Daddy Yankee shared an emotional goodbye to fans as he confirmed his retirement from music, announcing he would instead be focusing on religion.
The rapper, known for tracks, boasts a career spanning around three decades, and is considered to be a leading voice in reggaeton music.
However, in a speech during his La Última Vuelta world tour, the music icon – real name Ramón Ayala Rodríguez – explained that he would be devoting the rest of his life to his faith.
‘Living a successful life is not the same as living a life with purpose,’ the 46-year-old told the crowd, via . ‘For a long time, I tried to fill an emptiness that nobody could fill.’
Explaining that his faith saved him, he continued: ‘That’s why tonight I recognized and am unashamed to tell the world that Jesus lives in me and that I will live for him.’
‘All of the tools that I have within my power – like music, social media, my platform, the mic, everything that God gave me is now for him,’ People Magazine reports that he ended the speech, before fireworks lit up the sky in the shape of a cross.
Yankee shared the video on Instagram, and was instantly flooded with support from fans in the comments below.
A follower replied: ‘We love you brother, welcome to the family! With all the trials that are coming, rest assured: we are all behind you and praying for you! Jesus is so proud of you!’
‘Not many can stand in your position and profess your faith the way you have,’ another agreed. ‘You will always be the king of reggaeton in my eyes but more importantly you are a child of the most high.
‘Much love to you and your future in Christ. For he has a plan for you and he will make a way for you. Your show was incredible in PR. You have changed the world through music and I cannot wait to see what you do next! #proudtobePuertorican.’
An Instagram user penned: ‘Lovvveee youuuuu Yankee!!! May God continue to cover and bless you on your new journey in life. Thank you for THE BEST experience ever!!! [sic].’
As many more thanked him for using his platform for good.
Yankee originally wanted to pursue a career in baseball, but his dreams were shattered when he was shot, leading him to focus on music instead.
He first hit the spotlight in 1994 and has been working tirelessly ever since, with 2004 hit Gasolina going on to become a hit around the world.
In 2017, he teamed up with Luis Fonsi and Justin Bieber for Despacito, which hit the top spot across the globe.
However, the musician revealed his plans to take a step back from the music industry last year.
Yankee isn’t the first famous face to leave the music industry behind for religion, and is following some huge footsteps.
Ma$e
Ma$e famously decided to swap the charts for the church after his Harlem World album delighted many in 1997.
Speaking to Funkmaster Flex in 1999, he declared that he wanted to pursue a ‘calling from God’.
‘I’ve been struggling with this decision for some time now, and I just came to my senses and realized that I’ve been receiving all types of messages,’ he added to New York Daily News at the time.
‘Whatever you can do, do it while you can do it.
‘A lot of people said, “You should wait to talk about this.” But God wouldn’t have given it to you on Sunday if He didn’t need you to do it on Monday.’
Brian ‘Head’ Welch
Korn co-founder and lead guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch also walked away from the spotlight in 2005, after finding religion and becoming a born-again Christian.
He later reunited with his bandmates for a performance in 2012, before officially rejoining the group and returning to the studio the following year.
‘The crazy thing is I had an experience with something from another dimension. And it wasn’t the religion – going to church and being a good boy – I felt something come into my house, and I can’t explain it to this day,’ he said in a 2021 interview. ‘But I believe that it was Christ doing something in me. So that was real — that was very real.
‘But yes, I think I went too far with it. And I got obsessed with it, just like I was obsessed with the drugs. I believe I did, for sure. And I had to come out of that and find normalcy, because there’s nothing worse than a freakin’ irritating religious person just shoving it down your throat — there’s nothing worse than that.’
However, he was forced to clarify his words on Instagram, explaining that the remarks had been taken out of context.
‘Let me shed some more light here: I was trying to address my early fanaticism with Christianity. Do I regret taking some much needed time away from KORN? Not at all,’ he insisted. ‘I enjoyed some of the best years of my life with my daughter, making precious memories with her I wouldn’t have been able to make if I would’ve stayed. But some of the choices I made were reminiscent of a true fanatic.’
Shyne
Shyne was discovered in 1998 and was signed on the spot to Bad Boy Records by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
The rapper, real name Moses Barrow, secured a five-album deal and even worked with Ma$e, while being featured on Combs’ album – eventually moving to Def Jam in 2010.
Throughout his time in the spotlight, he continued to promote his home country of Belize and eventually swapped music for politics.
He won election to the House of Representatives in 2020, and is hopeful that he can follow his father and become the nation’s next prime minister in 2025.
