Jhayco came into his own with his latest release Le Clique: Vida Rockstar (X), the high concept trilogy-based album that demonstrates his chameleonic-like ability to adapt to almost any type of song or production within the Latin music canon and beyond. And speaking of beyond, the artist formerly known as Jhay Cortez is starring in Netflix shows these days, the reggaeton drama Neon, while still continuing to be in-demand for hitmakers and hot artists looking for a memorable feature.
Years in the making, Le Clique was recorded in studios across the world including Paris, Madrid, Puerto Rico, LA and Miami, absorbing the energy of all of those locales and weaving them into a 29-song opus produced by Jhayco, and written by Jhayco. If you can’t find something to bump here, Latin music may not be for you.
We caught up with Jhayco right before his latest dropped to talk snacks and learned about his love for extremely spicy food, his unhealthy obsession with In-N-Out, what he’s been work-shopping personally in his home kitchen. We also took a deep dive into Jhayco’s favorite restaurants in Miami, Mexico and New York, what he orders at his favorite Indian spot and what sweets he travels with at all times.
What is on your rider?
For me, I like drinks. I like white wine, Sunset, definitely water, Gatorade, electrolytes, and a lot of fruits. I love fruits. Green grapes, watermelon, mango, and banana. I like Fiji and Gatorade.
How about when you’re in the studio?
When I’m in the studio, I’m always white wine. I’m a wine person every day.
When you’re on the road and you get to the hotel, are you taking stuff out of the mini bar?
I’m taking stuff out of the mini-bar and I have snacks always in my luggage. I always take something just in case. Sometimes we’re in Europe and everything’s closed, so I always have some little snacks in like chips or chocolate chip cookies. I love chocolate chip cookies. I have some candy. Any gummy candies. I like the gummy worms with sugar and without sugar.
What do you eat for a meal before you perform?
I eat anything a big meal could be. It depends on where I’m at. If I’m in Mexico, I’m eating tacos. If I’m in L.A. I’m at In-N-Out. But I have to eat before I get on stage because if not, my voice feels weak. So I got to get that energy.
Afterwards, are you going out for another meal? Are you doing DoorDash or you just going to sleep?
It depends. If it’s too late then I’ll probably just get takeout. Nothing messes me up. I got an iron stomach. When we was in San Diego for Beach Fest and In-N-Out closes at, I think it is at 1:00 AM. So I got an Uber package to pick it up and take it to my hotel so I could eat it.
That’s a boss move. What’s your order at In-N-Out?
A number one, which is not the double, the single, raw onions and the animal fries, extra animal fries and coke and the Neapolitan milkshake. They don’t have it on the menu. You got to know that one.
Dropping gems on us. When you’re on tour, are there any cities or places you’re looking to get to because of the food?
I love restaurants. I can never wait to get to L.A. because of In-N-Out. I’m like an In-N-Out freak. We was in San Diego five days and five days I ate In-N-Out probably two times a day.
In Mexico there’s this restaurant called Martinez and they have this spicy chicken because the owner used to live in Mississippi and Louisiana. So he’s Mexican but lived there. So the spice is top tier. He has one Michelin star. So I’m excited about that. When I get to New York, I’m excited to go to Opera. You heard about that restaurant? So fucking good. That’s my new go-to.
What are you ordering at Opera?
I order the Greek salad. I order the lobster pasta. I order so much stuff. Every time I finish I have to go to sleep.
Are there any favorite restaurants or spots that you have in Miami that are go-to’s?
I love Zuma. Zuma in Miami is my favorite restaurant. I get the grilled lobster and the calamari. Those are my two favorites, and the yellowtail sashimi. And another spot in Miami. Mofongo. Definitely Puerto Rican food. So sometimes I go to Mofongo and I love Colombian food. I love Bandeja. That’s my go-to. When I’m in Europe, that’s all I eat because in Europe the food’s different. So that’s the only thing that makes me feel like I’m a little bit at home.
I grew up between Puerto Rico, Canada, and New Jersey. I used to go to Philly almost every weekend with my grandma. She used to take me on the train. Cheesesteaks in Philly are insane.
Are there places that you remember going to in Puerto Rico when you go back there that you’re like, “If you’re in Puerto Rico, you got to go here”?
Puerto Rico is really diverse because we got a lot of ocean food, seafood. We have a lot of seafood everywhere. I always get Vasos de Carrucho. I love Carrucho. It’s my GOAT. That’s my shit.
I heard you’ve been cooking at home. What’s your signature dish?
I’m still learning, but I do a lot of chuletas. I love chuletas. Pork, I love it. I know how to do it perfectly. I do some rice, I do some beans, and probably some Tostones or some plantains. Yeah. I always throw a little banana on it too. That’s some Puerto Rican shit.
Are there other great places to get Puerto Rican food in the U.S. outside Miami?
No, but I love Bombay Darbar. That’s Indian food. I love spicy food, so that’s one of my go-to’s.
Is there anything that you eat that people think is gross?
Well, I eat all my food with bananas, so that’s probably weird. That’s some Puerto Rican stuff like rice and beans and a banana. We do rice and beans and then cut the banana in it. And also we put bananas in cereal too.
So if you could have any franchise of any sort of food business, what would it be?
In-N-Out.
And how about if you could be the face or ambassador for any snack or food brand, would it also be..?
In-N-Out.
In-N-Out across the board?
Hell yeah.
I love spicy food a lot.
Do you get into Korean food and kimchi’s and stuff like that? Or mainly Indian and Spanish spicy food?
I prefer Indian a lot. In Indian food, I always get the chicken tikka masala. I also get the lentils. I love the lentils because it’s spicy. I love the chicken curry. Got to put some yogurt on it so the spice comes down a little bit. And the rice. I always like the chicken biryani. I also like this soup that’s really spicy. Hold on let me find it… Pho. I love Pho. It always sends me to the bathroom though, because I put sriracha on there. I put mad sriracha until it’s red.
