Grammy Award-winning artist Jimmy Gomez, also known as Taboo, of The Black Eyed Peas, and his daughter, Jett Gomez, are set to captivate audiences in the third season of Nickelodeon’s DORA. Taboo, who portrays Quickatoo, and Jett, starring as Quickatina, recently shared insights into their experience working on the beloved animated series and their unique father-daughter creative partnership. This summer, Nickelodeon will also release a song Taboo wrote for the DORA series. Since its launch on Nickelodeon on August 14, 2000, Dora the Explorer quickly emerged as a global pop-culture phenomenon and, 25 years later, remains one of the most-watched preschool shows of all time.

A Daughter’s Debut in the Studio

For Jett, her favorite part of working on DORA was creating voices for the characters. She found the studio environment comforting, likening it to being at home, reading books and developing characters with her dad. Taboo expressed his excitement about sharing this space with Jett for her first professional acting experience. He emphasized the importance of Jett being fearless and present, especially with a director and Nickelodeon executives observing. “What better person to do it with than with her dad,” Taboo remarked, highlighting his desire to guide and support her passion. He stressed that having fun together is paramount, making it an ideal way to bond creatively as father and daughter.

Q: My first question is for Jett. What was your favorite part about working with your dad?

Jett: Definitely making voices for the characters. Basically, for like, Quickatina, I got to kind of go all out. And, you know, I felt at home, like, me and my dad read books, and we just make characters for them. We make voices for the characters. So I just kind of pretended that I was at home and I was just talking to my dad.

Taboo: And it’s cool being able to share that space of being in the studio. It’s your first time. She has a director on a big screen telling her how to execute the dialogue or the lines. And then you have the exacts from Nickelodeon right across the way. So she kind of had to just be fearless and just embrace the moment, be present and just love the experience of being able to be part of such a big brand like Dora, you know, it’s her first job, her first time out, what better person to do it with and with her dad. And, you know, I want to be able to guide and support her passion. And this is something that we’re doing together and we’re just we’re having fun. And that’s the most important thing, Monica, is as long as Jet’s having fun and I’m having fun together, it’s like, what better way to bond creatively and as father and daughter?

Crafting “Melodia” for a Milestone Anniversary

The conversation also delved into the creation of the song “Melodia” for DORA‘s 25th anniversary. Taboo underscored the significance of advocating for heroes who represent Native and Mexican descent, especially as his daughter is multicultural, being Filipino, Mexican, and Native American. He views Dora as a long-standing inspiration for youth and families across various communities.

Creating “Melodia” with Jett was a “great extension of the love we have for the brand.” The song originated from an older, unreleased track that Taboo revamped with DJ Artek, infusing it with a modernized Afrobeat sound. They meticulously structured the rap’s cadence and hook, adding layers to ensure other characters could easily sing it in the episode. Taboo cherishes the process of writing songs with Jett, describing it as “something special because we’re doing it together creatively.” The enduring global appeal of Dora for 25 years further underscores the demand for such culturally resonant stories.

Q: I think that speaks to the energy and the spirit of the episode, too, is this father-daughter bonding and these like really fun and great experiences. For you, can you talk about what went into putting Melodia together and how it feels to be a part of Dora’s 25th anniversary?

Taboo: Yeah. So first, let me just tell you the importance of advocating for heroes that represent us maybe in a native and Mexican descent, my daughter being multicultural, being Filipino, Mexican and Native American. We have a representative like Dora inspiring our youth for many years in communities, our families, fathers, daughters, fathers and sons. So for us as a father, daughter, dual, being able to come in here and create a song with Melodia was just a great extension of the love we have for the brand. And I know that throughout time, there’s been songs that have been contributed to different animation series, but this one was from a loving, caring place because it came from a hard drive song that was made many years ago that wasn’t really fleshed out. But once I became Quickatoo, I was like, let me take this little scratch vocal, I got to revamp the beat, make it a little bit more Afrobeat, more like modernized. So we revamp the beat along with DJ Artek. And then we started structuring the cadence of the rap and also the hook. So Jet and I were like singing it like, “Dame, dame, me tio, melodia, mi melodia.” We started adding these layers to it so that it kind of made it feel easy for the other characters to sing it during the episode. So it just came natural. And it’s something that when my daughter and I start writing songs, and even if it’s just songs in a hard drive, it’s something special because we’re doing it together creatively.

A Song Born from Love and Resilience

The DORA episode features Dora seeking Quickatoo and Quickatina’s help to create a song for her puppy. Taboo shared a deeply personal connection to writing music for loved ones, specifically mentioning the song “Baby Girl,” inspired by Jett’s birth. He revealed that Jett is a “miracle baby,” as he was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 and was told he wouldn’t have more children. “Baby Girl” serves as a dedication to Jett, symbolizing their shared triumph over obstacles. Furthermore, Taboo’s profound love and appreciation for being a girl dad. Jett expressed that hearing this makes her feel “really happy” and “special.”

Q: And I think that you really, you’re so right about how important the representation is, but also I think that the fact that Dora has been around for 25 years speaks to the fact that people really want these stories. They really want to hear it. And it resonates across the world. Dora is such a big global sensation. And I think that it is important to like share these moments. This episode centers on Dora needing Quickatoo and Quickatina’s help to create a song for her puppy. Is there a piece of music that you’ve written for a loved one that stands out in your memory?

Taboo: Yeah, so Quickatina is Jett. So Quickatina sparked an idea when she was born for me to write a song called “Baby Girl” when she was born. You got to understand like I’m a cancer survivor. So in 2014 got diagnosed with cancer. They told me that I wasn’t going to have any more children. And Jett was a miracle baby. She was my last daughter, my only daughter and my last child born. So I wrote a song called “Baby Girl” for her on the heels of like we did this together. We overcame the obstacles. And now you’re here represented as my baby girl. And so that was a dedication to the love and the appreciation I have for being a girl dad and the love that I have for Jett.

Q: So Jett, for you, how does it feel to hear your dad say this?

Jett: Well, I feel like really happy. And I feel special.

Taboo: You are special. Absolutely. You’re 100% special.

The Power of Music: From Hip Hop to Bob Marley

When asked about music that uplifts them, Jett enthusiastically cited hip hop songs. As a dancer, she particularly enjoys old school and 90s hip hop, which makes her feel “hyped” and encourages her to dance and sing. Taboo noted that Jett is a “golden era baby,” having introduced her to classics from his own upbringing. Taboo’s personal playlist for getting hyped is diverse, ranging from Selena’s “Como La Flor” and Celia Cruz’s “Carnaval” to Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” which he credits with always uplifting his spirits.

Q: And I want to talk to you both about music and how important it is to have music that makes you feel good and that you’re really excited about. Are there particular songs? And this question is for both of you. So I want to hear from you both. Are there songs that really like get you hyped up that make you happy, that puts you in a better mood?

Jett: Well, I feel like probably every like hip hop song.

Q: I love it. What is it about hip hop that gets you going?

Jett: Well, as a dancer, I do like hip hop stuff. And I really like to dance to like, basically, old and like way back in the 90s. And I really like to dance to those stuff. I like to sing to them. And yeah, I feel like those just get me like really hyped.

Taboo: She’s a golden era baby because I’m from the 90s too. We started our career in the 90s. Black Eyed Peas came out in 1998. So I exposed her to A Trib e Called Quest and De La Soul and, you know, a lot of the old school classics that I grew up with. For me, it’s a variety. You know, we can go Selena, “Como La Flor.” We can go Celia Cruz in “Carnaval.” Or A Trib e Called Quest, “Electric Relaxation.” Modern, which is I love Leon Bridges, “Motorbike.” I know it’s kind of risque, but Leon Bridges, “Motorbike” is a good song, good beat. We could go Black Eyed Peas, “Pump It” to get us hyped. Or we can go Bob Marley, “Three Little Birds” gets me hyped. “Don’t Worry About a Thing.” That song is always making me feel good and it uplifts my spirits.

A Message of Connection and Pride

Looking ahead, Jett hopes that audiences will “love that episode” and “feel happy” after watching it. Taboo aspires for viewers to recognize the powerful connection between a father and daughter, as well as their dedication to advocating for their communities. He emphasized his long-standing championing of indigenous communities and expressed immense pride in his daughter representing Dora, serving as a matriarch figure to inspire youth and speak to their culture. Furthermore, Taboo hopes the episode encourages people to strive for their best selves and celebrates girl dads, affirming his pride in working with Jett and his unwavering support for her. Cartoons like Dora the Explorer are crucial as they mark the beginning of storytelling and profoundly shape narratives from an early age.

Q: And my last question for the both of you is what do you hope audiences take away with them after they watch your episode?

Jett: Probably they’re just like, like, really like, “I love that episode.” They just feel like happy. And yeah.

Taboo: I want them to take away the connection between a father and a daughter. The love that we have for, you know, advocating for our communities, being proud Native Mexican representatives. You know, like, I championed my indigenous communities for a long time outside of animation and now to be able to have my daughter represent for Dora and be part of Dora, a little matriarch for our communities to inspire our youth and to speak to our communities and our culture. And say, look, we can strive to be the best and be better versions of ourselves each day and be proud to be girl dads. Like, I’m proud of having a daughter and I’m proud to be able to work with her and I’m going to continue working with her and advocate for her and let her know that I got her back every step of the way.

Beyond DORA: New Ventures

Inspired by their shared podcasting at home, Taboo revealed his upcoming podcast, “Comic Books and Kicks.” This new venture will delve into his passions for comic books, toys, action figures, and sneaker culture. Taboo proudly embraces his “geek” identity and will continue to advocate for communities that share a love for storytelling.

Q: Absolutely. And I hope that, you know, you guys both know that sometimes people think that cartoons are just for kids and they don’t take it seriously. But for so many of us, it’s the beginning of storytelling. It’s the beginning of, you know, when we learn about different narratives and things and it shapes us from such an early age. So Dora the Explorer is one of those examples of really important stories. And I’m so excited to see you guys be a part of it. And I saw the episode. I think it’s great. And I can’t wait for people to see it. Love the song. You guys did a great job. So I hope to see you guys back in the world of Dora soon.

Taboo: Yeah. We also, Jett and I at home, we started doing podcasts, which inspired me to do my own podcast called “Comic Books and Kicks.” That’ll be coming soon, where we discuss comic books, toys, action figures and sneaker culture because those are the things that I’m passionate about. And it’s straight geek mode. I love being a nerd. I’m proud to be a nerd. And I will continue advocating for those communities and the people that love storytelling.

A third season of DORA will start streaming on Wednesday, July 2, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., and include a special birthday-themed episode also premiering on Nickelodeon, the week of the 25th anniversary on Friday, Aug. 15. DORA has also been renewed for a fourth season that will premiere later this year.