For as long as he could remember, Omar Apollo has enjoyed a special hot sauce his mother would make from scratch. To celebrate his Mexican-American heritage, the actor, singer, and songwriter teamed up with Taco Bell to bring the special recipe to the masses, along with a limited-edition liquid-infused vinyl of his 2024 album God Said No.
Smoky with roasted tomatillos, peppers, lime, and a secret family spice blend, Apollo’s Disha Hot Sauce has been available at Taco Bell since September 26 and marks the first hot sauce collaboration between the fast food giant and an artist.
The sauce packets feature messages from Apollo—“Hotter in Person,” “My Mom Made This,” and “Who’s Omar Apollo?”— which can be purchased separately or as part of the limited-edition Disha Hot Discovery Box ($8.99), which includes a Doritos Locos Taco, a Crunchy Taco, Cheesy Gordita Crunch, chips with nacho cheese sauce, and a medium drink.
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The first 500 rewards members were also able to access the limited-edition autographed and liquid-infused Taco Bell X Disha Hot vinyl variant of God Said No and an exclusive bottle of Disha Hot Sauce.
After Omar’s parents emigrated from Guadalajara, Mexico to the U.S., they opened El Super Taco, a tiny Mexican restaurant where his mother made the special (Disha) house sauce, which she brought home to the family and continued making long after they had to close the family business. Apollo and his siblings would often request the sauce for their birthdays or other special occasions.
“Everyone’s family has that one recipe they believe is worth sharing with the rest of the world, for me it’s Disha Hot Hot Sauce,” said Apollo of the recipe in a statement. “It’s not just about the flavors that take me back to my childhood, but about honoring my heritage and the countless sacrifices my parents made for me to pursue my passions.”
He added, ”“Bringing Disha Hot Hot Sauce to the world has always been my dream and I’m grateful to partner with Taco Bell to celebrate the flavors that make us who we are and create new memories with the people we love.”
Apollo released his second album God Said No, featuring actor Pedro Pascal and Mustafa and the singles “Less of You,” “Spite”, and “Dispose of Me” and is on tour throughout the U.S. through October 11. Partially recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, God Said No was produced by Apollo, along with Blake Slatkin, Teo Halm, and Carter Lang.
“The album doesn’t feel like it’s a bunch of songs put together,” said Apollo of the album. “It’s a sequence that is made to be listened to front to back. That’s what I love about it. The songs, the writing, the narrative, everything about it is just from someone who has progressed in music. You can just tell.”
Photos: Courtesy of Taco Bell / The Syndicate
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