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Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, composer, and actor. Known as the " King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike, he is the artist who coined the word ''
reggaeton Reggaeton (, ), also known as reggaetón and reguetón (), is a music style that originated in Panama during the late 1980s. It was later popularized in Puerto Rico. It has evolved from dancehall and has been influenced by American hip hop, ...
'' in 1991 in the mixtape Playero 34 in the song "So persigueme, no te detengas" to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Hispanic Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Hispanic urban performers. Ayala was born in
Río Piedras Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...
and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
of
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an
AK-47 The AK-47, officially known as the ''Avtomat Kalashnikova'' (; also known as the Kalashnikov or just AK), is a gas-operated assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms d ...
rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist
DJ Playero Pedro Gerardo Torruellas Brito (born 2 November 1964), better known as Playero DJ, DJ Playero, Playe, Play, was a key figure in the dissemination of reggaeton during its formative period in the 1990s in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Early life Begi ...
. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "
Gasolina "Gasolina" ( en, "Gasoline") is a song on Daddy Yankee's 2004 album '' Barrio Fino''. It features uncredited vocals from Glory, who sings the line "dame más gasolina" (meaning "Give me more gasoline"). The song was released as the album's lead ...
", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 30 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists. Daddy Yankee's album ''
Barrio Fino ''Barrio Fino'' (; en, "Fine 'Hood") is the third studio album by Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee, released on July 13, 2004, in the United States by V.I. Music and El Cartel Records and internationally by Machete Music and Polydor Records ...
'' made history when it became the top-selling
Latin music Latin music ( Portuguese and es, música latina) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from Ibero-America (including Spain and Portugal) and the Latino United States inspired by Latin Amer ...
album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer
Luis Fonsi Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero (born April 15, 1978), known by his stage name Luis Fonsi (), is a Puerto Rican singer. He is known for multiple songs, one of them being " Despacito" featuring rapper Daddy Yankee. Fonsi received his first ...
, released the hit single "
Despacito "Despacito" (; "Slowly") is a song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi featuring Puerto Rican rapper and singer Daddy Yankee as the lead single from Fonsi's 2019 studio album '' Vida''. Released on January 12, 2017, the song was written by Fonsi ...
". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 since "
Macarena "Macarena" is a dance song by Spanish pop duo Los del Río, about a woman of the same name. The song uses a type of clave rhythm. Originally appearing on the 1993 album '' A mí me gusta'', a subsequent remix by Miami-based producers The Bays ...
" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so. In March 2022, Daddy Yankee announced that he would be retiring from music after the release of his upcoming seventh studio album ''Legendaddy'' and its supporting tour. As of March 2022, Daddy Yankee has won 184 awards from 484 nominations (see
List of awards and nominations received by Daddy Yankee Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee has won 153 awards from 500 nominations. He has been nominated for 80 ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards, 28 Latin Grammy Awards, 25 Latin American Music Awards, 15 ''Billboard'' Music Awards, 9 American Music A ...
). He has won five
Latin Grammy Award The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been ...
s, two ''Billboard'' Music Awards, 14 ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards, two
Latin American Music Awards The Latin American Music Awards (Latin AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by the MRC Live and Alternative. It is the Spanish-language counterpart of the American Music Awards (AMAs). As with AMAs, the Latin AMAs are determine ...
, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an
MTV Video Music Award The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video categor ...
, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by ''
People en Español ''People en Español'' is a Spanish-language American magazine published by Dotdash Meredith that debuted in 1996, originally as the Spanish-language edition of its publication ''People''. As of 2009, it is the Spanish-language magazine with the l ...
'' magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in ''Time'' 100 in 2006.


Musical career


1994–1999: Career beginnings

Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the
reggaeton Reggaeton (, ), also known as reggaetón and reguetón (), is a music style that originated in Panama during the late 1980s. It was later popularized in Puerto Rico. It has evolved from dancehall and has been influenced by American hip hop, ...
genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in the leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, ''Playero 34'', with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was '' No Mercy'', which was released on April 2, 1995 through
White Lion Records White Lion Records is a reggaeton, Latin Music, Latín reggae and urbano record label established by Elías de León with the release of the album '' No Mercy'' by Daddy Yankee in 1995. The label would temporarily change its name to 'Boricua Guerr ...
and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero,
DJ Nelson Nelson Díaz Martinez (born on April 7, 1972 in San Juan, Puerto Rico), known professionally as DJ Nelson is a Puerto Rican DJ and record producer who played a significant role in the development and popularization of reggaeton. He first made a na ...
, and
Tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the
Dembow Dembow is a Dominican musical genre that can be traced to a riddim that originated in Jamaican dancehall. When Shabba Ranks released "Dem Bow" in 1990, it did not take long for the dembow genre to form. Riddims were built from the song and th ...
rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album ''Playero 36'' in 1994.


2000–2003: Early music and ''El Cangri.com''

In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...
, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album ''Boricua Guerrero''. He released two compilation albums with original material: ''El Cartel'' (1997) and ''
El Cartel II ''El Cartel II: Los Cangris'' or ''El Cartel De Yankee II'' is a compilation album by Daddy Yankee presenting many artists. The only album released by Pina Records and El Cartel Productions. Track listing # DVD Infomercial On Cartel 2 #Radio Ve ...
'' (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Daddy Yankee released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring
Alberto Stylee Carlos Alberto Pizarro (born March 18, 1975), known professionally as Alberto Stylee, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton singer and songwriter. While his career began with hip hop and reggae, he is most famous for musical hits in the reggaeton genre i ...
, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring
Nicky Jam Nick Rivera Caminero (born March 17, 1981), known professionally as Nicky Jam, is an American singer and actor. He is best known for hits such as " X", "Travesuras", "En la Cama", "Te Busco", " El Perdón", " Hasta el Amanecer", and " El Amante ...
, and "Muévete Y Perrea". In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together. In 2002, '' El Cangri.com'' became Daddy Yankee's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion. In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named ''
Los Homerun-es ''Los Homerun-es'' is a compilation album and fifth overall of Reggaeton recording artist Daddy Yankee. It came before Yankee's mainstream debut, '' Barrio Fino''. This album releases Daddy Yankee's hits from the 1990s to 2003. This album was re ...
'', which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them. In 2003, Daddy Yankee collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album '' Mas Flow'', with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and ''
Mas Flow 2 ''Mas Flow 2'' is the second compilation album by reggaeton producers Luny Tunes. The album was a joint venture with reggaeton artist Baby Ranks as he was featured in virtually every song in the album. Many of reggaeton's biggest names were feat ...
''.


2004–2006: ''Barrio Fino'' and "Gasolina"

Daddy Yankee's next album, ''Barrio Fino'', was produced by Luny Tunes and
DJ Nelson Nelson Díaz Martinez (born on April 7, 1972 in San Juan, Puerto Rico), known professionally as DJ Nelson is a Puerto Rican DJ and record producer who played a significant role in the development and popularization of reggaeton. He first made a na ...
among others and released in July 2004 by
El Cartel Records El Cartel Records (formerly known as Los Cangris Inc. and El Cartel Productions) is a Puerto Rican record company. The release of '' Barrio Fino'', Daddy Yankee's first commercially successful album, is notable for being the label's first distrib ...
and
VI Music VI Music is a Puerto Rican record label specializing in the reggaeton genre, founded by reggaeton producers Mario VI, Alex Gargolas and Juan Vidal. The record label came to prominence after securing a joint venture with Universal Latino and M ...
. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Daddy Yankee had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with
Andy Montañez Andrés Montañez Rodríguez (born May 7, 1942), better known as Andy Montañez, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter. Early life Montañez is a native of the ''Tras Talleres'' area of Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is known by the nic ...
. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. ''Barrio Fino'' was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide. During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in
N.O.R.E. Victor James Santiago Jr. (born September 6, 1977), better known by his stage names Noreaga and later N.O.R.E., is an American rapper. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Santiago first rose to prominence as one half of the East Coast hip hop du ...
's single "
Oye Mi Canto "Oye Mi Canto" ( en, "Hear My Song") is a reggaeton single by N.O.R.E. The song was originally released in 2004 as the lead single from the album ''1 Fan a Day'', which was heretofore unreleased. It is his second biggest hit, peaking at number ...
" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included " Mayor Que Yo" and "
Los 12 Discípulos "Los 12 Discípulos" ''(English: The 12 Disciples)'' or "Quítate Tu Pa' Ponerme Yo" ''(English: Move So I Can Come)'' is a song by Eddie Dee featuring various artists from his fifth studio album, ''12 Discípulos'' (2004). It features eleven ot ...
". In 2005, Daddy Yankee won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was
Lo Nuestro Awards The Lo Nuestro Awards or Premios Lo Nuestro ( Spanish for "Our Thing") is a Spanish-language awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by Univision, a Spanish-language television network based in the United States. The awards began i ...
within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for ''Barrio Fino''. In this event he performed "
Gasolina "Gasolina" ( en, "Gasoline") is a song on Daddy Yankee's 2004 album '' Barrio Fino''. It features uncredited vocals from Glory, who sings the line "dame más gasolina" (meaning "Give me more gasoline"). The song was released as the album's lead ...
" in a performance that was described as "innovative". ''Barrio Fino'' also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin ''Billboard'' that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with
P. Diddy Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
. The album was promoted throughout
Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Daddy Yankee received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including
Pepsi Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. History Pepsi wa ...
. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of ''Premios Juventud'', in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Daddy Yankee also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a ''Billboard'' chart:
Latin Rhythm Airplay Latin Rhythm Airplay is an airplay-only chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' that ranks the most popular songs being played on Hispanic rhythmic/ hurban radio stations in the United States. The music typically heard on these stations include ...
. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide". The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Daddy Yankee's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way." On December 13, 2005, he released ''Barrio Fino en Directo'', a live record and the follow up of ''Barrio Fino''. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide. On April 30, 2006, Daddy Yankee was named one of the 100 most influential people by ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'', which cited the 2 million copies of ''Barrio Fino'' sold, Daddy Yankee's $20 million contract with
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
, and his Pepsi endorsement. During this period, Daddy Yankee and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name
Don Omar William Omar Landrón Rivera (born February 10, 1978), better known by his stage name Don Omar, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. On September 1, 2017, he announced that he would retire after a ...
) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Daddy Yankee's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album ''Los Rompediscotecas''.


2007–2009: ''El Cartel: The Big Boss'' and ''Talento De Barrio''

''El Cartel: The Big Boss'' was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Daddy Yankee stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of
will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "Will-I-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas. ...
,
Scott Storch Scott Spencer Storch (born December 16, 1973) is an American record producer and songwriter. He started off as a keyboardist for the group the Roots. Early life Storch was born on Long Island, New York. He was raised in South Florida and Ph ...
, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Daddy Yankee's label. Singles were produced with
Héctor Delgado Hector () is an English, French, Scottish, and Spanish given name. The name is derived from the name of Hektor, a legendary Trojan champion who was killed by the Greek Achilles. The name ''Hektor'' is probably derived from the Greek ''ékhein'', m ...
, Fergie,
Nicole Scherzinger Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
and
Akon Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P ...
. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Daddy Yankee performed in
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his
Santa Cruz de la Sierra Santa Cruz de la Sierra (; "Holy Cross of the Mountain Range"), commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia and the capital of the Santa Cruz department. Situated on the Pirai River in the eastern Tropical Lowlands of Bolivia ...
concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of
Juan Luis Guerra Juan Luis Guerra Seijas (born June 7, 1957) is a Dominican musician, singer, composer, and record producer. He has sold 30 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists. Throughout his career, he has wo ...
and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Daddy Yankee made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including
Caribbean Connection ''Caribbean Connection'' is a compilation album by various dancehall and reggaeton artists, presented by Machete Music Machete Music is an urban music label owned by Universal Music Group. The record label had been largely associated with r ...
, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008
Rockstar Games Rockstar Games, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in New York City. The company was established in December 1998 as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, using the assets Take-Two had previously acquired from BMG Interactive. Foun ...
' video game ''
Grand Theft Auto IV ''Grand Theft Auto IV'' is a 2008 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the sixth main entry in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2004's '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', and the e ...
'' as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Daddy Yankee's colleagues, like
Wisin & Yandel Wisin & Yandel is a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo consisting of Wisin and Yandel. They started their career in the late 1990s and have been together since, winning several awards including a Grammy Award in 2009. They became the first and the onl ...
,
Hector "El Father" In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...
,
Tito El Bambino Efraín David Fines Nevares (born October 5, 1981) known professionally as Tito "El Bambino" is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter who rose to fame as part of the duo Héctor & Tito. In 2010, his song, " El Amor", written with Joan Ortiz Esp ...
and
Jowell & Randy Jowell & Randy are a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo composed of Joel Muñoz (born March 3, 1982) and Randy Ortiz (born July 16, 1983). The duo have been active since the early-2000s and have become one of the most popular acts in reggaeton. They have ...
. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit " Impacto". In July 2008, Daddy Yankee announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of
Thalía Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda (; born 26 August 1971), known mononymously as Thalía, is a Mexican singer and actress. Referred to as the " Queen of Latin Pop", she is considered one of the most successful and influential Mexican artists. Havi ...
's song, "
Ten Paciencia "Ten Paciencia" ( en, "Have Patience") is a song recorded by Mexican singer Thalía for her tenth studio album ''Lunada''. It was written by Descemer Bueno, Magilee Alvarez and Cynthia Salazar, and it was produced by Emilio Estefan. The song was re ...
". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album '' Talento De Barrio'' for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Daddy Yankee scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as ''Multi-Platinum'' by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the
Viña del Mar International Song Festival , image = , caption =Overture to the closing night of LI Viña del Mar International Song Festival (2010) , location =Viña del Mar, Chile , years_active =1960-present , founders = , dates =3rd week of February , ...
in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Daddy Yankee received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the
Latin Billboard Music Awards The ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards grew out of the Billboard Music Awards, ''Billboard'' Music Awards program from ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine, an industry publication charting the sales and radio airplay success of musical re ...
ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.


2009–2013: ''Mundial'' and ''Prestige''

The single, "
Grito Mundial Grito Mundial (English: Worldwide Scream) is the lead single from Daddy Yankee's studio album '' Mundial'' released on October 8, 2009. *Musicians: Trumpet and Trombone recorded by Juan Quinones *Music Production: Musicologo & Nemes Background ...
", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, '' Mundial''. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Daddy Yankee rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing " El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "
Descontrol "Descontrol" (English: ''Out Of Control'') is the second single from Daddy Yankee's album '' Mundial'' (2010). The single was released to radio on January 12, 2010 and digitally on February 23, 2010. The song is considered as the most successful ...
", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the ''Billboard''
Latin Rhythm Airplay Latin Rhythm Airplay is an airplay-only chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' that ranks the most popular songs being played on Hispanic rhythmic/ hurban radio stations in the United States. The music typically heard on these stations include ...
. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "
La Despedida "La Despedida" ( en, "The Farewell") is a single by Puerto Rican reggaeton singer Daddy Yankee. It is the third official single released on August 4, 2010 from his album '' Daddy Yankee Mundial''. The official remix of the song features American ...
" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard
Top Latin Songs The ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs (formerly Hot Latin Tracks and Hot Latin 50) is a record chart in the United States for Latin songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Since October 2012, chart rankings are based on digital sales, rad ...
and
Latin Pop Songs Latin Pop Airplay (also referred to as Latin Pop Songs) is a record chart published on ''Billboard'' magazine and a subchart of the Latin Airplay chart. The chart focuses on Latin pop music, namely Spanish-language pop music. It was established ...
. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring
Jowell & Randy Jowell & Randy are a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo composed of Joel Muñoz (born March 3, 1982) and Randy Ortiz (born July 16, 1983). The duo have been active since the early-2000s and have become one of the most popular acts in reggaeton. They have ...
) and "Échale Pique" (featuring
Yomo Jose Alberto Torres Abreu (born June 17, 1980 in Chicago), known professionally as Yomo, is an American reggaeton singer of Puerto Rican descent. He was raised in Humacao. Before becoming a professional artist, he used to work as a handyman ...
) were not included in ''Mundial''. In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "
Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti" is a 2010 song and charity single recorded by the Latin supergroup Artists for Haiti and written by Emilio Estefan and his wife Gloria Estefan. It is a Spanish-language remake of the 1985 hit song "We Are the World" ...
", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper
Pitbull Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
. Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, ''
Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...
'' was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, " Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer
Prince Royce Geoffrey Royce Rojas (born May 11, 1989), known professionally as Prince Royce, is an American singer. At an early age, Royce took an interest in music, and in his teenage years began experimenting with music and writing poetry. By age nineteen ...
, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, " Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the
Latin Songs The ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs (formerly Hot Latin Tracks and Hot Latin 50) is a record chart in the United States for Latin songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Since October 2012, chart rankings are based on digital sales, rad ...
chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, " Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the ''Billboard'' 200, number one on both the ''Billboard'' Latin Albums and
Latin Rhythm Albums Latin Rhythm Albums is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Like all ''Billboard'' album charts, the chart is based on sales, which are compiled by Nielsen SoundScan based on sales data from merchants representing more than 90  ...
charts. It also peaked at number five on the '' Billboard Rap Albums'' chart. The fourth and last single,
Limbo In Catholic theology, Limbo (Latin '' limbus'', edge or boundary, referring to the edge of Hell) is the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the Damned. Medieval theologians of Western Euro ...
, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (''Hot Latin Song'', ''Latin Pop Song'' and ''Latin Rhythm Airplay'') and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as ''Gold'' by the RIAA on March 8, 2013. The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia). On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions. In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring
J Alvarez J, or j, is the tenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual name in English is ''jay'' (pronounced ), with a now-uncommon varia ...
, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring
Natalia Jimenez Natalia may refer to: People * Natalia (given name), list of people with this name * Natalia (Belgian singer) (born 1980) * Natalia (Greek singer) (born 1983) * Natalia (Spanish singer) (born 1982) Music and film * ''Natalia'' (film), a 198 ...
, with millions of views on YouTube.


2013–2015: ''King Daddy''

On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled " King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the ''Imperio Nazza'' Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from
J Alvarez J, or j, is the tenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual name in English is ''jay'' (pronounced ), with a now-uncommon varia ...
,
Arcángel Austin Agustín SantosBiografía de Arcángel
Retrieved on May 19, 2017
(born Decembe ...
,
Yandel Llandel Veguilla Malavé (born; January 14, 1977), known professionally as Yandel, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter and the half member of the reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel. He released his first solo album, '' Quien Contra Mí'', in 2003. ...
,
Farruko Carlos Efrén Reyes Rosado (born May 2, 1991), better known by his stage name Farruko, is a retired Puerto Rican singer and rapper. He rose to fame collaborating with Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Don Omar, and J Álvarez. He came to prominence in 2 ...
, and
Divino Daniel Velázquez (born August 7, 1977), better known by his stage name Divino, is an American reggaeton singer. Career Divino began his career at the age of fifteen, when his family moved from The Bronx, New York, to Ponce, Puerto Rico, whi ...
. According to Daddy Yankee, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included. From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Daddy Yankee performed on his ''King Daddy Tour'', touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath
Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
and
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
, and over artists like Beyoncé,
Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip ho ...
and
Michael Bublé Michael Steven Bublé ( ; born September 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer. A four-time Grammy Award winner, he is often credited for helping to renew public interest and appreciation for traditional pop standards and the Great American Songboo ...
. On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the
Scorpions Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always end ...
' " Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Daddy Yankee, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.


2016–2022: Continued success, "Despacito", ''Legendaddy'' and retirement

On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin ''Billboard'' Awards. After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a ''Billboard'' press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called
The Kingdom Tour The Kingdom Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by reggaeton superstars Daddy Yankee and Don Omar William Omar Landrón Rivera (born February 10, 1978), better known by his stage name Don Omar, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton singer, songwrit ...
. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said
Pina Records Pina Records is a Puerto Rican record label founded by Rafael Antonio Pina Nieves in 1996. It is the most famous and successful record label in the reggaeton music industry due to its long background history and artists. Currently, Pina Records m ...
founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better." In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer
Luis Fonsi Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero (born April 15, 1978), known by his stage name Luis Fonsi (), is a Puerto Rican singer. He is known for multiple songs, one of them being " Despacito" featuring rapper Daddy Yankee. Fonsi received his first ...
, released the hit single "
Despacito "Despacito" (; "Slowly") is a song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi featuring Puerto Rican rapper and singer Daddy Yankee as the lead single from Fonsi's 2019 studio album '' Vida''. Released on January 12, 2017, the song was written by Fonsi ...
". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 since "
Macarena "Macarena" is a dance song by Spanish pop duo Los del Río, about a woman of the same name. The song uses a type of clave rhythm. Originally appearing on the 1993 album '' A mí me gusta'', a subsequent remix by Miami-based producers The Bays ...
" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "
Hello ''Hello'' is a salutation or greeting in the English language. It is first attested in writing from 1826. Early uses ''Hello'', with that spelling, was used in publications in the U.S. as early as the 18 October 1826 edition of the '' Norwich ...
". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so. In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first
latin trap Latin trap is a subgenre of trap music that originated in Puerto Rico. A direct descendant of southern hip hop, and influenced by reggaeton, it gained popularity after 2007, and has since spread throughout Latin America. ''The trap'' is slang f ...
singles with the song " Hielo", and on the single " Vuelve" on which he collaborated with
Bad Bunny Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (born March 10, 1994), known professionally as Bad Bunny, is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer. His musical style is defined as Latin trap and reggaeton. He rose to prominence in 2016 with his song "Diles", w ...
. In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
on her return to music on the song " Made for Now". He released the 2019 single "
Con Calma "Con Calma" ( English: "Calmly") is a song by Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee featuring Canadian rapper Snow. The single was released on January 24, 2019, by El Cartel Records alongside a music video directed by Marlon Peña and filmed in Los ...
", a reimagination of
Snow Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...
's 1992 hit single "
Informer An informant (also called an informer or, as a slang term, a “snitch”) is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law-enforcement world, where informan ...
". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 in 10 others. On March 21, 2022, Daddy Yankee announced his seventh and final studio album ''
Legendaddy "Legendaddy" is the 19th episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom ''How I Met Your Mother'' and the 131st episode overall. It aired on March 21, 2011. Plot The gang goes to the house that Ted bought a year ago, where they hold an inter ...
'', which released on March 24, alongside its supporting tour, due to run from August to December. He also announced that he plans on retiring from music after completing the tour.


Film and other career projects

Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with
Reebok Reebok International Limited () is an American fitness footwear and clothing manufacturer that is a part of Authentic Brands Group. It was established in England in 1958 as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons, a sporting goods company ...
, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007,
Pepsi Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. History Pepsi wa ...
began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors. Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film ''Vampiros'', directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in '' Talento de Barrio'', which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. ''Talento de Barrio's'' debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, ''Talento de Barrio'' broke the record held by '' Maldeamores'' for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas. Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the ''Fundación Corazón Guerrero'', a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization ''Presencia Latina'' of
Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...
, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating ''Corazón Guerrero''. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a
Baloncesto Superior Nacional The Baloncesto Superior Nacional, abbreviated as BSN, is the first-tier-level professional men's basketball league in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1929 and is organized by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. The Baloncesto Superior Naci ...
press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns. In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015. The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game ''Trylogy'', a 3D video game based in
tower defense Tower defense (TD) is a subgenre of strategy games where the goal is to defend a player's territories or possessions by obstructing the enemy attackers or by stopping enemies from reaching the exits, usually achieved by placing defensive struc ...
games. The game was presented at the
New York Comic Con The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006. History The New York Comic Con is a ...
and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".


Personal life


Family

Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with
María Celeste Arrarás María Celeste Arrarás Mangual (born September 27, 1960), better known as María Celeste, is a Puerto Rican broadcast journalist, author, and television personality, who has won three national Emmy Awards for journalism. In 2005, she became the ...
in ''Al Rojo Vivo''. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has a son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.


Political views

In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (''Vote or Remain Silent''). On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
John McCain's candidacy for
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008. In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at
Plaza Las Américas Plaza Las Américas is a shopping mall in Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico, located at the intersection of Routes 18 and 22. "''Plaza''", as it is known to many Puerto Ricans, was the first indoor shopping mall built in Puerto Rico. It is the ...
, the first of its kind.


Philanthropy

In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "''Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico"'' (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items. In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by
Hurricane Maria Hurricane Maria was a deadly Category 5 hurricane that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly Dominica, Saint Croix, and Puerto Rico. It is regarded as the worst natural disaster in recorded history to affect ...
. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island. Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.


Legacy

Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from ''
Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
'' felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" ''
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
'' identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the '' barrio'' and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
and ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from ''
Pollstar ''Pollstar'' is a trade publication for the concert and live music industry. The publication was purchased by Oak View Group, a venue consultancy founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, in July 2017. History and profile Founded in 1981 in Fr ...
'' considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon". Daddy Yankee's third studio album ''
Barrio Fino ''Barrio Fino'' (; en, "Fine 'Hood") is the third studio album by Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee, released on July 13, 2004, in the United States by V.I. Music and El Cartel Records and internationally by Machete Music and Polydor Records ...
'' (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "
Gasolina "Gasolina" ( en, "Gasoline") is a song on Daddy Yankee's 2004 album '' Barrio Fino''. It features uncredited vocals from Glory, who sings the line "dame más gasolina" (meaning "Give me more gasoline"). The song was released as the album's lead ...
" " lteredthe business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated ''Billboard'', "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (
Latin Rhythm Airplay Latin Rhythm Airplay is an airplay-only chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' that ranks the most popular songs being played on Hispanic rhythmic/ hurban radio stations in the United States. The music typically heard on these stations include ...
) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for
Kobalt Music Kobalt Music Group is an independent rights management and music publishing company. Founded in 2000 by CEO Willard Ahdritz, Kobalt acts primarily as an administrative publishing company, not owning any copyrights. Also offering label services ...
Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide." In 2006, a ''The New York Times'' article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act." Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna (singer), Ozuna,
Bad Bunny Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (born March 10, 1994), known professionally as Bad Bunny, is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer. His musical style is defined as Latin trap and reggaeton. He rose to prominence in 2016 with his song "Diles", w ...
, Tini (singer), Tini Stoessel, Lunay (singer), Lunay, Miguelito (singer), Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.


Achievements

Daddy Yankee has received several List of awards and nominations received by Daddy Yankee, awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by
Latin American Music Awards The Latin American Music Awards (Latin AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by the MRC Live and Alternative. It is the Spanish-language counterpart of the American Music Awards (AMAs). As with AMAs, the Latin AMAs are determine ...
, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Music Awards, Latin ''Billboard'' Awards and inducted into its Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in
Lo Nuestro Awards The Lo Nuestro Awards or Premios Lo Nuestro ( Spanish for "Our Thing") is a Spanish-language awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by Univision, a Spanish-language television network based in the United States. The awards began i ...
from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin". Having sold 30 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is List of most-subscribed YouTube Music artists, the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the List of most-streamed artists on Spotify, most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts. Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the ''Billboard''
Latin Rhythm Airplay Latin Rhythm Airplay is an airplay-only chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' that ranks the most popular songs being played on Hispanic rhythmic/ hurban radio stations in the United States. The music typically heard on these stations include ...
. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, respectively, List of Latin songs on the Billboard Hot 100, the most by any artist. ''Barrio Fino'' and ''Barrio Fino en Directo'' are two of the List of best-selling Latin albums in the United States, best-selling Latin albums in the United States. With "
Despacito "Despacito" (; "Slowly") is a song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi featuring Puerto Rican rapper and singer Daddy Yankee as the lead single from Fonsi's 2019 studio album '' Vida''. Released on January 12, 2017, the song was written by Fonsi ...
", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the List of most-viewed YouTube videos, most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a RIAA certification, diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it then the List of best-selling singles in the United States, highest-certified single in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the List of Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart achievements and milestones#Song milestones, most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.


Discography


Studio albums

* '' No Mercy'' (1995) * '' El Cangri.com'' (2003) * ''
Barrio Fino ''Barrio Fino'' (; en, "Fine 'Hood") is the third studio album by Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee, released on July 13, 2004, in the United States by V.I. Music and El Cartel Records and internationally by Machete Music and Polydor Records ...
'' (2004) * ''El Cartel: The Big Boss'' (2007) * ''Talento de Barrio (soundtrack), Talento de Barrio'' (2008) * '' Mundial'' (2010) * ''
Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...
'' (2012) * ''
Legendaddy "Legendaddy" is the 19th episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom ''How I Met Your Mother'' and the 131st episode overall. It aired on March 21, 2011. Plot The gang goes to the house that Ted bought a year ago, where they hold an inter ...
'' (2022)


Concert tours

As a headliner * Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06) * The Big Boss Tour (2007–09) * Talento de Barrio Tour (2009) * Mundial Tour (2010–11) * European Tour (Daddy Yankee), European Tour (2012) * Prestige World Tour (2013–14) * King Daddy Tour (2014–15) * TamoEnVivoTour, #TamoEnVivoTour (2017) * La Gira Dura (2018) * Con Calma Tour (2019) * La Última Vuelta World Tour, La Ultima Vuelta World Tour (2022–23) As a co-headliner *
The Kingdom Tour The Kingdom Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by reggaeton superstars Daddy Yankee and Don Omar William Omar Landrón Rivera (born February 10, 1978), better known by his stage name Don Omar, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton singer, songwrit ...
(2015–16) (with Don Omar)


Filmography

;Film ;Television


See also

* Reggaeton * Latin American music * List of Caribbean music genres * List of Puerto Ricans * List of Puerto Rican songwriters * Urban contemporary


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Daddy Yankee Daddy Yankee, 1976 births Living people American hip hop musicians American shooting survivors Capitol Latin artists Latin Grammy Award winners Latin music songwriters 21st-century Puerto Rican male singers Puerto Rican rappers Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians Urbano musicians Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico Sony Music Latin artists Spanish-language singers of the United States Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists 20th-century Puerto Rican male singers