Daddy Yankee is a multi-talented Puerto Rican artist working as a rapper, singer, composer, record producer, and actor in Puerto Rico.

In 1994, Daddy Yankee popularized the term "reggaeton" to describe the new kind of music developing in his native nation. Many Latin artists have mentioned him as an inspiration, and he has been named the "King of Reggaeton" by the press, fans, and many critics, according to Wealthy Genius.

Born as Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, Daddy Yankee was a pioneer in the development of reggaeton music. However, the market for reggaeton is far smaller than that for R&B or rock. Daddy Yankee has been earning around $8 million annually since 2019.

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Daddy Yankee's Early Life

Daddy Yankee was born on February 3, 1977, in Rio Piedras, the largest neighborhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His father was a percussionist who played in salsa bands. His mother, who also came from a family of musicians, worked as a manicurist. He also has a brother named Nomar.

As a teenager, he aspired to play Major League Baseball professionally. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he was able to try out for the Seattle Mariners. However, he was caught in the crossfire of a barrio gun war and got his leg shot with an AK-47, crushing his dreams of being a pro baseball player.

Daddy Yankee's Net Worth 2023

While recuperating from his gunshot wound, Daddy Yankee devoted more time to his music career. Among his first music appearances was on DJ Playero's 1991 mixtape, "Playero 34," with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas."

He continued to appear on several of DJ Playero's mixtapes throughout the 90s. Daddy Yankee and DJ Playero both used the term "reggaeton" to describe their music on their 1994 album "Playero 36".

The Puerto Rican singer's first official solo studio project was "No Mercy" in 1995. However, Puerto Rican politicians wanted to ban the album because it included a lot of anti-government lyrics.

His debut album, "El Cartel," came out in 1997, and he quickly followed it up with a sequel, "El Cartel II," in 2001. Both albums sold well in Puerto Rico but had little impact on the rest of Latin America.

His album 2002's "El Cangri.com," which focused more on topics like corruption, terrorism, and religion, helped propel him to greater fame, helping him gain some recognition in the United States. It received coverage in the markets of New York and Miami.

The album hit #43 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart after one of its tracks, "Latigazo," became a hit on Spanish-language radio outfits in the U.S. One of his biggest songs, "Gasolina," was included in his album "Barrio Fino," released in 2004.

The song became one of the "50 Greatest Latin Songs of All Time." After being discovered by Interscope Records in 2005, he released his album "El Cartel: The Big Boss," which featured contributions from Will.I.Am, Scott Storch, and more.

Daddy Yankee dropped another album called "Mundial" in 2010, and a year later, "Prestige" was published. He released another album titled "King Daddy" in 2013, accompanied by his "King Daddy Tour," which visited various locations around the U.S. and Europe, according to Wealthy Gorilla.

Daddy Yankee's 2017 hit "Despacito," which also featured Luis Fonsi, is one of his most recognizable works. The song was well-received worldwide and shot straight to the "Billboard Hot 100." "Legendaddy," Daddy Yankee's final studio album, was released in March 2022, following hints of retirement in 2021, Billboard reported.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Daddy Yankee has a net worth of $40 million as of January this year. In his three-decade music career, the Puerto Rican musician has reportedly sold around 30 million records.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: The Full Q&A With Reggaeton Superstar Daddy Yankee - From Billboard