Daddy Yankee

Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, and songwriter, widely recognized as the ‘King of Reggaeton’ for his significant contributions to popularizing the genre globally. After achieving international success in the United States with his 2002 album, El Cangri.com, Daddy Yankee solidified his global status with the release of Barrio Fino in 2004. This landmark album became the top-selling Latin music album of the 2000s, driven by its lead single, ‘Gasolina.’ Released in 2004, ‘Gasolina’ is widely credited with introducing reggaeton to a worldwide audience, transforming it into a global phenomenon and inspiring the creation of the Latin Rhythm Airplay chart. Barrio Fino achieved sales of over 1.1 million copies in the US and more than 2 million worldwide, earning Daddy Yankee an endorsement deal with Pepsi in 2005 and recognition as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2006.

Over his career, Daddy Yankee sold more than 30 million records worldwide, solidifying his legacy as one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all time.