A GLAM-nominated party maker hosting a GLAM-nominated party, Papito Suave brings sexy fun to nightlifers of all varieties. [Cover photo: Leandro Justen]
Thotyssey: Hello Papito, thanks for chatting today! First off: congrats on your recent GLAM nomination for Best Party Producer! Well-deserved!
Papito Suave: Thank you so much!
Do you know what you’re gonna wear to the show?
Not a single clue… but anyone who knows me will tell you I’m definitely wearing some kind of leather harness.
That’s what we’re hoping for, lol! So when you have an event like the next “NSFW” (itself a GLAM nominee as well) coming up, what’s the process like for you of getting everyone and everything together?
Luckily for my team, we have been throwing this party for over a year so we have it down to a perfect formula. I have my resident DJs (Roman Sensation, Ickarus, P_A_T, June Weimar) who are always prepared to turn the party and know what’s expected of them. We have special shows we put on throughout the night that are thought of weeks in advance, and our special guests and themes are always planned months in advance as well. Whenever I’m inspired, I jot it down and start the process ASAP. Honestly, the hardest part is just figuring what new look I’m going to pull that night… because I always leave that to last minute, lol.
Are you a New York native, and have you been coming out into the night for awhile now?
Yeah, actually–born and raised uptown Manhattan, in Dyckman. I actually have been in the scene for a while. Back from 2014 to 2017 I was an LGBT rep for Coors Light, so I worked with all the gay bars behind the scenes promoting our beer. Then I bartended at the Monster Bar in 2018. Next, Frankie Sharp gave me my first hosting gig in 2019… and in 2021, I started producing my own events. I’ve always been around!
When you started event producing, would you say you always had a certain “brand” or mission statement, etc.?
So when I worked behind the scenes, I always had additional guest passes or lists to invite my friends; I always looked around and realized that we were the only ones that looked like us in those spaces. As I got older and understood the industry better, my goal was to create another space where our people (POC) are the party. We are occupying the VIP spaces, we are being bombarded by photographers, we are skipping the line, our music is being danced to. We are being celebrated, and we are why people are coming to party. And most importantly, we are being paid.
You work with Kandy Muse a lot, who perfectly represents the themes of NSFW. Is she a longtime friend, or more recent?
Oh, Miss Kandy and I shared our little moment of intimacy back in the day, and she indeed is my soulmate… but we are just best friends. She’s honestly the most loyal friend, and even brought me into the House of Muse alongside Xunami Muse and Lucas Skywalker. Those are my ride-or-dies!
NSFW is now a twice-monthly party (second and fourth Fridays) at Hush. How did it all begin?
“NSFW” (or NotSafeForWork) started back in Brooklyn in 2021. Nightlife was going through a post-pandemic renaissance, and there were so many moments up for grabs. Me and Janelle No. 5 were asked to pick up a night at 3 Dollar Bill with no concept, so we got to the drawing board and started our creative process. We thought of how sexy the BDSM / fetish world is, but how taboo it is in mainstream culture. We wanted a night where QPOC could make their naughtiest fantasy into their sexiest reality without being fetishized–a night of sexual liberation and empowerment through BDSM / fetish fashion without any commitment. Somewhere we can celebrate sexual stories of all gender identities, bodies sizes, and backgrounds through our own diverse music, which isn’t typically played in spaces reserved for BDSM communities. And that’s how NSFW was born! Then we wanted to have more moments for us and bring it into HK where we needed more diversity, so Hush offered us a new home in March this year.
Hush has become the destination for popular weekend parties of a sexier nature. That venue’s slightly older sister club The Q opened with a big bang last year, but recently came under intense scrutiny post-Frankie Sharp’s lawsuit: lots of accusations about that space came about, like racist / transphobic door policing, shady practices, underage drug use, etc. The folks at Hush have done a good job of distancing themselves from all that, but did you have to think or worry about that when it all came out?
Of course! But the two establishments operate separately, with two different forms of management and logistics… and have very little overlap. Nonetheless, it was a concern. But Hush has been and always will be a QPOC-centered spot with a POC heavy staff, programming and clientele. That’s why they come back! We walk the walk, and we the talk.
What happened at the Q was devastating and a direct result of [original co-owner] Alan Picus, who is no longer a part of the establishment. I personally don’t lump those names together because there is more to the Q than Alan’s story. Today, the Q has been working effortlessly to regain the trust of the community through the leadership of Xavier Blanco, David Lopez, Danny Blu and Janae SaisQuoi. I encourage anyone who’s comfortable to check out their progress on IG, or even stop in. The team has done an amazing job at committing to the community. The energy in the space has shifted, and their whole staff truly reflects our community. Much love to them.
NSFW returns to Hush this Friday! Kimora Blac will be in the house… she’s told us this is her favorite party and venue in NYC.
Oh baby, the other parties are where the RuGirls work… NSFW is where the RuGirls PARTY! Anytime a RuGirl comes into town, you can find them dancing away at NSFW! Kimora is one of our NSFW favorite guests. Y’all better come out and see her… and it’s her birthday weekend too!
So what else is coming up for you as 2022 draws to a close?
Besides preparing to win these two GLAM Award categories, lol… I have my final NSFW for the year at Hush on Friday, December 23 at 11.30pm. Called “NSFW: XXXMAS” so come in your sexiest Christmas fetish looks.
Actually, if you’re reading this article, follow and DM the NSFW page with the password “XXXMAS” and you’ll receive free entry! A gift from me to you! Happy Holidays!
Excellent! Okay lastly: what do you want for Christmas?
A fucking break from everything, and a first class ticket to an all inclusive hotel in Bali! Lol, I’m exhausted! Between NSFW, helping produce “LECHE” at Hush, helping the Q with their programming, and all these other one off projects… I need a break!
Santa, give her bed and a Do Not Disturb sign! Thanks Papito!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Papito Suave’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Also follow his party “NSFW” on Instagram.
Thotyssey 