01x02 - Opening Up

[bunniefuu]

[alarm blaring]

["Tiki Tiki" playing]

Mia?

Antonio?

We're about to close.

You've been here all night?

Yes, Antonio.

- How are you?

- Actually, I

I I go by Torpedo now.

Oh, okay. Cool, cool, cool.

- [laughing] Oh.

- Yeah. What's going on?

Did I hear correctly?

Are you throwing that party next week?

Can you believe I got Jowell

- to show up here?

- [gasps]

And I'm only paying him 400 grand.

[both laughing]

What a steal!

I know. I mean, you know.

Listen, um, I just came up

with this random idea

just out of nowhere, just now.

You remember Santi, right?

Oh, yeah, that's the, um,

the "Exagerao" guy, right?

- Yeah, but he has way other stuff, too.

- Mmm.

And I think he just

became available that night.

- Mmm.

- Oh, a Jowell and Santi pairing?

- I can get him to do a song or two.

- Nah, I'm good.

I mean, I got Jowell.

[laughing] I don't need your guy.

[laughs] Okay.

I didn't really wanna do this

but if you don't let

Santi open up for Jowell,

I'll tell your bottle girls

what a union is.

Wait

Ladies! Hi.

Just checking. You guys definitely get

a 30-minute break

with your eight-hour shifts?

- They look confused.

- Mmm-hmm.

Do you guys know what a PPO is?

I can break a

Okay. You got a deal,

just please don't talk to them again.

- All right?

- Deal. Thank you, Torpedo. [laughs]

She's just playing with y'all.

PPO's not a real thing.

Just carry on. Go ahead.

You guys look great.

["Tiki Tiki" continues playing]

Rise and shine, beautiful people!

Guess who got a job this morning?

You have a job. You're my manager.

What are you talking about?

I know. Now I have two jobs

and one actually pays me.

You guys never have to worry

about me getting a job.

Oh, we know. Look, I will admit

I expected that

we were gonna sign a little earlier.

Now our savings

are going quicker than I thought.

But this job buys us time.

And you are looking at the newest employee

of Eduardo's Supermercado.

- The Eduardo's?

- Uh-huh.

[singing]

Eduardo's! ♪

Eduardo's! ♪

[imitating drums]

- El preferido

- De la familia!

- [cell phone chimes]

- That's the jingle.

Yo! Mia wants to have lunch with us today.

- Wait, what?

- Oh, yes!

This is it, the signing meeting.

I'm not taking that job

with Sebby after all.

Wait, no. Don't say yes right away. Okay?

It'll look desperate and like

we have no other decent prospects.

We've been in Miami for a week

and this is our only decent prospect.

I'm telling you,

we have multiple inquiries

from intriguing boutique labels.

- No, no.

- We're not shopping, chica.

We're signing with Mia's label.

Like, we've been waiting for this call

and here it is.

Okay. Yeah, just don't answer

right away, okay?

And when you do, just tell her you might

be able to move some stuff around

and you think you can make it work.

- Yeah.

- [Santi] Cool?

Yeah.

- Yeah.

- [Ness sighs]

- That's long enough.

- Absolutely.

That felt like forever.

["Azafata" playing]

Hey, Lyanno.

There's a problem with your car at valet.

[Santi] That's Lyanno.

I'm at the Four Seasons across the street.

I walked here.

[laughing]

He walked. [laughing] You crazy, Lyanno.

What's going on?

Totally my mistake. Didn't mean

to waste your time. Come here.

- Okay.

- [laughing] You walked.

Hey, guys! Ah!

So glad you could make it.

- Yeah, it's good to see you.

- Wait.

Were you just talking to Lyanno

over there?

Oh, yeah, we go way back.

[laughs] He is such a sweetheart, too.

Super climate-conscious, walks everywhere,

won't shut up about it.

[laughs]

"I walk everywhere!"

We get it. You saving the planet.

- Shut the f*ck up!

- [laughter]

What?

So, this must be like,

the Miami hot spot, I'm guessing, huh?

Yes. Absolutely. Everybody comes here.

Natti Natasha just sat at the bar,

- Celeste Rivera is over there

- [Ness] Wait.

- Celeste Rivera runs Inside 305.

- Mmm-hmm.

I read that Substack every morning.

[Mia] You and everybody else in town.

She's the tastemaker in reggaeton now.

She put on Javier Luna.

Could be you in a couple months.

Offer us a record deal first.

I would love to.

What?

[both exclaiming] Oh!

Oh, my God!

Oh, my God!

- [Santi] What?

- Well, okay. Well, wait

- We just got a deal.

- We're celebrating.

[all laughing]

I hear you. But unfortunately,

it's not that easy.

Okay? The label and I

have to see you guys out there,

performing, making new music.

I'm making music every day.

You need to capitalize on your success

before people forget you.

- Hype don't last.

- [Ness] We know.

And we are taking care of it.

Great.

Ness just got a job at a grocery store.

[clicks tongue] Yep, I did.

Listen, if you guys need some help,

maybe I can pull a few strings.

See if I can find you some shows.

- Amazing. Thank you.

- Oof.

It won't be easy,

but I'll see what I can do.

Right.

Appreciate you typing.

[chuckles]

[cell phone chiming]

[Mia] Okay, so,

Jowell is gonna have an appearance

over at Club Essence,

and I'm gonna have you perform

before he comes out.

- What?

- Yeah.

- You just

- Me?

You're a goddess. That's crazy.

Wow! Thank you!

- Oh, my God.

- That's crazy.

- [laughing]

- [Ness] Thank you.

- Guys, it's nothing.

- [chuckles]

I'm doing this

'cause I truly believe in you. Okay?

- [cell phone ringing]

- Hey, I'm so sorry.

I have to take this for a second.

- Hold on, please?

- Okay.

She's like

"Oh, it's handled." Boom.

She's like Kerry Washington in Scandal.

Not because she's Black,

because she's efficient.

All right, listen, we gotta hit the spots,

let people know about the show.

Can you whip up a flyer?

Oh, yeah. I have a folder full of flyers,

pre-made, buddy.

Let me see.

g*dd*mn.

- I like that.

- [Felix] Yeah?

[Santi] Fuego!

- [Felix] You like fuego?

- [Santi] I like fuego.

[Felix] How about this?

Wait, is that a picture of me

on top of my cousin's BBL ad?

Yeah, I mean,

it's one of many options,

and it's funny.

Get a sense of humor. Butts sell.

Yeah, that looks great, Felix.

Give me one second.

Excuse me, Celeste?

Yes. Um, do I know you?

Don't worry. I'm not a crazy stalker

who'll lock you in my basement

or something.

[laughs awkwardly]

Um, I'm a manager

for a new reggaeton artist, Santi.

Oh, yeah, um, the guy with

the "Exagerao" video, right?

Sí. Yeah, um

So, uh, he is opening for Jowell

on Tuesday,

and I don't know if it's gonna

lead to them touring together,

but if a journalist would document it,

it would make for an amazing story.

What would I be documenting exactly?

Santi. You'd be documenting Santi,

the next big thing in reggaeton.

- Right.

- [laughs] Yeah.

- Um, I don't mean to be rude

- Of course not.

But I get that from a lot of people.

Yeah, of course you do.

But I'mma be real. Santi is different.

- And how is he different?

- Well,

he is really good at At singing,

and just like the whole, general, um

Look, okay,

gonna stop you right there.

I have to pass on the invite.

But seriously,

- good luck with everything.

- [chuckling] Thanks.

Oh, I should go!

You just keep doing you, and, um

- Yep. All right.

- Have a good one. Yeah.

So, that went great!

She loves you, she loves "Exagerao,"

and she's gonna even

document the, uh, show on Tuesday.

- [Felix] Oh, my God!

- Hell yeah!

[all cheering]

["Telacuti" playing]

[laughs]

Okay, this is good. He's doing his thing.

Oh, so many hunnies.

Wait, music video idea. Write this down.

Uh, Santi is Winnie-the-Pooh.

He's wearing a T-shirt. Uh, d*ck out.

Like Winnie-the-Pooh, no pants.

His d*ck falls in the honey.

You writing this down?

- Does it look

- Yo! You guys want anything?

- I'm getting them drinks.

- [Ness] No.

They coming to the show?

f*ck. I forgot to mention the show.

- What? But that's why we're here.

- What?

What were you talking about?

Two of them wanted to have sex?

[cell phone chimes]

I'm gonna be late for my shift.

Please just make sure

you're getting the word out?

I'm gonna go.

Eduardo waits for no one. [laughs]

Have fun at your job!

- [Ness] Yeah.

- Capitalist pig.

So, two of them wanna have sex with you.

That means the third's up for grabs?

What are we saying?

What's up, guys?

I have a show tomorrow night

at Club Essence.

Y'all should pull up.

Jowell's gonna be there. It'll be lit.

Uh, who are you?

- I'm

- He's Santi.

Yeah. I don't know who that is.

He's the guy who sings "Exagerao."

Oh, yeah, that track is dope, dude.

- Thank you, bro.

- I didn't know that

guys like you do, like, legit shows.

That's cool, though.

Wait, what you mean, "guys like me"?

- You know, like, Internet singers?

- [Santi] No.

No, no, no.

I'm not some, like, Internet singer.

I write my own music,

I produce my own songs,

I perform my own stuff

Bro, don't get so defensive.

No, I'm not being defensive.

- I was just explaining

- [Joaquin] Okay!

His vibes are whack.

Whack? I'm not whack.

Two of those three women over there

said they wanted to have sex with me, so

Two of three!

Let's talk to that group.

They seem like thirsty,

mid-level influencers.

Bruh, I really don't feel like

talking to anyone right now. I just

I wanna head home.

Yeah, let's just go home. f*ck this.

Well, actually

I need to be alone.

I need to prep for my performance.

Yeah, that's Yeah. Makes sense.

Text me when you're safe.

[chiming]

- What?

- Oh, my God.

Did you guys get this message? Like, what?

Santi? Who the f*ck is that as*h*le?

[indistinct chatter]

[Oscar] So, his, uh

His agency has clients we want.

I'm supposed to make him feel valued

before we f*ck them.

Like telling a girl

she's smart so you can

- f*ck her.

- Hey, you said it, not me.

[laughs]

Mia. Hi.

Oh, dear God.

I saw you on AirDrop.

Uh, Mia, I just wanna say thank you

so much for hooking Santi up

with the Jowell show. We're just so hype.

- Mia. You're hooking up shows?

- [Mia] No.

- I don't even That's not what

- [Felix] Sorry.

I'm interrupting.

No, not a problem.

I'm happy Mia could help you.

She's so good at that.

Yeah.

She schedules all my meetings,

picks up dry cleaning.

She's the best assistant

I've ever had. In years.

- Mmm-hmm. Best Best assistant?

- Yeah.

You know, Mia was working at a nail salon

before I gave her this job.

- Isn't that funny, Mia?

- [laughing]

- It's so funny.

- So funny.

- Look, um, obviously, this boy

- Uh

- is very confused.

- I'm a grown-up.

And I'm gonna go help him

find his parents.

Sorry, he needs a little help.

So funny, this child.

- [clears throat]

- [Felix] Wait, so, what Uh

- Oh, my God.

- Relax! Relax!

You're an assistant.

I'm a dreamer,

a hustler,

and an assistant.

- Oh, f*ck.

- For now.

Okay, so you completely lied to us.

Wow. That's just like trust shattered.

Okay, it's just a little insane.

Yeah, a little insane.

Can your boss at least sign Santi?

Maybe I should talk to him. I felt like

we had a pretty decent vibe going.

- Okay, he could. But why would he?

- Mmm.

He signed some of the biggest talent

in the world

and he barely gives them a call back.

Santi would get no attention,

and it would do nothing for his career.

Why did you lie to us?

Because you wouldn't

take me seriously otherwise.

Santi needs me.

He needs somebody who believes in him,

somebody who's gonna wake up at 2:00 a.m.,

talk to some d*uche named Torpedo

just so he can perform in front of Jowell.

No one else is gonna do that but me.

What do you want me to say?

"Oh, you're about to have

a potentially career-altering performance,

but the person helping us

turns out to be a total f*cking fraud."

That's why you're not

gonna say anything to Santi.

You can't say anything, Felix.

No. I can't lie to Santi.

Ness? Sure. But Santi is my hermano.

- I'm sorry. You're a liar.

- Don't take that phone out.

- You deserve this.

- Stop texting.

- What're you doing?

- [clatters]

Help!

Or

this could be a secret between me and you.

Ugh!

What the hell are you doing?

That was amazing.

I truly learned a lot. I know that

everybody else here really enjoyed it.

Um, and thank you to our fantastic panel

and to everyone for joining us. Gracias.

[applause]

- Excuse me, Celeste?

- Hey.

- Oh. Hi.

- Hi.

Yeah, I know it's strange,

I'm coming up to you again.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

[clears throat] Look, uh, I'm weird.

Okay, no, no. I'm passionate. Passionate.

And, um, sometimes

the wires get crossed, but

But please don't hold that against Santi,

because he, truly, he's so talented,

and, uh, he deserves this opportunity,

and I really believe

that there is no one else

that could cover him like you could.

Hmm. Why is that?

Well, I read your stuff every day,

and I mean,

the way you write about artists,

it's like no one else in the game.

I mean, you don't do fluff pieces

and And you don't have an agenda.

That's why the community

respects you so much.

Respects me enough to follow me

to one of my events?

[laughing] And you're funny!

May I?

- Sure.

- Okay, look

Um

the other day,

you asked me why Santi was different,

and I couldn't really respond. Um

He's just He's got this thing. It's like

It's like this spark on stage.

[groans] It's really hard to explain

unless you see it,

which is why I need you to see it

and explain it.

He's not a one-hit wonder.

He's the real deal.

I mean he made "Exagerao" in one evening.

You're a really persistent person, huh?

Yeah. My friends call it finessing.

Fi-Ness-ing.

'Cause my name's Ness.

Oh!

Yeah, I didn't know that was your name.

I didn't Right.

- [exhales deeply]

- [door closes]

Hey.

- [Santi] What's up?

- 'Sup?

So, where you been?

We've been calling you.

Just making some music.

It just hit me

that this show really has to work.

Yeah, and it will.

It better be because it's the only thing

that I'm good at.

That's not true at all.

All right, so name one job

that I could do that's not this.

- Uh

- Oh

[Ness] Okay.

[clicks tongue]

You're kind of putting us on the spot.

- And there are so many.

- Like a

- Like a Yeah.

- Personal trainer.

- Who also has an OnlyFans.

- Well

Okay? So both of you, right,

have amazing skills

that can be used in this business

in several different ways.

But I don't.

If this show doesn't work,

I can't make a living.

And I've got no safety net.

Okay, but that stuff

doesn't actually matter

because you're gonna k*ll it,

like we've seen you do a million times.

Yeah, but I've never done it alone.

I can't do it alone.

What are you talking about?

We'll be there.

Yeah. In a sea full of Jowell fans

that are annoyed

that some Internet singer

is performing and not him.

Since I was a kid,

every single time I produced a beat,

made a song, performed in front of people,

you guys have always been beside me.

I could just look you in the eyes

and know that it's gonna be okay.

And I feel like I need that.

g*dd*mn, man, that's beautiful.

Hey, we're gonna be there.

Right there. Even if you can't see us,

we will be there with you.

Okay?

["Wepa" playing]

So, how you feeling?

I'm feeling good.

Todo bien.

So, you're not freaked

about your one and only shot?

- What the f*ck? Why remind him?

- Ow!

It's not like he forgot it's a

once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him

to do the only thing he's good at.

Ow!

Um

[in English] I was freaked out, okay?

I I still kind of am,

but since being here,

- I've felt like Like weirdly calm.

- [Ness] Mmm-hmm.

Hearing the music right now,

knowing that this is my moment,

I feel like this is everything that

we've been waiting for. Like it's

- We know.

- Destiny.

I wasn't gonna say that.

Really? What were you going to say?

Something really cool.

I guess you'll never know.

Right. [chuckles]

[knock on door]

- Five minutes, guys.

- Great, thank you.

[door closes]

Okay, well, uh, I guess that

we should head out.

[all squealing]

[Ness laughing]

- Thank you, guys.

- [patting on back]

I wouldn't have done it without you.

- My heart's, like, pounding!

- What?

Think Santi's gonna crowd-surf?

I hope he doesn't have stuff

in his pockets. It's dangerous.

[Ness laughs awkwardly]

What is going on?

- I don't I don't know.

- Hey!

- Over here!

- Hey. [laughs]

There's like ten people in the crowd

and I think eight of them work here.

Well, yeah, it's 9:00 p.m.

What did you expect?

It's Miami!

Things don't get started till about 12:00.

Huh Yeah, this is totally

gonna throw him.

Hey, you gotta start somewhere.

[DJ] Qué es la que hay?

Estamo' activaos, mi gente.

We're gonna start

the reggaeton hot nights con Jowell.

Asi que actívense, mi gente,

que estamos ready.

[automated voice] five, four, three

[in English] Hey-o, peeps.

Give it up for Santi!

Yo Miami!

Okay.

DJ! Vamos!

- ["Exagerao" playing]

- [Santi] Estamos activos. Santi.

De mi mente tu no sales ♪

Dejaste una huella ♪

La baby se pone psycho ♪

Si le bailó a ella ♪

Se que tú quieres perrear ♪

Y yo vi que andas sola ♪

Ese culo tú lo vas a tener que guardar ♪

Por que si tu me lo das

No te lo devuelvo ♪

Si te escondes, te busco en mi

Mente siempre te encuentro ♪

Tu dices que eres lowkey

Pero ese booty ♪

Exagerao ♪

Tu quieres un perreo pesao ♪

Santi ♪

- Yes!

- [Ness] Whoa!

- Whoa, that was incredible! Oh!

- [Santi laughs]

- A star is born.

- [laughing] Oh, my God.

I am so sorry.

I didn't realize the crowd

was gonna be so underwhelming.

[Santi] Who cares?

Guys, we did it! I'm in a club in Miami

opening up for f*cking Jowell.

Like, I feel like

I can do anything right now.

I legit feel like if I really wanted

to do the Olympics, I could.

Oh. Okay.

- What sport?

- Listen, man, I am so proud of you.

You did a fantastic job up there.

And it's only the first of many.

Okay? [laughs]

All right, I'm gonna say hi to Jowell.

- You guys have a great time.

- Okay.

[woman] Mmm.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- I'm Santi.

- Lisa.

- Lisa, where are you from?

- He's back.

- Puerto Rico.

- Tú eres boricua. Okay!

["Perreo Palantero" playing]

[DJ] Ladies and gentlemen, now with you,

- the one and only, Jowell!

- [all cheering]

[singing "Chulita Sexy"]

Chulita sexy ♪

Chulita sexy ♪

Que te perreque, perreque, perreque ♪

Que te, que te

Perreque, perreque, perreque ♪

Que te, que te

Perreque, perreque, perreque ♪

Que te, que te

Perreque, perreque, perreque ♪

Yo! Yo, where you been?

You've been gone forever.

You know, the bottle girl?

She said that she really

loved my performance

and then we just had sex in the bathroom.

I feel like there's a scene missing.

- Have you guys ever done cocaine?

- What?

She gave me cocaine in the bathroom.

Turns out that I really like cocaine.

- Ah. A-ha!

- Ah. There's the missing scene.

- Hey!

- [Ness] Hey!

- You came!

- Yeah.

I figured if you try and k*ll me,

at least it'll make a good story.

[laughs]

Hi. I'm Santi.

So I've heard. You know you have

an amazing manager here.

Oh, yeah. I

I do know that, actually. [chuckles]

Yeah, she came and found me

in a not at all stalkery kind of way,

and basically demanded

that I come and see you.

I've never seen someone

with so much passion for their client.

I'm sorry that

I didn't get to see you perform.

I didn't realize you were

doing the early bird special.

No, you'll You'll come to the next one.

I'm not sure about that,

but I'll catch you down the line

at some point.

Great to meet you.

Bye!

Damn, I wish she could have seen you!

I acted like a crazy person for nothing!

No, maybe you didn't.

Maybe you didn't.

Why did he say it all intense

and ominously like that?

- Where is he going?

- I don't know.

But if I had to guess,

it's certainly to do with more cocaine.

Pa' la cama, pa' la cama, pa' la cama ♪

Pa' la cama, pa' la cama, pa' la cama

Dе frente ♪

[whistles]

Pa' la cama, pa' la cama, pa' la cama

Si no' vamo' ♪

[imperceptible]

Pa' comerte ese fugin ♪

Pa' la cama, pa' la cama, pa' la cama ♪

Si no' vamo' pa' la cama

Pa' la cama ♪

[music stops]

["Exagerao" playing]

Oh, no.

- Estamos activos! Santi!

- [crowd cheering]

[Santi] Whoo!

[singing "Exagerao"]

De mi mente tu no sales ♪

Dejaste una huella ♪

La baby se pone psycho ♪

Si le bailó a ella ♪

- Se que tú quieres perrear ♪

- [crowd cheering]

Y yo vi que andas sola ♪

Ese culo tú lo vas a tener que guardar ♪

Por que si tu me lo das

No te lo devuelvo ♪

Si te escondes, te busco en mi

Mente siempre te encuentro ♪

Tu dices que eres lowkey

Pero ese ♪

- [music stops]

- [microphone feedback whines]

Uh

[club music playing faintly]

Hey, this is cool. We're in club jail.

Yeah.

Santi, what the f*ck?

I went out on a limb for you.

[Santi] I'm sorry.

I don't I don't know what happened.

Okay? I just

I just felt that the moment was like

Have you ever done cocaine?

¿Qué carajo te pasa, loco?

Mala mía, qué papelón.

I'm sorry.

You wanna punch me?

Not gonna punch you, cabrón.

No es pa' tanto.

You could maybe kick him.

So f*cking stupid.

Cabrón, you're such a rookie, man.

But you know what, actually?

I like what you did up there.

You got something.

You're legit, man.

I remember when I was coming up.

I know how hard it is.

I respect the hustle.

Maybe we can do something together.

Why not, man?

- Wait, are you for real?

- Of course, I'm for real.

Next time I come to Miami,

I'll hit you up, man.

Yeah.

It's getting late for me.

I gotta run now. Take care, papi.

Okay.

[door opens]

I take back everything I just said.

- [laughing]

- Yeah, thank God for cocaine.

I don't think that's the lesson

we should be taking from this.

[exhales]

["Perreo Palantero" playing]