Join in the conversation! Welcome back to another episode of the Hella Chisme Podcast! Rico Prada went on a reality dating show to find love — and came home with receipts on colorism, masculinity, and what dating as an Afro-Latino gay man actually costs. The Afro-Cuban mechanic, model, and dancer from For the Love of Dills Season 2 sits down with Dana for one of the rawest Hella Chisme conversations yet: hairy butts, bad breath, dark rooms, and the gay dating truths nobody says out loud. Rico breaks down growing up between his African American and Cuban sides, why he identifies as Afro first and Cubano second, and what it took to leave LA for San Diego and finally slow down. He gets honest about the colorism he's navigated in go-go dancing and gay nightlife, the stranger who demanded a Spanish voice note to "prove" he was really Latino, and why he's tired of auditioning for his own identity. Then it goes behind the scenes of For the Love of Dills: the 24/7 filming, the 12-hour shoot days, the two-drink limit before confessionals, and why he says his relationship with Nigel Battle was 100% real. Plus his take on masculinity as both "the prize" and "the most toxic," the pressure he felt to be a pure top, and the day he cried trying on a corset. Then we play Would You Rather — gay dating edition. The hot takes get spicy: body hair, bad breath, ashy skin, dark rooms, and whether he'd rather know every person who wants his man or every person his man ever wanted. Stick around to the end for Rico's unfiltered dating hot takes and the affirmation he leaves for anybody still learning how to let themselves be loved. Follow Rico Prada: Instagram: @rico.prada17 Linktree Got a dating truth of your own? Drop it in the comments — Dana reads every single one. New episodes of Hella Chisme every other week. Like, comment, subscribe, and tell a friend. LINK: https://linktr.ee/hellachismepodcast Topics to include: afro latino, colorism, gay dating, gay dating advice, gay dating show, dating podcast, dating advice, dating advice for men, masculinity, lgbtq, queer, gay men, sexuality, relationships, relationship advice, dating, social commentary, black history, afro latino identity, reality tv dating show, gay dating stories, dating hot takes, black men dating, self love, queer dating, dating preferences, gay culture, body hair, reciprocity in dating, San Diego Support the show Follow Hella Chisme for more culture, conversation, and creative storytelling. Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, and keep up with us on Instagram, Threads, and TikTok at @hellachismepod. Join the chisme, share the episode, and leave a review or comment to support the show.
