Daddy Yankee, whose real name is Ramon Ayala Rodriguez, is one of the most successful reggeaton artists in the world today. Besides winning a Grammy award, he has also sold over 7 million copies of his albums around the world. Born in Puerto Rico, Ramon picked up music at an early age. His music combines local Puerto-Rican flavor, with a hint of the Caribbean along with American hip-hop & rap.
Growing up, Ramon, like many other hip hop stars, had a tough childhood. He was born in 1977 in San Juan, Puerto Rico and was influenced by several musicians in his family. His interests turned to underground hip hop after he was caught in the crossfire of a fight between local gangs and received two bullet wounds from an AK-47. This incident left a deep impression on him and had a tremendous impact on his trademark musical style.
The breakthrough for Ramon (a.ka., Daddy Yankee) came in year 2005 when his song ‘Gasolina’ became a smash hit across the globe and led to a Grammy nomination. Over all, he has released 5 albums, with one album titled ‘Daddy Yankee Mundial‘ scheduled for release in 2009.
Now, as a successful veteran artist in the reggeaton industry, he is now mentoring other upcoming reggeaton and hip hop artists. In an era where most stars put their entire personal life out in the open, Daddy Yankee has been very reticent about sharing the details of his family life with the public. He got married at the age of 17 and has three kids, and shares a strong relationship with both his wife and children.
Ramon Ayala Rodriguez, aka Daddy Yankee is a model artist for aspiring musicians. Not only is he phenomenally talented, he has also managed to lead a stable, happy family life – something very rare among hip hop artists.
*Johnny Thibeault*
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