Following years of unprecedented success, Daddy Yankee has decided to quit music and dedicate his life to Jesus.
Often referred to as the ‘King of Reggaeton,’ in 2022 the internationally acclaimed musician (born Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez) confirmed that after recording eight albums over the course of 30 years – including the release of his ‘Legendaddy’ LP and his final tour, ‘La Meta (The Goal)’ which closed on Sunday night (12.03.23) in San Juan, Puerto Rico – the Hispanic entertainer will end his creative career.
During the live-streamed concert, Daddy Yankee said:
“Tonight I recognise, and I am not ashamed to tell the whole world, that Jesus lives in me and that I will live for him.” “For many years I’ve tried filling a hole in my life that no one could fill. I tried finding a purpose, on many occasions, it seemed as if I was happy but something was missing for me to feel complete.”
In Spanish he added “I took note of something the Bible says.” before reciting: “What good will it be for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”
In a 2022 statement on YouTube, the now 46-year-old Puerto Rican star – who will now go by his birth name – said:
“This race, which has been a marathon, finally sees the finish line. Now, I am going to enjoy what all of you have given me.” “People say that I made this genre worldwide, but it was you who gave me the key to open the doors to make it the biggest in the world.”
Released in March, Yankee’s swan song full length was a melange of all the styles that have “defined” his career. Responsible for more than 30,000,000 records sold, the Puerto Rican-born artist is best known for his 2004 hit ‘Gasolina’, which became the first Reggaeton song to be nominated for the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year. And Yankee ends his music career on a high note after scoring a worldwide hit with ‘Despacito’ with Luis Fonsi and Justin Bieber in 2017.
Throughout his three decade-long career, the Latin icon has won a myriad of accolades, including Latin Grammys, Billboard Music Awards, Latin American Music Awards and an MTV Video Music Award.
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Daddy Yankee