Reggaeton icon Daddy Yankee has confirmed that his upcoming album will be his last.
In a video released on Sunday night (March 20) Daddy Yankee, whose real name is Ramón Ayala, confirmed his imminent retirement from music alongside a farewell tour.
Speaking in Spanish (and translated by Rolling Stone) Ayala said: “This career has been a marathon. I finally see the end-goal. Now I’m going to enjoy with all of you in what you’ve given me. People say I made this genre global, but it is you who gave me the keys to open the doors and make this genre the biggest in the world.
“In the barrios, where we grew up, most of us wanted to be drug dealers. Today, I go to barrios and the majority want to be artists, and that means a lot to me,” he added.
‘Legendaddy’ will be Daddy Yankee’s first studio album since 2012’s ‘Prestige’ and is due for release March 24. Ayala described his upcoming album as his “best production (with) all the styles that have defined me on one album.”
‘Legendaddy’ will be followed by a 5-month tour of America. The Last Turn kicks off in August in Portland and sees Ayala playing 41-dates before finishing up in Mexico on December 2. Check out the full list of dates here.
Speaking to Billboard last year, UMG’s executive vp Michele Anthony said: “Daddy Yankee is that rare artist who actually shapes culture and changes the world through his music and ideas.”
“By elevating reggaeton into a global phenomenon, he helped fuel the explosive crossover popularity of Latin music. Through his music and entrepreneurism, he has created new business models and a platform that has launched the careers of many of today’s new artists.”
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