went there. I said, listen, I know it's a lot of given people coming to Madrid and the guy who plays a night, but I can come for lunch and you give it food for me and my dad. You know it will be okay. And you know it was in the way it was a blessing because I wasn't enjoying playing the accordion, but I was, you know, I got free food. Sometimes people need to know Latinos, especially we look, you know, we do so many things to save her family and to
do things beautiful things. I also wanted to make a contribution to you know, to Latinos and to Latino's families and to this incredible country that we live. That is an incredible thing to do. I always say, always a new kid a labuy, I say, God, bless America. It's a blessing, I'm going to tell you, because to live in freedom is the main thing that you can have.
That's true. Well, and there aren't a lot of places in this world right now that experience that freedom. But also the freedom that you've given your family and your children by making that sacrifice. That a lot of us out there listening. You know, probably family share the same story. Yeah.
Absolutely, we have a lot of people like that. But it's a beautiful thing. I mean, when you accomplish a lot of things in the long run, what you want to leave is a legacy to you, which is the more important thing in my whole life, you and my grandson, of course, my wife and you know, the family. I mean, that's a that's a beautiful thing to have, you know,
to accomplish and create something that people. People are so nice to me and in to glory I go out of people give me kiss and thank you God, blessing. It's so nice that it was, you know, he said, you know, make music and you know it's a beautiful.
It's a beautiful You do a lot more than but we can leave it there.
It was nice. The other there went to a place and you know, I went to gets on the sellars for the kids that made the mosticus in the studio it was and guy said, Ali said, oh my god, hell and he was so loud. I got a lot of people come from the kitchen the beauty parlo. I mean it was like forty people I took, like, you know, forty pictures and when I was leaving, I got the back and they like they say, you could be famous, but you have to pay the bill now.
So I don't know if you know this, but this is actually your fifth appearance on in our own world. You came on for a father of the bride for a second. We did a prank call with you.
The first daughter the.
Association of you know, she has like an incredible timing and getting air plane. She said, you know you want the best, said, you know, food and wine, and thank you so much. Say you're going to be careful with you.
We also did a club we did had a little cameo of you, and so it really is a pleasure to have you.
Yes, pay me, pay me.
We paid him in.
On that after your famous days and which capito is also what well my grandpa and I heard today actually in a reconnaissance.
Yes, we're doing some research.
Yes that cap three stooges three.
Ye, your grandfather won the lottery twenty seven times.
That's crazy.
Was the luckiest guy in the whole world, Like he died with one perachuse and monso because he gave his money away to all the poor people in the world. He was a great role model for me as a person because he left the prize. You know, price sometimes not to get a diploma, apply a price when you accomplish something and you you share with other people. My dad told me one day, the best feeling in the world is when you give something to somebody. The word feeling.
What you had to ask now the way he did, Kapitia was a guy and that was a bad guy, and then he played the role that said, listen, Kapeti, you say, a good guy give money to everybody. He wanted to change his name because he likes the guy and it was only like you know something on radio, But you know, that's the only reason in his mind he wanted to do that. And then he sticked with us a nickname.
Yeah, well didn't you. You told me one time of story that you grabbed money from one of the times he won the lotto and you opened up a shoe factory. No underwear, underwear factory.
He did. He did that in Cuba. I mean, but I did hear when I would When I came from Cuba, I grew up with a Bacardi family. I was sixteen years old and I needed to work, and you know, and I went as a police I need work, and you know, they put me as an office boy. And then I remember I used to go early in the money to make coffee for everybody. I said, monded to come here coffee. And then it was a lady said, oh my god, a midio, I need to bring the kids to the school. I don't have the money. And
he said, you know something. One day she comes to I just want the lottery. I said, oh my god, I'm so happy. I made a special coffee. I say, I'm kidding. Thirty minutes later my dad called me said, come home, we just want the lottery from Perrico. Oh you know what I did. I put some money. I put it, I saying something we are long here. Something happened to me or it didn't happened to you. I want to be sure. You said some money. Yeah, And we put into some stuff from Bacardy. Wow, so you know,
I was, it's only five people in the world. I want to say, lead a piece of briccardiy, I mean my thing. It's very small, but I owned that and I was a I mean then Bacardi board, the grey use patrols, so many other things. Sometimes you have to think in the long term, what is going to happen, because what happened to me. I never wanted them to have that problem, my family and my kids, because it's really hard to lose everything in hey hours that you fly.
Because one person, I mean one person, I would never like to say his name, change the history of Cuba. How it's still people suffering in Cuba, How people still don't have the freedom, how people don't have food, you know, which is a horrible thing.
Horrible. So you mentioned earlier when you left your family in Cuba, right, And one of the other incredible things that you and mom have done is the Broadway show On Your Feet, which not only had an amazing run on Broadway, but it's traveling all the world. Has been translated into a Maria out of languages, and there's a very powerful scene in the show where you're at the airport and you're holding a photo and you leave your family. Did that really happen or was it something.
Like that happens? Because my grandfather knew that I would never see him again. I said this picture, so you remember me like that? So many people happens. It's only Latinos you're talking about Jewish people, I'm Italian people. Sometimes people need to make a move in life, you know, to make a better life from their family. And I knew I got it to I have to go to Cuba at the time, because you know, it was very difficult to stay thinking that, you know, getting too fifteen
years old, you get in a military action. But I really realized it. I never went in a bike or skate because you know, my childhood was worrying how am I going to live my family? And like that is a lot of people, a lot of people from many countries, a lot of people from many many countries. I go to that kind of pain, and you know, I think I hope that the world they learned to make things better for everybody and get to a better world when it comes to it. Sometimes because one person can change
the life of many people. Look what happened to go, I say, dictator for many, many.
Years, and look at you.
You're one person who has changed the world for better.
For a lot of people.
I'm very happy because you know, we always work. I mean, money is important, and so says it's important. But I think to be happy and to feel I mean that you did something for the community for Global is an incredible thing.
Yeah, you're amazing. A few weeks ago, your niece Lily was receiving her Hollywood Star and we heard a story that I've heard a couple of times, but I don't think everybody has heard. If you want to share it with people, I think they would really love to hear it of how you essentially rescue them Lily and and Michi and Papo, your brother from Cuba. What was what was that like?
Well, that was the first time came. I mean I never said that to anybody because I didn't want to say that.
Yeah, she was receiving the.
Start and she mentioned that she was leaving a safe country because when Cuba opened Maria, that was the only chance that I got to get them out. It was twenty years. There was long It's not what they was going out, but it was a crazy idea. I got on the boat that was only like twenty two feet, a very small boat, and we got lost for seven days without food and.
Water, and my mom was pregnant.
It was pregnant, and you know something. Finally, when I got there, they told me the boat was so small that I cannot get them, so I have to come back and then believe it or not, when you do something beautiful. We play a benefit in Costa Rica for the present, for the benefit kids that we didn't and I said, listen, I need a favor. You need to see you can get a bisa for them. And then the president said I would do that for me, and then they came to Costa Rica.
I'm sorry, how long did you say?
You got lost for seven days?
That's what is that experience?
Like?
We brought some food with us, but you know, we didn't bring enough for the four people that went in the boat. So we were thinking we was going coming and coming back, and you know it was tough because really listen, you're in the middle and we have no gas.
If we ran out of gas, so what we did mean that mean we brought some cookies and you know, some things that you can keep with you know, and we used to divide that and now I used to put like a we used to put like a little bit of a plastic to collect water when whenever the rain we put whatever we have to collect the water. It was tough because Gloria was pregnant when I give did.
You ever think what happened? What if I don't get back. Yeah, many times, my poor mom, like your poor dada, your poor mom, for sure.
And there is no communication, no communication whatsoever. I remember they let us go in a private buss.
Yeah.
And it took me twelve twelve hours to get from the boat and they put they made us way, you know, standing there for twelve hours. I was almost I think like probably fourteen days without taking a shower.
Wow.
And I went to a hotel. I made a line when I called my brother, and my brother said, oh my god, we're free, will coming And I said no, I mean you know something that I was not allowed to bring. And then he said, you know something, try to continue life and do what you have to do and forget about us. I said, no, I know, never forget about you. Where are you going to get you out? And then four years later they went to gost Africa.
Wow. Wow, you were all the way there to make sure that he knew and crossed all the way and swam and took a bus.
First his life, his family, his wife, his kid on the way.
But you know, I never said that. To an interview, she said that she was getting at touched him and I said, oh my god, everybody nobody, nobody.
I think that it's a perfect story to describe your character because your character precedes you. That's like Emily said, your your success, your resume. I had Jose send me your ePK because I was so impressed by it.
I wanted to show my friends.
I do look at everything he's done. I'm part of the Amelia Stefan fan. Yeah, but you as a person as a father, and I've gotten to see it up close, which they haven't had that opportunity. You're an incredible human being, and I think that that's really the lesson that you have to teach humanity. I really think that's your legacy is the man that you are, the father that you are, the husband, the grandfather, the father in law.
It's in the music, It's in everything, sure does you know? And I think that's a beautiful thing that you all constantly teach me about how you can spread powerful messages through music in such a dark time and that way we really care.
Do lyrics when you write lyrics? Tell me so the song that I wrote in my whole life is coming out of there an accidently. I mean, we was in the top of the world, and you know, we made president Bush and the White House. Then we went to Sony bought a Columbia pictures. We went to celebrate the night, and then the next day we got into an accident and they told us the Gloria probably whenever woke again and no more kids. And then you are you too
also became like a you know something. You became as a miracle too, that you know, and your mom said, I going to have her and I want to get back in the stage one year after. Your mom is an incredible person. It's so beautiful, and you marriage somebody that you admire and you fall in love even more to the years because you know time is running out and it's beauty to spend the time that you have with the people love.
It's true.
But that's okay, everybody, but you know the long wrong. Let me tell your money is important, famous, important, more important to be happy if you have a balance between money and you can help other people and the same time you're a happy person. I see a lot of famous people and rich people know famous they enjoy I still buy you know me one purchase, oh my god, a new purchase tomorrow, gonna wear that the meaning you
lose that forget about it. Yeah. Now, sometimes you know, the only thing I never go to sleep if I feel I have to tell you something that you have to hear. I don't like to hold anything for anybody because I think that's the what should be.
Yeah, he's going to put it in a song and send it to you. Yeah, before you pass away, we're going to put you in battle and download you onto a computer so you never die.
Poor guy. He's worked his butt off.
So you come in from Cuba, before you impregnated mom the first time, what was the first job that you had? Like, how did you get off your feet? Before you got on your feet and you know became what you guys became. What was the first thing.
I'm going to tell you When I came my end got like almost night. Kids in the house. We used to sleep in one room with my grandmother and they I knew I play accordion. I saw, I say. I went to acarding. Then at three o'clock I used to change go to school to seven o'clock. Seven o'clock. I used to go to an Italian residant to play the accordion for tips. Now how did I boy the accordion? It was crazy because my aunt told me we can't afford to buy an accordion that I was one hundred
and seventy seven daughters. I convinced my uncle, said uncle, please, I'm going to find work. Don't worry about I'm playing an Italian restaurant and I learned to you know, the Godfather. I play all the Italian music.
And I still come to it.
And you know something, we was not allowed to eat. Musicians was not allowed to eat or drink in the restaurant. So whenever I used to aad some money, used to go to the next door and buy a sandwich or buy it crackers and something, I eat it. And you know something. The only reason I tell you that because you know something people need to know in order to accomplish them that you have to work. And you know me, I work five o'clock in the morning, happy, and I said,
what what is going to be today? Let me see this? And then at the end, I only have twenty minutes. At the end, I have twenty five meetings, which is a beautiful name.
He's got to rush out of here after that, I know, I guess I was cracking up back there. So do you remember meeting mom? That was you so then you were working up a cardy. You said, then you finished school.
I finish school. I don't know how with my English, you know, I mean Sacha told me that. Well, look when you went to school, I said, Miami High. See the man, I never go there. They never teach you English.
Sacha, what a little turk. He's just like me. He's just like him to know.
He's very funny.
I remember you told me once about your ingenuity when you were working up a cardy about uh, you know the story about the Sasha's Do you remember that?
Oh? Yeah, a lot of stories.
Weave.
The first thing that I did because I grew up with the family and I love them. There that there was my family. When it came like somebody made the other end pan beach, I said, we love you. They said you loved me when you know I used to get papers around And that's what it's true. When you are broken, you're not famous anything, and they help you. One thing is to be always appreciates thank you for what you did for me. Now, A beautiful thing is that I knew there was really at the time that
we start, that was on the seventies. All the Kiva people was very you know.
I mean like they used to say no dogs, no.
No, no, sad about cube and the whole thing. But I used I learned on the qua music like me. So I used to go to the house and play one Tad and Dog and they fed made food. They said you allowed to drink and you know, a couple of drinks, and they give me tips. And the end when I left, I left with one hundred and fifty bucks, was a lot of money for so you know something. We became like a family. It was a beautiful thing.
And I saw them in Pambeach and so we did a whole big two a big celebration for a friend of ours. It was beautiful to chair with people that you know help you when you at the beginning. And the beginning was tough. But then they told me, listen, we want to create. Bring the cordy, but bring maybe a couple of more musicians that you know in Cuba. I used to call that. They said, gave me two or three guys. Used bring the three guys. I wrote a song called he writes the album.
He writes music every day. He writes new songs every day and happy with the new album.
The album is yeah, you know something. And then I said okay, and then I said, oh, your song good. We love that. People used to dance with the conga do all the things and the I mean people. It was like incredible. And then they started getting the barbets us and we used to get the weddings. The first bar missa for me was a chock when I saw the kid in the chair going up. These people are weird. And then the guy said, we're going to sell very we need to and they say, I saw that was
bringing aka, they brought the bread. That's what's going on. But I got to see. Really. The waiter told me, man, it's a song called you learned that ship. You're gonna you're gonna make some money. Yeah, I did it to day. I bought the record. I went and learned. They give a fifty bucks like yeah, sending of the song I should learn.
Yeah, one of the magic songs you have.
Great. So the sashes, oh, the sashes, that's.
Right, such as you know my dad and my mom they used to have an incredible factory, a huge factory of on they wear and Cuba. When they came. That was the way that they put together the whole small factory and I know what's the whole promotional Baccardi that was a was Bacardie and Cooke and they told me, oh my god, they send the bill. The b is like four daughters and something for every teacher. Will be a lot of money to give away. I said, you can do that in the factories. You know we can
do that. So I I was seventeen years old and I went to a factory. I said, listen, this is the kind of thing that I want to do. How much would you charge me to make this tea shirt? And the teacher was I said, well, this we have a new thing. It's called detail. It's something instead of painting. You pressed that with it, brought it to my boss. T Oh that looks good. That's amazing. And the guy told me it's going to be one dollar and eleven cents.
I thought, he said one daughter eleven cents. So he told me, you al said, you know, because you have to market, put two hundred and two dollars and fifty cents. And that's what I made my first fifty thousand bucks. Wow, it was I was very creative. And that's what you know. When people need to know, you need to be created. You need to be in charge to create and do the best that you can when they give you an opportunity.
I did such a good work, they told me we have it the whole thing that you know for miss bacardiy rom cake, and they want to charge, isn't brook? Yes, you know what they're going to pay embroidered and you're going to give that and they're going to throw it away. Just probably the problem. I said, do you think you can do in the factory? And we kind of doing the factory, but I can't find a way to do it through the factory. So I went to a funeral home.
I saw the amazing you can make me something, I said. I said, okay, if you can do it, yes, all depends how many people die, but I can do it. And I made some money with that.
Oh wows.
As you can see, before the music really started taking off, you were innovating long before that, oh for sure, and making it work. Do you remember when the first time you realize that you guys were like famous in the music world, You remember, like what was that moment for you? Earlier? Like oh my gosh, like.
The first time we heard ourselves on radio. I have to stop the car. I said, oh my god, it was a song called and I said, with a local company. And then you know something. But I always on my mind when I made you mind. My idea wasn't even to bring women to the group because at the time women was not really famous to be a musician. It was like a totally especially for Latino. Let's say I want to create some something I believe it or not, and the producer who produced more women in the history
of any producer, which is great. Yeah, but I'm gonna tell you something. The funny thing is, you know something. We did that The first album was a huge hit. But the second album, we got a call from Sonys at the time, I said, we want to do sign you you guys and I say okay, I said, we see. It depend on a contract with the guy who signed up for three albums, but we never got paid. So I told the guys keep the albums. I mean, sometimes you have to let things go to look for a
new future. And the guys say, okay, going to keep it, Thank you, goodbye. I don't think you're going to have a future. So we did, and we did a In the album that we did, we include doctor bit and I need a man. Of course, the company said, well, Latino company, we have no money. But your mom and me we went to every breakad pools and with discribled that all of a sudden went number one in London, number one, and I in England, number one, in Holland, Germany,
all over the world. And we flew to Holland and we play a club that was packed and we played that. People went crazy. We said we want more, we want more, but you know we played. I said, Gloria, we should play the keep and congas because you know this. Gloria said, what they don't know English, I don't know Spanish. Let's do it. It was a big, big hit, and Gloria came out with the idea to do a song conga.
Then she talked to the drummer that he'd come out with a hook, and then we went to the studio with the hook and we finished, I mean he almost finished the song. We finished his song in the studio and then I was so excited, Oh my god, we want to go to Sony, we want to blow them away. I went seven times then never let me upset. And the morning was only to in and out because I used to work on my part of the time little now now until the day that he let me go upstairs.
And the guy said, oh my god, congratulate you. This is great, and I said, I have a new album. I want to hear. When he started hearing the rhythm, he said great, but he he he hear English and say, this will never happen in America. Absolutely, you have to take the pianou, the trumpe, salt, the percaussion, now by the well with all respect if women can be in front of the group. And then you missing up. And then he said, and you have to change your last name.
I said, nothing that you said are going to change. I said him a bad work. I don't say a lot about word. But I told him saying, you like it to know this was America's when it looked like and you're going to have a new rhythm. Yeah, And he told me you feel that way, go back to your country. That's why I said see you later. Seven years later it was President Sony.
How's that for a bad world?
Like, I'm not going to back to my country. I'm going to sit in your chair. Yeah.
I know he was not the president. He so only and at the time, one person decided was even you are a chairman or the president. It was one guy about the expert about repertory, and he said, we like it, we don't like it. Not With internet, you can do whatever you want.
People.
People decide by the time, believe it or not. It was a lot of racist about you know, but you know, in the long run, I think it's something that I felt. I felt proud about what I did, even could be the end of my career, glorious career. And I was very proud of your mom that she sticked to, you know, to say, I'm not changing my name young who I am. I mean, I feel comfortable doing it. And you know something, it was a beautiful thing to go through a lot
of things. And sometimes I talk about it because people need to know that it's not an easy thing to be in the music business. And you know, so you you take a lot of pride to something that is important because every step of the way you can ruin a whole life. We want bad decisions, That's what I say.
Every has consequences. And you know something, we your mama and me, we always take care to be sure we have we do things right because I mean, we're proud where we come from, and we'll probably everything we're accomplished, and that's a beautiful thing.
Yeah, yeah, it's true. And you really are like that, and you're one of the people who really uses the responsibility of your position and your influence. And it's constantly like you know, you know, like don't drink and drive. It's not worth it, you know.
But it's true because he said, he goes, maybe who's driving.
Of course people do that. Listen, if you are famous and you're have the money, I mean, I want to tell you I have my takailas this. I'm not the same I'd like to answer. I like to enjoy life, share with people that I love. Like why should I get drunk getting you know, I said, I bring a driver, even have to go walking, I will not drive.
And by the way, even if you don't have all the money in the world, if you're going out drinking, one drink is like what fifteen dollars. If you're drunk, you're already spending way more money than a cab costs. Just have one less drink and at great or that guys anyway with ubers.
Yeah, that's problem is solved.
Nobody needs to drive. You said something that's incredible that you've worked with the most females out of out of a producer. One of those females that I think there's a very a story that describes you really well, is
are incredible. Celia Cruz, who unfortunately is no longer with us, but has been on you know, it's just on the quarter and it is still so present in so many people's lives and in my and M's deep dive Researchia the mom And when you were getting ready that Celia called you, I was sa.
Show what you called me? Oh you know, Tony, I was already working. Gloria was all over the world number one on things. I was starting to work, which I gat everything by My dream was to work with her because I love her. Yes, And I said, I did. I wrote a song for you that's beautiful. You need to go to the studio because I really want in pressed her and she was so nice always she sent cards and congratulatings and you know said, and it's the energy on her and her husband was so beautiful. And
she comes, Hey, I'm coming to Miami. I said, I'm taking. I hardly hear you, but you know something. I'm so happy you want to meet in the studio. Said no, no, no, I want to hear this song. Go. I didn't like that. I said, your lepongos song on le pongos a sole pongos a song. He said, Oh my god, I love that. Keep going. Said no, no, I'm taking I say no. I said, Gloria, say this coming tomorrow. We need to finish this one because we wrote on this song became lumber one.
Wow wants the best experience in my whole life.
And then you know, she called me. He said, Emilio, I don't have a record label. And I said, listen, I have Cressent Moon, but I don't want to get you in Crest Moon. I don't want to make any money from you. I want to go you to go straight to Sony. When I sent her to Sony the President, Emilia, I don't think that's a good idea because you know her age. Come on, you have to be crazy to somebody.
And you know something, I say, If you don't sign her, you don't get Jennifer Love, you don't get Check, you don't get Gloriousteff and market. And then I called Tommatola I said she's going to be I don't even worry about it. And she died with like seven number one. She left me the more beautiful note and her clothes. She left me like a address, her weak her shoes, saying how sameful she was, because you know, something is to nothing, lies better to die within nothing, and she
deserved that. Her and Cahaw is for people that.
Brought the you that got him signed when he came from that.
You know, something is a beautiful thing that you know I was if I became president of Sony, I was going to nobody who was really famous. I was going for real music, real people, and you know, to keep some of the legacy, especially for given music, because that's my heritage. I want to be sure that we kept this, and we did. We want to Grammys with a child.
We want first sure sessions, right, incredible records we did with and the Garcia those are like archival records. Those are like things mark everybody like that.
People need to really you saw a lot of the history. I mean, she was there in the studio when they had a lot of things happen.
You know, I remember how warm Celia was. Oh my god, she was something you know she she had like that, that energy and just like and I wrote a song for.
Her and there wasn't number one for her, and what she was singing that that was the first time that I saw her crying. She cried, said just in case I don't make it back. And you know something, she didn't. But she brought a lot of pride for women, especially African American women. Yeah, because she tells me a lot of story that was really hard. It managed to be African American, be a Latina and not speaking English, but she said, you know, and being no young person, but
she died with pride. And when they gave me the manager, which is done the incredible work. They gave me some of the first going to save. Yeah, it was in print. I have you know something that that's for me. I say, that's the thing you do in life that you know that is a beautiful thing to be able to help somebody else. And she didn't need help. She deserved all the recognition that she got.
You did her first video, right, first video that's increat.
I got the company said she wanted to do a video. Say, oh my god, let me see what kind of buddy you said? Two thousand dollars, Like, what am I going to do with two thousands? But I did a video and I did it like I love Lucy. Yeah, one thing, you want, one thing? And she was so happy, she was so happy.
It's so so awesome people are trying to do now. It's amazing. So many of the things that you've done now people are like, I'm going to do that again.
Yeah, that's called keep a coffee forget about that.
We've talked about a lot of your accolades, and like we said, we know you have a lot of places to go, but there are a couple of little funny things and Jim, I'm going to give you this so that you have one in your hands and we can oh my god, oh like a lottery. Oh, we can kind of go back and forth here.
Okay, I have to ask. I know that there's a long list. I don't think I could answer this question, but I have a feeling you will. What is your favorite thing about your daughter Emily?
My favorite thing? Everything I know, I know, but I love because you know, she has her own personality. Yeah, she she doesn't like to be helped. She likes to do things by herself that I need help. Yeah, and she knows I'm there twenty four hours whatever she needs, and she knows that. And she's what I love is an Emilio and Glories improved because she's better than me and Gloria. Yes, she's a lot like you. She's a lot like you know something. She's humble, she doesn't want
to always recognize her talent. But it's amazing that she got a career. There's a career. There is more beautiful on the whole world because you know, you get free love. Tell me you can sell records, you cannot buy love. And you know something, when the amount of recognition get from people that you know that you don't expect, it's people that they love you. I mean the realists, they follow you. We have funds from Gloria and me all the way from the beginning, and they still like family
is now. We don't have enough word to say. I mean, she's going live now with a new album. You're getting millions of people from all over the world saying, you know how happy they are, They asking for a tour and this kind of thing. I mean, that's a beautiful thing. I mean, when you're in this career, it's not only your family you have an extent the family that love you. They don't ask you for anything, they give you everything. And that's a beautiful that's a beautiful thing to have as a career.
Yeah, for sure, for sure, I love that.
Okay, do you remember your first impressions of jam when you met her. It's almost been ten years, No nine years.
No, eight years, it'll be nine this year.
It was, I mean, beautiful, will we'll like here from the beginning, I remember the beginning, of course, the main question who is she?
Yeah, I came out of nowhere.
Listen for me to that you're going to have that who Who's who? Has a family? What's going on? I mean that happens to anybody. Any father to tell you if you have a dog and you're going to live in somebody's house, you're going to say, I don't care. I mean it was a girl, it was a boy, it was an African American, it was a marchant, and I don't care. It was the only thing that I cared.
Somebody who love you and take care of you, and you love her, and that to me, that wasn't That was his confusion about you know, I mean, we don't care nobout his gay anything. I mean, we look anybody no color. We don't look anybody like And why did I tell you say I want you to be happy. As long as you're happy. We're extremely happy. Thanks guy. You has a beautiful relation for so many years and you still have it. And you know something, that's what I have with your mom, my mom.
Relationships are hard work, like you know.
I remember the beginning, up said, listen, I gotta do a background. I was kidding. I was going something. Did second something? Let me tell you a lot of people do that. And I said, who are they? Where did they come from? You never know? I was twenty two a terrorist. I don't know you're terrorists.
I couldn't be loud, be cool, zep.
I have something to tell you all Okay, I didn't tell I also get a lot of my quirkiness from my father.
Yes, they call.
Him yeah, and I call her yeah time, I said, I said, the people who were from this bank also for forty years. I know in our house staff, my same stuff in the office, the same musician. And I'm so happy because you know, to work for me. It's the easy things you can have and the worst thing because I'm a professionist. I don't forget anything. I mean, I work in three olymplex, at four halftime Super Bowl, forty events, in the White House six. I mean, the
only at the World Cup, the least Cup. And the only reason you know I achieved I think so many things is not that I have the education for that is because I'm very persistent and I love life. I would love very positive. I don't want to deal with negatives with anybody. People around me have to have the same energy to say, love what you do, and it's a blessing when you have that.
You know, this morning, I have my nephew, we call him Baby Lips Franklin Gevla, and he's starting to learn piano and I actually kind of like channeled you because my cousin who's his mom, was like, oh, you know, he's nervous because he wants to get it perfect right in the beginning. And I was like, I'm going to put on my million Stephan cap and I sent my video and I said, Franklin, you just have to enjoy it. And I know that's your that's one of your biggest same way.
Because let me tell you, a lot of people worries about things and you know, so the meaning that is happening now will never come back.
It's true.
And I read that in a lot of songs. And you know something, if you if you I just wrote a song that is a beautiful song. I said, sing before you're going to whatever you're going to say, one word can hurt a lot. And sometimes you know that when I try to get upset, I get away because you know, sometimes I said thing I said, let me don't say better not I got that from you to let me tell you I learned that said, Okay, see you tomorrow talk. Let's talk tomorrow. Let me tell you.
Get me upset if I have to work to two o'clock in the morning, don't come to saying that. You know, I'm hungry. You hungry. You have to like I do when I'm eating sometimes, right, I mean, and you know, people have to have the same principle to work. Now, time to enjoy, to have a party. Let's have a party, time to enjoy, to have a concert is great.
Everything in his time.
Time to work is time to work.
Okay, speaking about like I said, funny things and the relationship that you have your employees and everything. Funny little things about my father, for for example, just to set the mood. He travels with yes. But I now do that because he cleans the hotel room first thing. When he keeps yes, I do.
Okay.
He makes us bad, of course.
But I need the hotel. It looks better than when I came to I want to tell you why. Number one, the person who's cleaning that you have to have respect for people that they pay and you don't have the abuse that you're paying a room because they are poor people. Number Two, a lot of people that they are con celebrity, they leave everything. Like you said, that's not fair for.
Those Number Three, I love you and ever since, even when you were dating Mom, you would vacuum your footprints on the road.
And now.
Now you're not allowed to have trash in the trash can oh, I can't trash, can't sleep inside the trash outside trash.
Okay, it's too.
Agree with all of it, okay. And one of the things, which is actually an easter egg. I can't wait to talk more about races. But there's a little clip in races of you kicking over a stick in the street, and that's something that we do either when we're traveling or when I will send these in the video. Now what I was saying, who can kick over the biggest stick?
Yeah, so people should you should go look at the racist video and see that's the video that he took to send to Emily when he was traveling of them, because we used.
To do it all over the world, and you know something that it went. I mean of course being at either girl, but even through time when she wasn't both traveling whatever. See when I do it and I can be in Japan, I can be in transit and we go and and I send it to her.
Yeah, so it's just for stretching.
No, no, I do this.
Now go watch music video. That one is depressent. One more story that really is just close to my heart. God bless your that I was in college and they were having this big event at their house. I had to put my cards down. I can't even get through it having this big event at the house. And one of the ladies who works at their house was like a second mother to me, Maddie Mariam. I've spoken about her before on the podcast. Who's still with them to this day? Had put away some of the stuff that
was left over from the party. Uh, and so my dad calls me and he was already laughing, kind of grumpy on the phone, away good morning. I'm like, probably because no, I feel terrible. I was spending the entire morning throwing up or throwing out. I'm like, He's like, oh my god. I went to the kitchen to try to, you know, to eat. I went like, Wayawa and cheese and crackers. So I go to the fridge kind of look. I go to the fridge, you know, I take it out.
I see there's lemon, grass, goat milk. I said, okay, different cheese.
I said, this is fancy cheese. It was a big part of the let me you someday. Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna do the clothing on this.
Okay, please take it from here.
I mean, I love what you have. Cheese you too, By the way, I used to do for you every morning. I have my cheese for you, desert. I used to take her this cool everyday to get her breakfast in the money and.
Show in the car.
She was spoiled. You think I mean, I mean, I said, oh my god, I mean, we don't buy this kind of cheese. Probably is very specy. I don't know. They brought this kind of cheese, grass or something that has to be incredible. I got, I got a cracker, I got pulled some I pulled a crack and I pulled the cheese and I went I said, oh, that's weird a little bit weird. But you know when I saw it, I said, man, this tastes horrible. So I tell my shelf,
listen what kind of cheese? Said no, that's the cheese that was so.
So guys by me?
I said, who, who in the world one thing to pull soap with this? That was on my phone?
Who like no? Because then then my mom, your dad is calling, goes baby, it's eleven girl as poisonous. I was to say, my god, anyway, so taking away now you know where I'm going.
Oh yes, okay. So my introduction to these emilias was one day because you know, you know, I have an eye explain emily. I really feel you should explain it, because emilia is emilioisms in Spanish.
We're going to talk and now we're going to talk about something called which is what we affectionately call my dad's language, which is very surprising sometimes but it's a combination of English, Spanish, and invention and imagination. Yes, so we're gonna talk about that.
But so you know what, I love fashion, So I always and this man is the most fashionable man you'll ever meet in your life. So I always look at your shoes. I always look at your jewelry. And one time you were wearing shoes and I'm like, wow, I love your shoes. You go, baby, but I go, where did you get them? He goes, dumb Cruse and I'm like, wow, okay, because it's normal. I mean the other day he was like, oh, I was talking to the Pope. He says crazy stuff
all the time. I guess Tom Cruise Center shoes. It was not Tom Cruise Center shoes. They were Tom Ford.
Yeah. Well, like it's like it's like all the information is there, but it kind of like smashes together, like Jamie Lee Curtis.
Running and paying attention to you know, things that is all important to me and all the things that are important. Right, But I love sometime say that knows. I mean, when you're married for forty something years, your man never let me go to the doctor by myself. Liten, you tell them you confuse after you leave. Now, because I'm thinking about music. I'm doing this. So the doctor said hello, I mean, how are you saying hello? How are your doctor? And see say, where do you come from? He said,
well the problem that you have? I said, well the problem he has a pain here and disarm and you know the hair here, I say, and the one sais sick. But it's not his arm. It's his arm. So so you know, because evenhen I go to the doctor, I go, I have to go so fast. I tell things that you did. You forgot to tell him this and.
That got she goes for check. Okay, so now we're gonna we're gonna grace your ears with a couple of more emilianas. He called the hoover Dam, Notre Dame.
By the way, his.
Love you have heard him quite get there up. But that was a preview of what I really get.
I love people's faces, my face.
We were in loved and we were on the bus and it was my first time in England. He was made a baby. Howking bum palace?
Okay. He calls them heart rumors instead of heart murmurs. He orderedgana ice cream instead of pomegranate.
Oh court on blue instead of code blue.
French.
Okay. He refers to the plane like when the planes go down the black box. He calls it the.
Instead of it. Told somebody put money in their mouth instead of put your money where your mouth is.
Honestly the same. Also great when he was going to my show, he said he was going to my recycle instead of my recital. I love that one. Oh this one, love it. He called a Wretha Franklin, your wreathra of Franklin, which is strangely harder. It's so much harder.
So YOUA, I just go the sound you right, right right, it makes sense, It makes sense. What about oh here road models instead of role models.
Yeah, as you can see, these are just another layer to be around him. That just is like the cherry on top.
You know what happened because realist, I never had have a chance to even I went to college, you know what. So many things happening that I did. I mean with good notes because I think it was because my ear was so good that I remember things more than anything else. And but yeah, never went to it location, I never learned music. I want so many Grammars and everything because you love what you do. But it was difficult. I had to bring my family support that you work play
the according do that. I didn't have a chance. Like many kids go to school.
I go to Harbor and I didn't have to study music, and I ain't gonna have the ideas and the melodies and all the things and the production with me.
I said, okay, let me write you Okay, don't that.
No. Literally, he'll put it in his phone and I know you'll be around it and by the end of the day he's like, boom.
This is my favorite thing that happened to I think probably in my life, my whole life. When Emily is moving back from being Berkeley from I just said that the air condition is broken. A company. I said, oh my god, you call a company? Said do you stay with the dogs? He gets you got your dogs and I said, baby, of course, I mean you're packing anyways, and the way I can help you. So he called a He called a company. The guy come in with
the whole thing. He's observed fixing the air conditions and I'm doing doing the window packing the whole things underweiks. They're doing the glasses with it, you know. Then I came to parking and the guy said, if people in Spanish ticket like you say, yeah. I love the way the Dominican republics too. I said, yeah, do you have a little car man? I said yeah. I said, man for us, you clean really good. I can send you a lot of people. I said, do you think we
can have a beer. It's really hot in this place. So I got a beer and bought a pizza. But then I take my hat out. The guy look at me. I said, man, you looked like somebody like a Robbie the Neros, But I know you're on't Robbie the Nero nomant. My can't is really skinny. You look like a million stephan I said, yeah, I'm a middia stef. I said, what the hell you're doing cleaning apart?
Yeah. Then I get back from the gig and you see are drinking beer eating pizza. Apartment was spotless.
Yeah, no, no no.
And uh that night as well, we had these lanterns and I I've got and he's like a wait baby, and and we're all like, oh, you know we're gonna do.
We're all gonna race because it was a bunch of them and you have to like build them by hand, and we're like we're all going to race to see who finishes, but my dad had a business dinner like down the street, so like Heather, my mom and I had started, and then Heather and my mom started getting really upset each other, and my dad shows up like halfway through, and my mom and Heather were having cosmos and and he comes and he like joins the party.
So they're like, they're having cosmos and he had already come from dinner. So he comes and in the time that Heather and her built like I don't know, like three he was there for like forty minutes, and he built one lantern and the minute he walked away, the lantern just popped open. And so we went to sleep, and the next morning he woke up and he goes out there.
He goes, eh, that's what happened.
And you work too much and you don't sleep enough, which you need to do. I need to work my ass off and need to learn from your work ethic and have better time management like you, so that I can be getting music from the funeral home and make a movie and writing soundtracks, and me flying all over the world and producing the Olympics and producing the biggest events in the entire world and still releasing albums and still waking up in the morning five hours office.
I enjoy every single minute and that's what that's what happened people. And I wrote that in the new song that is number one now basedly an amazing thing because it's a song that the first time my whole history
became like number one, like the first first day. Is that that people say, I cry and dance on the same time, And so because I tried to send a message of hope for people, like people have to enjoy the and everything you do in life has consequences and how you have to do things right to get a good feedback in your life. And you know it's the way it should be.
Yes, amen. So speaking of it, which at this very moment, you can go on YouTube and watch the video and by the time this episode come out shortly, you're gonna have another song which I can't tell you the name. Man, I'm gonna stay behind the camera and you can't see it. So won you're gonna have a second video and an entire album that he's poured so much love into and like he said, not only does it make you cry, it makes you Dance's voice is as she sounds incredible,
as always every time. And it's the first line album she's released and you've released in eighteen years. Okay. And I've had a feeling about this since I've been hearing these songs since a little bit ago. And yeah, so enjoy that risis. And speaking of Rasis, before we let you go, we wanted to offer you an opportunity to do something. Okay, as you can hear, we are literally in this We've to go live greeting fam We're beaming
down from outer space and we were here talking everything. Raisis. Congratulations, Thank you so much, Mama high jam him.
I congrab the legends that beautiful.
Song you wrote, by the way, were you were saying it over here? Love friends from all over?
So that's good English. Well mom, as the you know, being the other half of this project, in the spirit of this interview, do you have any questions for that about the project?
Okay, babe, Yeah, Emilio Quanto, I.
Mean listen, he spent two years, two years because you know, this is an important album, because we want to be sure that with the beautiful legacy to a lot of people, a lot of people, they need to realize the value about family. This song is about family. It's about what you do with your family with time pans by and some of the families are fans that has been with I was talking here with interviews so many years. People that has been following us for so many years given
so much love that I want to thank you. I think this song is about that. It's about the family, it's about heretage, it's about leaving a beautiful legacy to a lot of people and bringing the hope to live in a better world.
Yeah that's not a song right there, that's another song he's writing the next album.
Okay for power Quent to.
Consume created a love song.
I wrote a song for you, like I've done a lot of songs for you, but you know you sing it from me, which is a beautiful thing. People say, Oh my god, Gloria so in love with you. I said, yes, there you have it.
I know you wrote it for me, Babe. I have to say it because it's so funny. He comes to me and says, Babe, I.
Wrote a love song for you.
Oh baby, sing.
It for me.
But I'm gonna tell you this that you know something. This Almo is about love, giving back all the love that people help us for so many years and you know, to share this time with you. It's been the hard live of my whole life. And you know something is beautiful. To be able to make a record that you know, like Goes number one is getting the incredible. You know something it's about people know that, you know, music have
no age. Anybody who love music. Age is important, but you know it's it's good to do good music and least on some great music behind for a new generation to recognize the Latino music has no language, said, we're going to reach with this album, like many of the albums that we don't other people all over the world.
Wanted to be, you know, for people to realize.
Emilio and I, well, I'm in my sixties.
He's already in the next decade and he has been and I've been.
More productive creatively than ever in my life.
Maybe because the things like raising a family, like getting through those moments in life.
Now the creative project can.
Be focused on Emilio Disco Para. He's making records for Nico Gusi, the Whalers, the.
Tenors from Canada. This record guy, he says, Seema fun.
He's like he's doing more than ever in his Lifetiva Kahamas yet.
Albums in Patal. He doesn't slow down this man.
Listen, we're going to have a big surprise for the third single. For all these times, we're gonna do something that we've never done. So get ready, certain ceo baman okay with the album is like a look a different different languages, different countries. They'll learn about Latin music because of you. So I'm very proud of you and very proud of my daughter's here and we're having a great time.
So yeah, let you go. Congratulations mom, little question? Why why?
Just one morning questions? Baby? What's your pet teeve about me?
Every time you asked me a question and broshing my teeth before something years that agos a baby? Then answer me. I'm going chack baby, God, you never downed too minutes to be fair.
To be fair, though he probably spends fifteen percent of his day brushing his teeth.
Well, congratulates, So tonight we're going to celebrate.
I guess.
There you have it all right, well Germaine, Dad, in the spirit of in our own world, there's one more tradition that we need to speak about before you make your way out of outer space and back to Earth, but thank you for joining us for this small and short window of such a the enormous planet and universe that you are. But without further ado, we go. Everybody's so it was my next thing out of space finess.
This is actually a very important day in space news because you're going to see there's a resolution to the storyline that's been going on for many, many, many many months now here space and outer space. So without any further ado, here we go. It's space news. NASA has captured the exact moment a star is born. The images are stunning and connect us to the Cosmos, displaying two plates of light forging towards each other, and most incredibly, when you zoom in three X you will see Lady
Gaga and Bradley Cooper making out. Next, the US Space Force released a new strategy blueprint outlining in how it plans to integrate artificial intelligence into its operations and improve AI literacy amongst its personnel. The document, titled we will be Faking Everything from now On, was published on March nineteenth in response to Defense Department directives calling for more data. Well, at least they're not even trying to lie to us. Anymore.
AI's taken over. Now they're gonna go back and recreate the fake moon landing. Is it fake?
Is it not?
We'll never know. We'll never know. I just report the news. Okay. Finally, like I said, it is a very important day in space. Okay, Mahina that you with claustrophobia nine months anywhere, let alone in space, you wouldn't be able to do it. Okay. After months of reporting the poor astronauts stuck up in space, they are finally successfully back on Earth. And unfortunately that poor lady's hair is back in gravity. I really liked it sticking up like that. I'm sad. That's really Ultimately,
that's what I'm gonna miss. It was a momentous homecoming for NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore and Sunny Williams after finally returning to Earth after spending nine months in space, and by the way, it was only supposed to be nine days. Reports are merging this is absolutely true. Look it up sharing. The astronauts will only receive about one thousand dollars extra in total for this space disaster. So kids, if you dream of dedicating your lifetime and your body and your
mind to space travel don't but welcome home. Butch and Suoni yay.
And this has been spaces.
That. It's not a secret. You are absolutely one of my favorite human beings in the world. Whether you made me or not, I learned from you every single day.
You didn't make me, and you're one of my favorite and I.
Really appreciate you taking the time and the wisdom and opening up and sharing with us. And congratulations on the record. We love you so much. I would say, tell me what you're working on, but now it's.
A lot of coming up, to a lot of great things coming up. But more than I think, I'm so proud of you, guys. I'm so proud of you because you know something. I think you are like me a lot of things I wish I was like I really in the long run, and you too. We try to do things what is right. We live in a time that you know that it's great to have family values and to have unity in the world that we need that. I think I hope to this that we don't today.
People need to learn that. You have to go to a lot of things in life, but always it's good to be free and a free country. It's always good to give it back to a free country and to always never forget where you come from. So this is what you guys have do is continued, continued everything that we did. I hope you make it better.
We'll see you next week. Bye.
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