Lex Borrero Shares His Plans to Elevate Latin Leisure

Lex Borrero, the co-founder of Interscope’s Neon16 label, has made his personal seat on the desk — and introduced a full plate. As a teen, Borrero understood the significance of networking. After tons of of unanswered chilly calls, he finally caught the eye of Common Music and signed his first artist underneath his shingle Lex Prods. when he was 17. He would go on to develop into government vp and head of Latin at Roc Nation, the place he met and later formed the profession of reggaeton producer Tainy. The 2 now run Neon16 collectively, with Borrero standing as CEO.

Borrero’s newest challenge is the brand new docu-style actuality collection, “Los Montaner” — created alongside veteran music exec Tommy Mottola (a relationship Borrero says is “like father and son”) and Vary Media Companions — it would premiere later this 12 months underneath the banner of the trio’s new content material firm, Ntertain.

Although he’s acquired a mountain of duties — Borrero joined Selection to speak about Ntertain, the manufacturing of a Stan Lee-approved Latin superhero and the important thing to his entrepreneurial evolution.

Why was it important so that you can kick off Ntertain with the reality-style docuseries “Los Montaner“?

Once we have been launching the corporate, the very first thing that I assumed was: “Which musicians do I do know which have one thing particular, one thing that I feel has the facility to show and nurture — one thing that has the facility to depart a optimistic impression?’”

I’ve recognized the Montaner household (Ricardo, Marlene, Mau, Ricky and Evaluna, and their important others Stefi, Sara and Camilo) for some time. We’ve accomplished tons of music with them and through quarantine, they actually grew to become probably the most viral Latin household.

The Montaners had already been approached by Bunim Murray [“Keeping Up With The Kardashians”] and had shot a pitch trailer, which was shopped round and wasn’t picked up. When the household confirmed me the trailer, I watched it and was like, “Wow, that is, this isn’t how this household must be showcased.” That present by no means bought due to that very same purpose.

We then creatively approached the present differently, which ended up being extra docu-style — that’s what you will note now with our present. We use a variety of archival footage as a result of [Ricardo] all the time filmed, he all the time had a digicam on. I feel it’s actually going to resonate from an emotional place but additionally from a creative and artistic sense.

Out of your perspective, was there a gap out there for an organization like Ntertain? How does the corporate align along with your purpose to “push the boundaries” of Latin tradition?

During the last, I need to say 5 years, there was a Renaissance of cultural change. You’ve seen now these unbelievable large corporations are available and help, Black cinema and Black tv in a means that has allowed these tales to evolve.

I feel that freedom and that inventive area that was carved out over the past couple of years. Now, I really feel like that’s lacking within the Latin group. I feel for a very long time in Hollywood, which is a part of the expansion of any trade, you had your normal stereotypical Latin. I really feel like there’s this large area and we’re beginning to see increasingly of or not it’s crammed.

What different themes or storylines are you seeking to discover? 

We’re working with Stan Lee’s POW! Leisure on one of many Latin superheroes that he wrote earlier than he handed away. We’ve taken this superhero he created and tailored the story to resonate with what’s occurring politically in our international locations. Just about each nation in Latin America goes left and it’s creating all these very actual points for the folks and the way they relate to the remainder of the world.

We’re additionally in manufacturing for a narrative about Wall Road. The thought got here from the entire GameStop [stock frenzy] subject as a result of it was then that I observed there weren’t any Latin [wealth fund managers]. All of us have this notion of what the American dream is, however what does that imply whenever you measure it towards the sorts of values that we’re taught as Latinos and in our tradition?

You’re on the intersection of many alternative ventures however how did TV and movie get in your radar?

I felt that the second I may discover a chance within the visible and manufacturing world, the place I can inform a narrative that might be impactful, I used to be going to go after it — regardless that I knew nothing. I entered the movie and tv world, as I did the music world: studying what phrases meant as I heard them and sitting in telephone calls with these executives on the completely different streamers listening to among the phrases of the questions they have been asking. I had no thought what they have been speaking about, however I realized it.

Inform us in regards to the expertise present, “La Firma,” which we’ll be seeing quickly on Netflix — you’ve acquired an unbelievable panel of judges from Rauw Alejandro to Yandel, Nicki Nicole, and Tainy. How’d that come collectively?

I simply actually thought in regards to the notion of canopy songs and the way expertise exhibits up to now have been very centered across the judges and lacking a sure half. Like whenever you watch Puff or “Making the Band” — you simply felt such as you had an inside have a look at how artists acquired made

And so “La Firma” is a present about that. We took 12 artists who have been already writing their music, who had a way of fashion and introduced them to Miami and put them by a 12-week competitors that actually put them by the wringers of what it takes to be an artist and the artist improvement course of. I used to be shocked on the stage of expertise that we got here out. Each artist goes into the studio desirous to make one of the best music since you’re additionally a competitor. They’re going from classes to bop courses, to choreography, to media coaching — I imply, that is the lifetime of an artist.

How has Neon16’s development correlated to the rise in Latin music revenues within the U.S., that are set to high $1 billion this 12 months?

I feel it goes again to what we did with {the marketplace}. We confirmed up by our advertising and marketing, by our inventive concepts. This crossover finally grew to become what’s now world tradition. We simply needed to change how we strategy inventive concepts, our companies and what our producers are value. With Tainy, we actually wished to showcase that. There was once no worth when a producer, regardless of them being an necessary a part of our inventive course of, and we actually wished to vary the dynamic. Just like what we’re doing at Ntertain, we’re simply telling the world: “Hey, Pay attention. We’re simply pretty much as good as all people else.”

The place does what you are promoting relationship with Tainy stand?

It’s form of a little bit of all the things. It began as a friendship and business-wise it advanced into administration, serving to together with his complete profession and his inventive course of. It’s develop into a partnership that has actually gotten greater than something. We’ve managed to construct a relationship the place we actually perceive what every of our roles are and the way we develop these roles to combine that into our companies.

What’s the key to your evolution in enterprise and music?

Understanding my function and discovering that means within the issues that I do past monetary success or past fame. I feel evolution occurs the second that you just perceive the place you’re going. I discover that rather a lot folks, a variety of youth particularly, begin to spin in circles. Typically we don’t pause to really perceive what’s it that we wish. I actually imagine you entice the issues that you’re constantly pondering of and so it’s important to be obsessive in regards to the belongings you need.