Agushto Papá is turning up the volume and reaching wider audiences. On Monday, iHeartMedia announced that the popular música Mexicana podsters, Agushto Papá, will be joining My Cultura Podcast Network, an initiative that elevates Latino storytellers in audio.
“The hosts [of Agushto Papá] have built this series into a cultural force, connecting with a new generation of listeners through humor, personal stories and a deep passion for Mexican music,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts, in a statement to The Times. “This partnership reflects our network’s ongoing mission to elevate and amplify creators who speak authentically to Latino identity and community.”
Forging a partnership with the No. 1 podcast publisher (according to Podtrac) is a dream come true for young regional music enthusiasts Jason Nuñez, Diego Mondragon and Angel Lopez, who launched Agushto Papá Podcast in Nuñez’s parent’s garage.
“ We’re super blessed to be in the position that we are in because of the people supporting us,” said Nuñez about the partnership. “It feels good to be one of the first [of] Gen Z to have a podcast on the platform.”
Since 2021, the trio has played an essential role in chronicling the rise of música Mexicana, which has grown in popularity in the last couple of years.
“ When it started, it was just talking about what what we love and what caught our attention,” said Lopez. “There was no sort of plan there.”
Their laid-back setting and off-the-cuff interview style gave promising regional acts the opportunity to showcase their raw talent and personality. Popular genre singers like Becky G, Ivan Cornejo, DannyLux and more have appeared on their programming, which spans across all social media platforms, including Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, where the trio has amassed over 674,000 followers.
But the impact of Agushto Papá goes beyond music. Earlier this year, they used their platform to call for more support from artists amid the sweeping ICE raids that targeted predominantly Latino communities. Nuñez and Mondragon have also been vocal about their experience as recipients of DACA, a work relief program for undocumented youth arrivals that has come under attack in recent years by the Trump administration.
Now with the support of My Cultura Podcast Network, the podcasters want to bring more of themselves and their community into the national conversation. Their new programming with iHeartMedia will be set up to receive calls and messages from listeners. “ We’re gonna make some really cool stuff happen,” said Lopez.
“The past two seasons have been very artist-focused, but we just opened up this new season talking about our experiences at the concerts,” said Mondragon, referring to their latest podcast episode, where they break down the feverish backstage world of Neton Vega’s concert.
Since launching in 2021, My Cultura Podcast Network has become home to more than 60 Latino programs, including “Lone Lobos” with Xolo Maridueña and Jacob Bertrand and “More Better” with Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero. Maria Hinojosa’s Latino USA, the longest-running Latino-focused news and culture program in the country, also joins the network today.
In June, actor Eva Longoria and her Hyphenate Media group— who is set to direct and produce a film adaptation of Xochitl Gonzalez’s novel “Anita de Monte Laughs Last” — joined Wilmer Valderrama as stakeholders in the network. The “That ’70s Show” actor also hosts the podcast “Dos Amigos” alongside Freddy Rodriguez.
“ Knowing that all these resources exist and they’re available to us, it’s really exciting to see how far we’re gonna be able to take it,” said Mondragon.
New episodes of “Agushto Papá” will be posted weekly on Mondays as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network.
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