Behind the Hit: Enharmonic Productions

Posted on March 9, 2011

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or maybe the 190th St A train station – a huge rock – chances are that you’ve probably come across “Pan Con Queso.” No, not the Dominican breakfast special available in 9-out-of-10 Uptown bakeries, grocery stores and coffee shops! We’re actually referring to the comedic ode to rapper, Wiz Khalifa’s, “Black And Yellow.” It’s the viral spoof, shot right here in Inwood, that’s banked over 200K hits on YouTube alone! But here’s something that you might not know about Juan Bago and “O,” the stars of the parody. They’re frauds. Oh, but it’s no secret. And it certainly isn’t a repeat of the 90’s Milli Vanilli episode! You see, Bago planned it this way. After all the calculated hype, he knew he’d have the opportunity to drop the real “hit” – his team.

The simple version of the “Pan Con Queso” story goes like this: it was dreamed up after a late night telephone conversation between Bago and “O.” However, the full story is a little more complex. The fact is, that behind the Bago brand of comedy, lies some serious harmonic talent in the form of business partners, Tommie Nibbs, vocalist on the track, and Jeff Lapaix, lyricist and song-writer. That’s right, “Pan Con Queso” is actually a two-fold deal, one part acting, the other part, professional sound produced by actual musicians. Go figure!

As it turns out, the multi-faceted Bago has associates that actually run Enharmonic Studios, a full-fledged production house equipped with a control room, sound room, instruments and a lounge, right here in Inwood! How’s that for homegrown success? Not to mention, strategy!

Alas, residents of Washington Heights and Inwood in need of audio production, studio time, or maybe just a buzz-worthy viral song, now have a local sound lab to turn to. Give them a ring. Tell them the Uptown Collective sent you; we’re sure they’ll appreciate it!