Musical biopic TV shows are all the rage these days. Celia. Luismi. Juanga. All the greats have been getting their own series lately. And now we can add Nicky Jam to this ever-growing roster. The story of the Boston-born reggaetonero is coming to the small screen very soon in a series aptly titled, Nicky Jam: El Ganador. Tracing the humble roots of the worldwide phenom that he is, the show looks to tell not only the story of how Nick Rivera Caminero became “Nicky Jam” (you know, the guy recently hobnobbing with everyone from Will and Jaden Smith to Jimmy Fallon) but also the story of the reggaeton genre altogether.
The 13-episode musical drama, which was shot in Colombia, México, Puerto Rico and Nueva York will feature three Nickys, all of whom you can see in the most recently-released trailer. There’s 9 year-old Nick, played by newcomer Avery Rodríguez who can be seen nailing a family birthday serenade. There’s “Young Nicky,” played by Puerto Rican urban pop singer and rapper Darkiel, who gets to sport very unflattering 90s bangs showing the rougher parts of the singer’s past (lots of guns and gangs). And then there’s Nicky Jam himself, getting to show off his skills on camera while showing what it is that makes him such an electric performer.
Scored by “El Ganador” (obviously), the trailer shows a globe-trotting origin story. With production quality rivaling that of Narcos and Snowfall, though decidedly much more upbeat in visual flair and musical style, Nicky Jam: El Ganador is ultimately about a young Latino trying to stay off the streets (and drugs) and jumping onto the stage where he belongs. And yes, before you ask, the show will include Daddy Yankee (José Arroyo), so expect their early rivalry/collabs to make an appearance in this Spanish-language series.
Check out the official trailer below. But, do yourself a favor and do not read the comments under the YouTube clip since the reggaeton haters are out in full force against the project.
Nicky Jam: El Ganador will stream around the world on Netflix on November 30th; those of us in the US and Puerto Rico will have to wait to catch it on Telemundo soon thereafter.