How Lisa Lisa inspired Jennifer Lopez to be a singer: ‘I was the very first Latina to cross over’

nypost.com:

Jennifer Lopez, there was Lisa Lisa.And the Latina diva who broke straight outta Hell’s Kitchen with “I Wonder If I Take You Home” 40 years ago gave her fellow Nuyorican an early boost of boricua power early in her career.“We were actually in rehearsals for the ‘Let the Beat Hit ’Em’ video, the artist born Lisa Velez, 59, told The Post about her 1991 hit with Cult Jam. “That’s when I met her.“And Darrin Henson was the choreographer was the choreographer for that video.

He introduced me to her. At that point, she was a Fly Girl [dancer on ‘In Living Color’].”But J.Lo already had bigger dreams of following in Lisa Lisa’s freestyle footsteps.“She told me she was trying to put music out,” she said. “I said, ‘Oh cool.’ [Henson] just wanted to invite her so that she could watch the process of doing a video and what it takes.”Later in the ’90s, Lopez would go on to be a part of a Latin pop movement that Lisa Lisa started when “I Wonder If I Take You Home” came out in May 1985.

And with her recent Lifetime biopic “Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story” and a 40th anniversary tour — which includes a performance at the legendary Apollo Theater on Saturday — the groundbreaking singer is still making major moves.“I was the very first Latina to cross over and open up a couple of doors for these youngins,” said Lisa Lisa.“But I never focus on that.

I just love everything that I’ve done and everything that I still want to do … and I’m just gonna keep it moving. Whatever it is I’m doing to open doors for people, I will continue.”It’s a journey that started when a teenage Lisa Lisa — going to Julia Richman High School on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and working at Benetton — recorded “I Wonder If I Take You Home” after successfully.