Daddy Yankee is officially retiring from reggaeton to devote his life to his religious faith.
The 46-year-old singer made the announcement in a lengthy speech following a larger-than-life performance of his global hit “Gasolina,” a song that marked the beginning of the globalization of reggaeton and catapulted him into mainstream success back in 2004.
He told a cheering crowd of more than 18,000 people that despite traveling the world, winning awards and being praised by fans worldwide, a part of him felt unfulfilled for a long time.
Despite wearing stylish sunglasses onstage, the tears streaming down his face were visible to the thousands of fans around the world who watched him closely via livestream.
In his message, Daddy Yankee cited a Bible verse in Spanish.
Daddy Yankee announced he would embark on “a new beginning” as Ramón Ayala, his birth name.
