Puerto Rican rapper in North America, Daddy Yankee has announced retiring from music to dedicate his life to Christianity during his last concert on Sunday at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan.
“My people, this is the most important day of my life and I want to share it with you, because living a successful life is not the same as living a purposeful life,” the 46-year-old Puerto Rican said in Spanish as translated by the Daily Mail.
“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,” he explained. “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 to everyone I was someone but I was nothing without him. Throughout the years I was able to travel around the world, win many awards, applaud and praise but I realized something in the Bible: For what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?”
Daddy Yankee (born Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez) went on to tell the 18K fans packed into the stadium at the final stop of his farewell tour in La Meta (Goal) that ‘one chapter is over but a new one will begin.’
“All the tools I have like music, social media, platforms, microphones – everything that God has given me now is for his kingdom,” the ‘King of Reggaeton’ said.
”Thank you very much, Puerto Rico, and I hope you will walk with me in this new beginning and I hope you remember one very important thing: Do not follow anyone. I am human. To all people who follow me, follow Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life.”
”Just as Jesus, in his mercy, allowed me to travel the world, in your mercy, Father, I hope you have allowed me to preach the world from Puerto Rico. Amen.”
After Daddy Yankee’s tearful speech, dozens of drones formed a cross in the night sky with the message ‘Cristo viene’ (Christ will come).
The five-time Grammy nominee first announced his plans to retire in March 2022 following the release of his seventh (and final) studio album Legendaddy and subsequent tour.
He started his career in 1994, and it peaked in 2017 when he and Luis Fonsi released their record-breaking single Despacito.
Father Yankee has three children – daughter Yamilette, 29; daughter Jesaaelys, 27; and son Jeremy, 25 – from his 29-year marriage to childhood friend Mireddys González.
