What does Gerardo Mejia have in common with Snoop Dogg, T.I., and Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs? No, not a music career — a reality show! Suave Says premieres next month on VH1, and will follow the erstwhile “Rico Suave” and his beauty queen wife as they deal with the lasting effects of his fame (apparently, there are some) and raise their teenage children.
If you recall your 1990s music history, the Ecuatoriano once performed simply as Gerardo, a bare-chested Latin lothario who Campbellocked his way into the pop culture consciousness. He hit the #7 spot on the Billboard charts with his bilingual, um, rap song, “Rico Suave” which was kind of a “Mothers, don’t let your daughters grow up to date vaqueros” cautionary tale.
Although his own career stalled, Mejia lingered in the music industry as an A&R exec and eventually signed international pop sensation Enrique Iglesias to Interscope Records. By 2004, he was a Christian youth pastor, and decided to give the old recording artist thing another shot, releasing 180 Degrees on Univision Records.
Which brings us to the ten-part docu-series, Suave Says, which Mejia says will introduce VH1’s audience to “[his] wild family. We’re like Ricky and Lucy but with a handful of crazy kids trying to run my casa.” Although VH1 has only released a teaser for the show, it looks like Mejia will be fighting to wear the torn jeans in this family.
Are you excited? We are! How could you not be with lyrics like these:
I don’t drink or smoke ain’t into dope
Won’t try no coke, ask me how I do it, I cope
My only addiction has to do with the female species
I eat ’em raw like sushi
Suave Says premieres December 3 on VH1 at 10pm