Daddy Yankee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Daddy Yankee
Daddy Yankee in 2021
Born	Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (1976-02-03) February 3, 1976 (age 49) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Other names	The Big Boss El Cangri (The Chief) Winchester
Occupation	Rapper singer songwriter actor
Years active	1992–present
Notable work	Discography
Spouse(s)	Mireddys González ​ ​ (m. 1995; separated 2024)​
Children	3
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Reggaeton Latin hip hop dancehall
Labels	El Cartel VI Universal Latino Machete Interscope Sony Latin Capitol Latin Republic
Associated acts	DJ Playero Nicky Jam Wisin & Yandel Héctor el Father Luis Fonsi Bad Bunny Zion & Lennox Marc Anthony Don Omar J Balvin
Signature

Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1976), known as Daddy Yankee, is a famous rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor from Puerto Rico. He became known worldwide in 2004 with his hit song "Gasolina". Many people call him the "King of Reggaeton". He is a big inspiration for many other Latin urban artists. Daddy Yankee officially retired from music on December 3, 2023, after his final concert in Puerto Rico.

Ramón was born in Río Piedras and grew up in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects. He dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player. He even tried out for the Seattle Mariners baseball team. However, before he could sign a contract, he was accidentally hit by a stray bullet. This happened while he was taking a break from a music recording session. He spent about a year and a half recovering. The bullet was never removed from his hip. He says this event made him focus completely on his music career.

In 2004, Daddy Yankee released "Gasolina". This song helped introduce reggaeton music to people all over the world. It made reggaeton a global music style. Since then, he has sold around 30 million records. This makes him one of the best-selling Latin music artists ever. His album Barrio Fino was the top-selling Latin music album of the 2000s.

In 2017, Daddy Yankee worked with singer Luis Fonsi on the song "Despacito". It was the first Spanish-language song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart since "Macarena" in 1996. The song became a huge global success. The music video for "Despacito" on YouTube got its billionth view in just 97 days. It became the most-watched video on the platform for a long time. Because of this success, Daddy Yankee became the most-listened artist worldwide on Spotify in June 2017. He was the first Latin artist to achieve this. In March 2022, Daddy Yankee announced he would retire after releasing his final album, Legendaddy, and its tour.

Throughout his career, Daddy Yankee has won many awards. These include five Latin Grammy Awards and two Billboard Music Awards. He also received a star on the Puerto Rican Walk of Fame. CNN named him the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" in 2009. Time magazine included him in their list of 100 most influential people in 2006.

Early Life

Daddy Yankee was born Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez in Puerto Rico. His mother is Rosa Rodríguez, and his father is Ramón Ayala, who was a salsa percussion player.

Musical Career

1992–1999: Starting His Music Journey

Many people see Daddy Yankee as one of the first artists in the reggaeton music style. He originally wanted to be a professional baseball player. But he was shot in the leg during a break from a recording session. The bullet was never removed. He says this event made him focus on his music career. He first appeared on a mixtape called Playero 34 in 1992. His first official solo album was No Mercy, released in 1995. Early on, he tried to sound like other rappers. But he soon developed his own unique style. He became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton music.

2000–2003: Early Hits and El Cangri.com

In 1997, Daddy Yankee worked with rapper Nas on a song called "The Profecy." He released two collections of his music: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). These albums were popular in Puerto Rico. In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed a duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam. They released several successful songs together. In 2002, El Cangri.com became Daddy Yankee's first album to be successful internationally. It had hits like "Latigazo" and "Son las Doce." In 2003, he released Los Homerun-es, which included his first song to appear on music charts, "Segurosqui."

2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"

Daddy Yankee performing in 2006

Daddy Yankee's next album, Barrio Fino, came out in July 2004. It was highly anticipated by reggaeton fans. Daddy Yankee loved salsa music since he was young. So, he included other music styles besides reggaeton on the album. The album was very complete, mixing reggaeton with other genres. Barrio Fino was followed by a tour in many countries. The album sold over 1.1 million copies in the United States. It sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

During this time, Daddy Yankee was featured on N.O.R.E.'s song "Oye Mi Canto." This song reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This was a record for a reggaeton song at the time.

In 2005, Daddy Yankee won many international awards. Barrio Fino won "Album of the Year" at the Lo Nuestro Awards. It also won "Reggaeton Album of the Year" at the Latin Billboard Awards. His hit song, "Gasolina," won seven awards at Premios Juventud. "Gasolina" was also nominated for Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to new radio stations and a new Billboard chart for Latin urban music. Experts say "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' started the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."

On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo. This was a live album that followed Barrio Fino. It sold over 800,000 copies in the United States. It sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

On April 30, 2006, Time magazine named Daddy Yankee one of the 100 most influential people. They noted that Barrio Fino sold 2 million copies. They also mentioned his $20 million contract with Interscope Records and his deal with Pepsi.

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

Don Omar (left) and Daddy Yankee at the 2009 Latin Billboard Music Awards red carpet

El Cartel: The Big Boss was released on June 5, 2007. Daddy Yankee said this album went back to his hip-hop roots. The album included collaborations with artists like Fergie and Akon. The first song from the album was "Impacto." He toured the United States and Latin America to promote the album. He set attendance records in Ecuador and Bolivia.

In 2008, Daddy Yankee appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. He was the DJ for a radio station called San Juan Sounds. The radio station played reggaeton songs from other artists and Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto."

In July 2008, Daddy Yankee announced he would produce a cover of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia." On August 17, 2008, his album Talento De Barrio was released. This album was the soundtrack for a movie of the same name. The album was certified Multi-Platinum in 2009. In February 2009, he performed at the 2009 Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. He received several awards there. In April 2009, he received the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award for his community work.

2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige

Daddy Yankee performing at Marlins Park in 2012

The song "Grito Mundial" was released on October 8, 2009. It was meant to promote his ninth album, Mundial. This song was almost the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The second song, "Descontrol," was released in January 2010. It topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart. "La Despedida" was the third song.

In 2010, Daddy Yankee was part of the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti." He provided rap vocals alongside Pitbull.

Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige, came out on September 11, 2012. The first song, "Ven Conmigo," featured Prince Royce. It reached number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second song, "Lovumba," was a number one hit. The album reached number one on the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. The song "Limbo" was released with the album. It was very successful, reaching three number one Billboard charts. It also has over 790 million views on YouTube.

In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel worked together again after years of rivalry. Daddy Yankee appeared on their remix song "Hipnotízame." Later, Wisin & Yandel collaborated on the remix of "Limbo."

In February 2013, Daddy Yankee performed at the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival. He won several awards there. In 2013, he toured Europe, Colombia, Peru, and Chile. He released music videos for "El Amante," "Summertime," and "Noche de los Dos."

2013–2015: King Daddy

Daddy Yankee during an interview in 2015

On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape called "King Daddy." It was a return to his original reggaeton style. It included 11 songs with other artists. Daddy Yankee said "King Daddy" was recorded quickly because he had "a lot of inspiration." The song "La Nueva y La Ex" became very popular.

From May to June 2014, Daddy Yankee went on his King Daddy Tour in Europe. His concerts in Spain were very popular.

On June 17, 2014, the song "Ora por Mí" (meaning "Pray for Me") was released. It used music from the Scorpions' song "Send Me An Angel." The music video for "Ora Por Mí" was filmed in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It talks about Daddy Yankee's life and the challenges of fame. He said it was the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, he released "Palabras Con Sentido" (meaning "Words With Sentiments"). This song defends reggaeton and urban music. He said that all music has something good to offer. He also said that urban music saved his life.

2016–2023: Continued Success, "Despacito", Legendaddy and Retirement

Daddy Yankee during a concert in Honduras, 2019

On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee received the "Industry Leader Award" at the Latin Billboard Awards. After a long rivalry with Don Omar, they announced a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tickets sold out very quickly. The concerts were like a boxing match, where the artists took turns performing. Fans voted for their favorite. Don Omar said, "We respect each other. That desire to be the best has pushed us to be better."

In 2017, Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi released "Despacito." It became the first Spanish-language song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since 1996. The music video for "Despacito" got its billionth view on YouTube in just 97 days. This made it the second-fastest video to reach that milestone. In June 2017, Daddy Yankee became the most-listened artist worldwide on Spotify. He was the first Latin artist to do so.

In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap songs, "Hielo" and "Vuelve" with Bad Bunny. In August 2018, he worked with Janet Jackson on her song "Made for Now." In 2019, he released "Con Calma," which was a new version of Snow's 1992 hit "Informer." "Con Calma" topped the charts in 20 countries.

On March 21, 2022, Daddy Yankee announced his seventh and final studio album, Legendaddy. It was released on March 24, along with his final tour, La Última Vuelta World Tour. He said he would retire from music after this tour.

2024: New Songs

In 2024, Daddy Yankee released new songs. These include "Donante de Sangre" (March 29), "Loveo" (May 3), and "Bailando en la Lluvia" (September 27).

Film and Other Projects

Daddy Yankee has also worked in movies and with different companies. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok. He created his own clothing line called "DY" and special shoes. In 2007, Pepsi featured him in an advertising campaign called "Puertas."

He has worked in the film industry as an actor and producer. His first acting role was a small part in the 2004 film Vampiros. He played the main role, "Edgar Dinero," in Talento de Barrio (2008). He also produced this film. The movie is based on his experiences growing up in a poor neighborhood. Talento de Barrio broke records for ticket sales for a Puerto Rican movie.

Daddy Yankee has also been involved in other projects. He co-owns El Cartel Records. He created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charity in Puerto Rico that helps young people who have been in trouble. In 2008, he received a "Latino of the Year Award" from Harvard College for his work with youth. He also bought a part of the Criollos de Caguas basketball team. He has worked with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico (Red Cross) on various campaigns.

In 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie. In 2014, he confirmed it would be about the boxer Macho Camacho. However, the film was not released after Camacho's death.

One of his recent non-music projects was his game Trylogy. It is a 3D video game based on tower defense games. The game was released in November 2013 and features his songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo." Daddy Yankee also served as an executive producer for Neon, a Netflix series about friends trying to make it in reggaeton. He also made a cameo appearance in the show, which premiered in 2023.

Personal Life

Family

Ayala keeps most of his personal life private. He says these details are like a "little treasure" that he wants to keep to himself. In 2006, he spoke about his wife, Mireddys González, and their children. He said his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything." He met his wife when they were young. They got married when he was 17 years old. Their first daughter, Yamilette Ayala González, was born when he was 17. He said raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996, and a son, Jeremy, born in 1998. On December 1, 2024, Ayala shared on his Instagram page that he and his wife were separating after almost 30 years of marriage.

Community Involvement

In 2008, Ayala took part in a campaign to encourage people to vote in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This included a concert called "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).

In November 2019, Ayala opened a reggaeton museum at Plaza Las Américas. It was the first museum of its kind.

Helping Others

In 2007, Daddy Yankee became a spokesperson for "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico). This environmental group promotes recycling. He helped with a campaign called "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico).

In 2017, Daddy Yankee gave $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico. This was after Hurricane Maria caused a lot of damage. The money helped provide food for about 9,000 families on the island.

Beliefs

In December 2023, during his tour in Puerto Rico, Daddy Yankee announced that he had become Christian. He shared that he wanted to serve in evangelization.

Legacy

J Balvin has said Daddy Yankee is his main inspiration.

Daddy Yankee is often called the "King of Reggaeton." Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice said Daddy Yankee helped make the "marginalised" Latino identity more visible. She also noted that he brought "glamour to the barrio" and changed how media showed Hispanic poverty. CNN and Time have recognized him as one of the most influential Hispanic people in the world.

Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino (2004) brought reggaeton into the mainstream. Its song "Gasolina" changed the Latin music industry. Billboard stated that "the genre would revive sales of Latin music." It also created a new radio format in the U.S. called Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonú, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' started the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."

In 2006, New York Times called him "The King of Reggaeton." They noted that Latin music sales grew by 12 percent in 2004, partly thanks to reggaeton and Daddy Yankee.

Many artists have said Daddy Yankee inspired them. These include J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Tini, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.

Achievements

Daddy Yankee at the 2009 Latin Billboard Music Awards red carpet. He received the Spirit of Hope Award for his humanitarian work.

Daddy Yankee has received many awards and honors. These include 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards. He was honored with the Icon Award by the Latin American Music Awards. He also received the Industry Leader Award and was inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lo Nuestro Awards. J Balvin said, "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee."

With 30 million records sold worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, he is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He was also the first Latin artist to be the most listened-to artist worldwide on Spotify. In 2019, he set a record in Puerto Rico with 12 sold-out concerts at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum.

Yankee holds many chart records. He has the most number one songs and entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay chart. He achieved the most Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.

With "Despacito," Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi broke many world records. It became the most-viewed YouTube video. It was also the first video on the site to reach three, four, five, six, and seven billion views. "Despacito" was also the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification in the United States.

Discography

Studio albums

• No Mercy (1995)
• El Cangri.com (2002)
• Barrio Fino (2004)
• El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
• Talento de Barrio (2008)
• Mundial (2010)
• Prestige (2012)
• Legendaddy (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 (2012)
• Prestige World Tour (2013–14)
• King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
• #TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
• La Gira Dura (2018)
• Con Calma Tour (2019)
• La Última Vuelta World Tour (2022)

As a co-headliner

• The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Daddy Yankee para niños

• Reggaeton
• Music of Latin America
• List of best-selling Latin music artists
• List of Caribbean music genres
• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of Puerto Rican songwriters
• Urban contemporary music