Although most Americans may not be familiar with Latin rapper Daddy Yankee (Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez), he has more than 100 million followers on social media. He recently announced that he is retiring from his highly successful musical career to embark on “a new beginning” to spend the rest of his life spreading the gospel.
“This day for me is the most important of my life,” he posted on social media. “Tonight I recognize and I am not ashamed to tell the whole world that Christ lives in me and that I will live for him. This is the end of one chapter and the beginning of a completely new one.”
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Speaking to a crowd in Puerto Rico at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José, he said: “For many years, I’ve tried filling a void in my life that no one could fill. I tried finding a purpose, on many occasions it seemed as if I was happy, but something was missing for me to feel complete.
“I have to confess that those days are over and someone was able to fill that void that I felt for a lot of time. I realized that for everyone I was someone, but I was no one without him. Throughout the years, I was able to travel the world, win many awards, applause and praise, but I realized something that’s in the Bible: `For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?’”
He is excited about what the next chapter of his life may bring.
Daddy Yankee’s impact on music, especially in Latin America, has been profound. He initially pursued a baseball career but transitioned to music after a leg injury ended his athletic aspirations. His debut album, “No Mercy,” released in 1995.
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According to Billboard magazine, “‘La Meta’ was part of his retirement tour La Última Vuelta that kicked off last year and landed at No. 13 on the Top 40 Tours of 2022 with a total gross of over $125 million, according to Billboard’s Year-End Boxscore charts. Yankee now joins a wave of reggaeton stars who have opened up about their faith including Farruko, Hector ‘El Father’ Delgado, El General, and more.”
His new message of faith is reaching tens of millions.
“All the tools that I have in my power, like music, social media, platforms, a microphone, everything that God has given me is now for his kingdom,” he said. “Thank you, Puerto Rico, and I hope you walk with me in this new beginning and I hope you remember something very important: Don’t follow any person. I am human. To all the people who follow me, follow Jesus Christ; he’s the way, the truth and the life.”
–Alan Goforth | MV