Don Omar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Omar
|
|
|---|---|
.png)
Don Omar in 2015 promoting The Kingdom Tour
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Omar Landrón Rivera |
| Also known as |
|
| Born | February 10, 1979 Santurce, Puerto Rico |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Years active |
|
| Labels |
|
| Awards | Full list |
| Signature | |
 |
|
William Omar Landrón Rivera (born February 10, 1979), better known as Don Omar, is a famous rapper, singer, and actor from Puerto Rico. Many fans and music experts call him the "King of Reggaeton." Magazines like Billboard and Rolling Stone have called him a legend of the genre. He has inspired many other musicians in Latin urban music.
Don Omar is one of the artists who helped make reggaeton music popular all over the world. He became a superstar in 2003 with his first album, The Last Don. It sold hundreds of thousands of copies in the United States alone.
Throughout his career, he has sold around 70 million records. This makes him one of the best-selling Latin music artists ever. In 2017, he announced he would retire from music. But he returned in 2019 with the new song "Ramayama."
Don Omar has also acted in the popular Fast & Furious movies. He plays the character Rico Santos in four of the films.
Contents
Early Life
Don Omar was born and raised in Santurce, a neighborhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is the oldest son of William Landrón and Luz Antonia Rivera. When he was young, he was inspired by the music of artists like Vico C.
For a time, he was a member of a church and sometimes gave sermons. After four years, he decided to leave the church to follow his dream of becoming a singer.
Music Career
Getting Started
Don Omar's first performance was in a nightclub with DJ Eliel Lind Osorio. Soon, he was featured on albums by famous producers like Luny Tunes. He also worked as a backup singer for the duo Héctor & Tito. One of the members, Héctor el Father, helped him produce his first solo album.
Becoming a Superstar
Don Omar's first album, The Last Don, was a huge success. Both the studio and live versions of the album sold so many copies that they were certified platinum. This means they sold over a million copies. The album won him awards for Latin Pop Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year at the 2003 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
In 2006, he released his next album, King of Kings. It became the highest-charting reggaeton album in the U.S. top 10 charts at the time. His song "Angelito" was a number one hit on the radio. The album was so popular that Billboard magazine later named it the most successful album of the decade in Latin America.
Global Hits and Movies
Don Omar's third album, iDon, came out in 2009. The song "Virtual Diva" was played all over Latin radio stations.
In 2010, he released Meet the Orphans. This album featured his smash hit "Danza Kuduro" with singer Lucenzo. The song became famous worldwide, especially after it was used in the movie Fast Five. It plays during the exciting final scene of the film.
His 2012 album, MTO²: New Generation, also did very well. It won the award for Best Urban Music Album at the Latin Grammy Awards. The album included the hit songs "Hasta Que Salga el Sol" and "Dutty Love" featuring Natti Natasha.
The Kingdom Tour
For many years, Don Omar and fellow artist Daddy Yankee had a friendly rivalry over the title of "King of Reggaeton." In 2016, they surprised fans by announcing they would tour together. The tour was called The Kingdom Tour.
Tickets sold out almost instantly in cities like Las Vegas and New York. Speaking about the tour, Don Omar said that he and Daddy Yankee respect each other. He explained that their desire to be the best pushed both of them to become even better artists.
Recent Work
After a short break, Don Omar returned to music. In 2019, he released "The Last Album." In 2021, he signed a major deal with Saban Music Group.
In 2023, he released his album "Forever King." The album was a success and was named one of the best Latin albums of the year by both Billboard and Rolling Stone en Español magazines. It included the hit single "Sandunga" with the famous duo Wisin & Yandel.
Personal Life
In 2003, Don Omar's son, Nicolás, was born. He was married to journalist Jackie Guerrido from 2008 to 2011.
In June 2024, Don Omar shared on social media that he had been diagnosed with cancer. He posted a hopeful message, saying "See you soon." Just one day later, he shared amazing news with his fans. He announced that he was cancer-free after a successful surgery. "Today I woke up cancer free and grateful," he wrote.
Awards and Nominations
Discography
Studio albums
- The Last Don (2003)
- King of Kings (2006)
- iDon (2009)
- Meet the Orphans (2010)
- MTO²: New Generation (2012)
- The Last Don 2 (2015)
- The Last Album (2019)
- Forever King (2023)
Live albums
- The Last Don Live (2004)
- King of Kings: Live (2007)
Compilation & Greatest Hits albums
- Los Bandoleros (2005)
- Da Hitman Presents Reggaetón Latino (2005)
- Los Bandoleros Reloaded (2006)
- El Pentágono (2007)
- El Pentágono: The Return (2008)
Concert tours
- The Last World Tour
- King of Kings World Tour (2006-2007)
- iDon World Tour
- Meet the Orphans World Tour
- MTO²: New Generation World Tour
- Hecho en Puerto Rico
- Retro Evolución World Tour
- The Kingdom Tour (2015-2016)
- Back to Reggaeton Tour (2024)
Filmography
 |
Denotes films/television series that have not yet been released |
|---|
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | MTV Cribs | Himself |
| 2009 | Fast & Furious | Rico Santos |
| Los Bandoleros | ||
| 2011 | Fast Five | |
| 2017 | The Fate of the Furious | |
| 2021 | F9 |
See also
In Spanish: Don Omar para niños
- List of best-selling Latin music artists
- List of Puerto Ricans
