'King of Reggaeton' Daddy Yankee announces retirement
Daddy Yankee attends The Superstar Q + A during Billboard Latin Music Week 2021 at Faena Forum on September 22, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
Singer and songwriter Daddy Yankee, also known as "King of Raggaeton," announced he plans to retire Sunday.
"Al fin veo la meta," the rapper posted on Twitter which translates to "I finally see the goal."
The rapper, whose name is Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
In 2004, released his international hit single "Gasolina ", which is credited with introducing Reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon.
Since then, he has sold around 40 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
According to Nevarez Communications, Daddy Yankee’s album "Barrio Fino" made history when it became the top-selling Latin Music Album of the Decade 2000–2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi released the hit single "Despacito".
RELATED: Maury Povich to end talk show after 31 seasons
The agency said the video for "Despacito" on YouTube became the most-watched video on the platform and top-selling single of the decade 2010-2019. Daddy Yankee became the most listened to artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so. In 2019, his single "Con Calma" Ft. Snow" became the Top Latin Song of 2019 and Top 10 Most-Listened song globally.
It became the #1 Most Watched Video on YouTube generating over 2.1 billion views. Daddy Yankee has won 102 awards and 310 nominations. He has been named one of the "Most Influential Hispanics" by both Time Magazine and CNN Network. Daddy Yankee’s latest hits include "De Vuelta pa la vuelta" with Marc Anthony and "Problema" which has reached over one billion streams since its initial release. He performed the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the next day on Good Morning America.
Most recently, he was awarded Songwriter Of The Year for the third time at the 2021 ASCAP Latin Music Awards and has bestowed with the Billboard Hall of Fame Award becoming the first urban Latino artist to enter.