Piñero tells the story of the turbulent and creative life of a Latino icon, the poet-playwright-actor Miguel Piñero (Benjamin Bratt), whose urban poetry is recognized as a precursor to rap and hip-hop. Piñero became a hero to many in both the theatrical and Latino worlds. But the resulting notoriety and fame was too much for the Latino bad-boy genius who died a premature death in 1988. His legend lives on.