Music Anthony Ramos shares frustrations on feeling put in a box by the music industry "So you want me to just write whatever is more marketable," Ramos says in conversation with Becky G, "but you don't want me to say what's inside of me?" By Lester Fabian Brathwaite Lester Fabian Brathwaite Lester Fabian Brathwaite is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly, where he covers breaking news, all things Real Housewives, and a rich cornucopia of popular culture. Formerly a senior editor at Out magazine, his work has appeared on NewNowNext, Queerty, Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker. He was also the first author signed to Phoebe Robinson's Tiny Reparations imprint. He met Oprah once. EW's editorial guidelines Published on December 27, 2021 06:52PM EST Anthony Ramos has had to fight against being put into a box his entire career. Though the multi-hyphenate Hamilton alum struck gold with the release of the film adaptation of the musical In the Heights, an ebullient celebration of Latino culture — when it comes to his music, he's apparently not Latin enough. At least in the eyes and ears of the gatekeepers of the music industry. Anthony Ramos at the "In the Heights" premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Festival. Roy Rochlin/WireImage In a new episode of Face to Face with Becky G, Ramos, and host, singer Becky G, discuss the challenges he's faced when it comes to meeting, or rather defying, expectations with his music. "You make the record of your life. You're like, 'Yo, I cannot write a better group of songs than this,'" Ramos says. "And the steaming platform says, or somebody working at some company, is like, 'But he's Latin. Why he don't make Latin music?' And you're like, 'What?!' Or, 'If he did that, we would lean into him more.'" Despite being told by executives that if he "leaned this way more you'd be more marketable," Ramos has decidedly gone his own way. In 2018, he released The Freedom EP, inspired by the ramifications of the 2016 election, followed by the studio albums The Good & the Bad in 2019 and Love and Lies in 2021, which lean more into pop, hip hop, and R&B. "This is what I'm leaning into, this is what I'm doing," Ramos insists. "This is coming from my heart, this is what's pouring out from me when I step into the studio. So you want me to just write whatever is more marketable but you don't want me to say what's inside of me? Which is actually, probably what people want to feel and want to hear anyway." Anthony Ramos on Facebook Live's "Face to Face with Becky G.". becky g/ facebook watch Frustratingly enough, Ramos faced almost the opposite criticism in his acting career when he was told to be more "ethnically ambiguous" so as not to be put into the "Latino box." "Folks would say to me that if you grow your hair out and speak in American Standard, you can be more ethnically ambiguous; you won't be in the 'Latino box,'" Ramos revealed earlier this year. "I thought that s--- was a box, as opposed to being a superpower and just who I am." "I don't want to be hired for being ambiguous," he added. "I want to be hired for who the f--- I am." That ethos has worked out well for him, and he's passing it on to the next generation. For any up-and-coming Latinx creatives who might face some of the reductive thinking as he has over the years, Ramos advises not to be afraid of telling your own story. "Your story is unique and your story is amazing. Don't be afraid to tell it," Ramos tells Becky G. "Be proud of where you come from and who you are." Face to Face with Becky G with guest Anthony Ramos premieres Dec. 28 at 9amPT / 12pmET on Facebook Watch. Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Related content: In the Heights star Anthony Ramos was told to be 'ethnically ambiguous' early in career Lin-Manuel Miranda 'truly sorry' amid criticism about In the Heights lack of Afro-Latino representation Anthony Ramos and Jasmine Cephas Jones end their engagement after 6 years together