Daddy Yankee officially retires from reggaeton to devote his life to his religious faith, the rapper said after completing his farewell tour, La Meta (The Goal), on Sunday evening in his native Puerto Rico.
The 46-year-old singer made the announcement in a long speech following a larger-than-life performance of his planetary hit “Essence“, a song that marked the beginning of the globalization of reggaeton and propelled it to mainstream success in 2004.
“My people, this day is the most important day of my life for me. And I want to share it with you because living a life of success is not the same as living a life with purpose,” said the artist, who also popularized the 2017 megahit “Despacito” with Luis Fonsisaid in Spanish.
Although he has traveled the world, won awards and been praised by fans around the world, a part of him has long felt unfulfilled, he told an enthusiastic crowd of more than 18,000 people at the Coliseum of Puerto Rico. “I have to admit that those days are over. Someone has been able to fill that void,” he said.
Despite wearing stylish sunglasses on stage, the tears streaming down his face were visible to the thousands of fans around the world watching him closely. via live stream.
In his message, Daddy Yankee quoted this Bible verse in Spanish: “What good shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? »
“That is why tonight I recognize, and I am not ashamed to tell the whole world that Jesus lives in me and that I will live for him,” said the singer, raising his hand to the sky.
Daddy Yankee has announced that he will be embarking on “a new beginning” under the name Ramón Ayala, his birth name.
“All the tools I have like music, social media, platforms, a microphone – everything Jesus gave me – are now for his kingdom,” he said. “Thank you very much, Puerto Rico, and I hope you will join me in this new beginning.”
“To all those who have followed me, follow Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life,” he added. “Just as Jesus, with his mercy, allowed me to travel the world, in your mercy, Father, I hope you will allow me to evangelize the world from Puerto Rico. Amen.”
Dozens of drones shone outside the Coliseo de Puerto Rico for a light show in the sky, depicting a cross and the message “Cristo viene” (“Christ will come”) after the show ended.
The artist had previously acknowledged his Christian faith in interviews and public appearances, but his Sunday night speech still surprised his fans.
Fans on social media have mostly responded positively to these remarks.
“I wasn’t wrong to choose you as my favorite artist without a doubt,” one supporter commented on Daddy Yankee’s Instagram post sharing his speech.
“We love you, we always admire you,” another fan replied.
A smaller number of social media users reacted with mockery and skepticism to the news. A user on X wondered if Daddy Yankee would ever give up royalties and rights to his “sinful songs“, while another said: “Daddy Yankee’s music was getting so bad that Jesus Christ himself had to come and remove him from reggaeton“.
Daddy Yankee is not the first reggaeton artist to end his career to devote his life to his Christian faith. Among the best known from Puerto Rico are Farruko, Héctor “El Father” and Voltio, among others.
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