(NewsNation) — Daddy Yankee, during his farewell concert in Puerto Rico Sunday night, announced that in retirement, he will be devoting his life to religion.
The rapper and singer, born Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, first announced he would be retiring from music last year, saying goodbye to fans with an album, “Legendaddy” and concert tour, La Última Vuelta. As part of the tour, he did four back-to-back shows called “La Meta” at The Coliseo de Puerto Rico José.
It was during the final night of La Meta, which was livestreamed for those with a $20 ticket, that Daddy Yankee announced his next moves.
NBC writes that Daddy Yankee told the crowd in Spanish, “This day for me is the most important day of my life.”
“I want to share it with you because living a life of success is not the same as living a life with purpose,” Daddy Yankee, one of the biggest idols in Latin music and the winner of six Latin Grammy Awards, said after performing his global hit “Gasolina.”
Quoting the Bible in Spanish, Daddy Yankee asked, “What good will it be for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” according to NBC.
“That is why tonight, I recognize, and I am not ashamed to tell the whole world, that Jesus lives in me and that I will live for him,” Daddy Yankee said, adding that he will embark on a “a new beginning” using his birth name.
“All the tools that I have in my possession such as music, social networks, platforms, a microphone — everything that Jesus gave me — is now for his kingdom,” Daddy Yankee said, urging his fans to follow not him, but Jesus Christ, “who is the way, the truth and the life.”
La Última Vuelta, according to Billboard‘s Year-End Boxscore Charts, landed at No. 13 on the Top 40 Tours of 2022 and grossed over $125 million.
The outlet writes that Daddy Yankee isn’t alone in opening up about his faith: Farruko and Héctor “El Father,” among others, have also done the same.
Luis Fonsi, with whom Daddy Yankee sang the 2017 song “Despacito”, wrote on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, that Daddy Yankee changed Latin music forever.
Fonsi, who accompanied Daddy Yankee on stage Sunday, said “it was emotional” to be there.
“@daddy_yankee I owe you a lot bro, a lot! Enjoy this well-deserved break, we will continue to enjoy and celebrate your music ALWAYS,” Fonsi wrote.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.