Many of us have sung or danced to a Daddy Yankee song in our lives. Reggaeton has become one of the most listened genres in the world and Daddy Yankee was one of the pioneers in bringing these rhythms to the whole world. Now, after 32 years of career, the Puerto Rican has announced his retirement from music. Sad news for the reggaeton world and for all those fans of the singer’s music.
The Puerto Rican artist Daddy Yankee, self-proclaimed as ‘The Boss’ of reggaeton has announced his retirement from music with the release next Friday of his latest album, Legendaddy, and his concert tour, La última vuelta, which for the moment does not pass through Spain.
“This race, which has been a marathon, I finally see the finish line. Now I’m going to enjoy with all of you all the things you have given me”, explained the singer in a video he shared on his social media. “In this genre, people say that I made it worldwide, but it was you who opened the key for me to open the doors to turn this genre into the biggest in the world,” emphasized Raymond Ayala, reggaetonero’s real name, in the video.
The 45-year-old artist acknowledged that his fans have been the greatest treasure he has had in his 32-year long career and thanked each and every one of the fans who have made his success possible.
“I love them with my life; over and out, Daddy Yankee, El jefe, DY, says goodbye”,
said the singer at the end of the video making his decision to retire very clear.
However, Ayala had already been hinting his retirement from music for months. At the end of September 2021, he had already outlined his possible retirement in a speech he gave when he was inducted into the Billboard Hall of Fame.
Yankee kicked off his musical career in the early 90s with the album Playero 34, by music producer DJ Playero, and where for the first time the word reggaeton was heard. He also had the opportunity, as a result of this, to release his own albums. However, it was his song Gasolina in 2004 that marked a before and after in his musical career.
The song brought him worldwide fame and reached the first position in Billboard’s Top Latin Albums list and appeared at number 50 in the list of the ‘500 best songs of all time’ by Rolling Stone magazine. Undoubtedly, he has been one of the main musicians who has made this genre known in Europe.
Dácil Palmero
