daddy yankee

Daddy Yankee (Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez) is a retired Puerto Rican reggaetón icon often called the “King of Reggaetón,” known for global hits like “Gasolina” and his role in taking the genre worldwide.

Quick Scoop on Daddy Yankee

Who he is

• Full name: Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, born February 3, 1977, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

• Known worldwide as Daddy Yankee, a pioneering reggaetón singer, rapper, songwriter, and actor.

• Widely referred to as the “King” of reggaetón for his influence on Latin urban music.

Career snapshot

• Originally aimed to be a professional baseball player, but a shooting injury to his leg/hip pushed him to focus fully on music.

• Emerged in the Puerto Rican underground scene in the early 1990s, appearing on DJ Playero mixtapes.

• Released early albums like “No Mercy” (1995) and “El Cangri.com” (2002), which built his name in Latin and U.S. markets.

Breakthrough and biggest hits

• 2004 album “Barrio Fino” made history as one of the top-selling Latin music albums of the 2000s.

• Smash single “Gasolina” (2004) is credited with introducing reggaetón to mainstream global audiences.

• Collaborated on later worldwide hits, including “Despacito” with Luis Fonsi, which became a massive pop crossover.

Legacy and later years

• Has sold around or over 20 million records, making him one of the best‑selling Latin artists.

• Frequently cited by other Latin urban artists as a key influence and trailblazer in the genre.

• Announced his retirement and wrapped up his career with farewell shows in the early 2020s, closing a three‑decade run at the top of reggaetón.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.