Bingeworthy Latino Led Shows: The Get Down
There’s a lot of snow in the forecast lately, so what better way to spend your days off than with a good, old fashioned Netflix binge? For your next #Bingeworthy show, look no further than Netflix’s sleeper-hit, The Get Down. This high-energy show is all about the hip-hop movement in the 80s, prominently featuring several Latino characters in lead roles.
If you’re a music nut like me, you’ll love The Get Down. There’s a lot of historical accuracies fused into this show as it chronicles the rise of hip-hop in New York. Expect several big name drops and appearances from key players of the 80s hip-hop movement like Grandmaster Flash himself. The show doesn’t shy away from Latinos involvement -particularly Puerto Ricans- in the formation of hip-hop culture, prominently featuring several Latino and Afro-Latino characters amongst the leads.
In the conversation about the rise of hip-hop in the US, Latinos are often forgotten. That’s part of what makes The Get Down such an interesting show -and part of what made its premise so intriguing to its stars. “I’m glad [the Latino presence is there,” said Herizen Guardiola, who played Mylene in the series. Jimmy Smits, who plays her uncle Francisco Cruz, also praised the shows Latino inclusion, referencing Latin “decima.”
The story of The Get Down is also profoundly personal for Smits, who saw the rise of the hip-hop genre while living in the Bronx. He called the process of starring in this show “emotional,” citing how he’d often see set pieces that were recreations of places he’d ventured to as a child in the Bronx.
The Get Down is unapologetically Latino, often portraying characters as speaking Spanish or talking about their familial roots and customs. Culture is put on the front burner in this show which is both refreshingly fun and awesomely deep. It’s been a few years since the show ended and yet, I still cannot recommend The Get Down enough.
What about you? Did you love The Get Down as much as I did? Let us know in the comments below!
