LIV club owner David Grutman says Drake, Bad Bunny friendship started with him (Exclusive)

Clare Mulroy, USA TODAYMon, April 6, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC

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What’s a bigger flex than Kim Kardashian writing the foreword to your first book? A whole chapter about how you introduced Bad Bunny and Drake.

In his new leadership manifesto, “Take It Personal” (out April 14 from Zando), hospitality entrepreneur David Grutman tracks his career from bartender to magnate. Grutman is best known as the owner of the LIV nightclubs and the Komodo restaurants. He partnered with Bad Bunny to open a restaurant, Gekkō, and appeared in his Super Bowl halftime show.

Now, USA TODAY is bringing readers a first look at how that friendship began.

“Take It Personal is about turning passion into something real and doing it at the highest level while playing the long game," Grutman told USA TODAY in a statement. "You have to take it all personal: the wins, the losses, all of it. This is my playbook for building something people feel, something that actually lasts. I want people to walk away paying attention to every detail, thinking bigger, moving faster, and not being afraid to bet on themselves. When you truly take it personal that’s when everything changes.”

Exclusive excerpt from 'Take It Personal' by David Grutman

Bad Bunny and David Grutman collaborated to open Gekko, a Japanese-inspired steakhouse in Miami.

I remember when I first heard about a new artist from Puerto Rico named Bad Bunny. He was getting a lot of buzz, and I could see why – he had that rare mix of talent, charisma, and drive. I’ve always trusted my instinct when it comes to spotting potential, and this time, it told me he was going to be huge. When we finally met, we instantly clicked. He was funny, grounded, and focused on building something lasting. I knew I wanted to support him, not because I expected anything in return but because nothing makes me happier than helping people connect and grow.

That’s a big part of who I am, especially in my work as an entrepreneur in hospitality. Whether it’s through my restaurants, clubs, or ventures, I’m always hosting, always bringing people together. Around the time I met Bad Bunny, my friend Drake was in Miami recording his album Scorpion. We met for dinner, and as we caught up, Drake asked me who the most exciting new artist was. Without hesitation, I said, “Bad Bunny.”

I had Bad Bunny’s manager Noah Assad on the line and told him, “Drake wants to do a song with Bad Bunny.” He was skeptical. “Everyone says that, but nothing ever happens,” he said. I handed the phone to Drake, who told Noah himself, “If you don’t come here, I’ll come to you.”

The next day, Bad Bunny and his team flew to Miami. But things got bumpy. After landing, they found out Drake had to delay their meeting due to a last-minute recording session. Understandably, they were disappointed. They were sitting in my backyard, looking at me like I’d made the whole thing up. My wife, Isabela, ordered pizza to break the tension.

That night, I got a call. “Drake wants to have dinner with Bad Bunny tonight at Komodo,” his team said. I passed on the message, and the mood shifted instantly—they cheered. We all went to dinner, and the connection between Drake and Bad Bunny was instant. They decided to record a song together called “MIA.”

Though the song didn’t make it onto Scorpion, it was eventually released as a single, and it became a massive hit. A few months later, Drake was back in Miami for a rescheduled concert. Over dinner, I asked him, “Why isn’t Bad Bunny performing with you? The song is huge—people would lose it.”

Even though Bad Bunny had just landed in Las Vegas for the Latin Grammys, his team turned around and flew straight back to Miami. That night, when he hit the stage with Drake, the crowd went wild. It was one of those moments that reminded me why I do what I do.

Later, when Live Nation’s president, Michael Rapino, asked about artists in the Latin market, I connected him with Bad Bunny’s team.

What came next meant the most to me. When Bad Bunny was about to sign the Live Nation deal, he had one request: “I want to open a restaurant—and I want to do it with David Grutman.”

Shortly after, I got a call: “Would you do a restaurant with Bad Bunny?” My answer was immediate – yes.

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That’s how Gekkō was born. We opened on August 11, 2022, during Miami’s slowest season. Everyone said it was the worst time to launch anything. But opening night proved them all wrong. The street outside was packed. Thousands came out. The energy inside the restaurant was electric.

For me, it wasn’t just about launching a successful spot; it was about what it represented. A connection that started with no expectations, just a desire to help someone grow, had led to something beautiful. That’s the power of bringing people together for no reason other than to see what might happen when you do.

"Take It Personal" by David Grutman comes out April 14.

There’s this idea floating around in business that every deal needs a winner and a loser, that for one person to come out ahead, the other has to take a hit. That’s not how I work. I believe in the win-win, and I think it’s one of the biggest reasons I’ve been able to build real relationships in this business – not just transactions.

If I walk away from a deal and I feel like I crushed the other person, like I took them for everything, that’s not a win-win. That’s not going to build trust. That’s not going to build anything lasting. I’d honestly rather lose money on a deal than damage a relationship.

It’s the mindset I have when I’m negotiating with landlords. These days, they’re coming to me: “Can you open something in my space?” Landlords I work with know that they can count on me to activate a space. I can come into a neighborhood that hasn’t taken off yet and put it on the map. That’s also a win for me.

And sure, I’m going to negotiate a smart deal for myself. Let’s be clear – I’m operating a company, not a charity. But I also never want that landlord walking away from our deal thinking, “Wow, Dave took advantage of me.” That’s not how I move. That’s not how I want to be remembered, especially in my own hometown, where I know I’m going to be opening new spots for the next thirty years.

The way I see it, every time you sit down to do business with someone, you have an opportunity to show them who you are. You can show them that you’re out for yourself, or you can show them that you understand how to create something that benefits everyone involved. I always try to be the latter. It would be easy for me to insist on always having the last word, on always earning a dollar more than the other guy just to say I won. But if I do that, the other guy might not want to do a deal with me next year, and that, in turn, means I’ve lost. Playing the long game means showing people you’re a good partner not just today or tomorrow, but for the long haul. I’ve found that one of the most powerful tools in negotiation is simply putting myself in the other person’s shoes—really thinking about what they’re trying to get out of the deal. Sometimes it isn’t even financial. It might be a marketing opportunity or a chance to build their brand. Understanding that perspective changes everything. My goal isn’t just to get what I want; it’s to find a way for the other person to get what they want at the same time. When you approach negotiations that way, everything falls into place much more naturally. If you just charge in trying to push your agenda, ignoring what the other side is after, the deal tends to crumble.

This approach doesn’t just help in the moment. Years later, when I might need something from the same person again, that first deal lays the foundation for a better relationship and a stronger footing for round two. It’s not just about a landlord or a single business contact. It’s about setting up a future where both sides feel like they’ve won.

I think the real key to all this is your intent. Are you entering the deal trying to screw someone over? Trying to squeeze every last drop out of them? That might work for you once or twice, but it doesn’t last. People talk. Reputations stick. And if your name’s on the door like mine is, your reputation is everything.

If someone says, “Dave Grutman’s restaurant dominated. It’s so successful, my long-time guests are now eating there every night,” that motivates me. I’m competitive. I love that kind of pressure. But if someone’s out there saying I didn’t pay them or that I intentionally did them wrong? That’s not true. That’s not how I operate, and that’s the kind of thing I won’t stand for.

There’s enough room for everyone to win. I really do believe that. But you’ve got to be smart. You’ve got to be ready for the challenge. You’ve got to know when to take the short-term loss for the long-term gain. That’s what I’ve always done.

Here’s the thing: When you treat people right, when you take care of your relationships, when you show people that you’re playing fair even when you’re playing hard? They come back. They remember. That landlord whose deal you didn’t gouge? He tells his friend. That DJ you stood by even when the crowd didn’t show up? He blows up and never forgets who gave him that shot. That’s how the whole machine keeps turning.

It’s not about being soft. Don’t confuse embracing the idea of win-win with being a pushover. I negotiate hard. I know what I’m worth. But I never want to win at the expense of someone else feeling like they lost. That’s not sustainable. That’s not real power. Real power is when you can elevate people and still come out ahead.

Excerpted from TAKE IT PERSONAL: How to Succeed by Building Relationships and Playing the Long Game, by David Grutman. © 2026 by David Grutman. Used with permission of the publisher, Zando, LLC.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How David Grutman put Bad Bunny on Drake's radar (Exclusive)

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