Daddy Yankee

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Ramon Ayala, otherwise known as 'Daddy Yankee', is one of the many pioneers of the reggaeton genre who's boyhood dream was actually baseball!  But, in his early teens he suffered a serious leg wound after being shot with a AK-47 during a neighborhood gun battle.  Suddenly, this Yankee's athletic career was over.

 

Fortunately, Ayala had a knack for singing and lyrical improvisation, having been musically influenced by his family as a child.  Fortunately for the music world, he quickly took to the underground rap movement, which was becoming popular in his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico...and by 1992 Daddy Yankee was playing in a new field of dreams.

 

Early on,  Ayala imitated artists such as Vito C, DJ Nelson, and DJ Playero...who got Ayala his first recording gig in the production 'Playero 37'. At the age of 18 Ayala cut his first album 'No Mercy'  which didn't sell well, so he eventually formed a duo act with Nicky Jam.  Their track 'Posicion' was featured in the movie sound track 'One Tough Cop', however Daddy Yankee quickly re-focused on a solo career.

 

His albums 'El Cartel' and 'El Cartel II' did well in Puerto Rico, but it was 2002's El Cangri.Com that really took off....in New York and Miami as well. This really helped his cross-over success with English speaking audiences.

 

Two years later Daddy Yankee hit a grand slam with the album 'Barrio Fina', which featured the smash hit 'Gasolina' and a special, salsa cross-genre single called  'Melao'...which he performed with Andy Montanez. 'Gasolina' was nominated for a Latin Grammy,  and an MTV Video Music award, with other tracks on the LP combining reggaeton and other genre's aimed at attracting English speaking audiences.

 

This led to Ayala's first world tour which included South and Latin America, the United States, and Europe. Soon afterward Ayala received several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists in the industry.

 

In 2007 Ayala followed up with 'The Big Boss', which became the year's top selling latin album in all categories. It also marked Daddy Yankee's return to his hip hop roots, as opposed to total raggaeton. Later that year, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine.

 

In 2008 Ayala made a guest appearance on an album titled 'Caribbean Connection, that also featured artists 'Wisen and Yandel', 'Don Omar', 'Hector Delgado', and Jamaican groups 'Inner Circle', Elephant Man', 'Bounty Killer', and 'Wayne Wonder'.

 

Then, early this year he performed at Chile's famous Vina Del Mar International Song Festival, where he took home numerous awards. Ayala also won the prestigious 'Spirit of Hope' honorary award at the Latin Billboard Music Awards.

 

Off stage, Ayala signed a mega-endorsement with Pepsi, and is the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok.  He also endorsed John McCain's candidacy for U.S. President, and has worked in the film industry...both as an actor and producer.

 

Daddy Yankee also co-owns 'El Cartel' Records, has created a charity for troubled youths in Puerto Rico, and owns part of the Caguas Creoles Pro Basketball team. Finally, his guarded personal life does include a 15-year marriage to his wife Mireddys and three young children... who keep Their Daddy Yankee grounded and at home whenever possible!

 

 

Thanks, and keep listening!.    

 

PeteCam4

 

 

 

 

"Best Wishes"--PTCJr

ReggaetonTop Don...DON OMAR

Puerto Rican born William Omar Landron, alias 'Don Omar' has another top-20 hit on the Reggaeton chart called 'Sexy Robotica', off his latest album 'Idon'.  The Latin Grammy Award nominated rapper/singer has his career back in full swing after a few minor brushes with the law over the past few years. In 2007 Omar was held under police custody in Santa Cruz, Bolivia after a local company sued him for canceling a concert and stealing $70,000. Omar claimed the company never issued air tickets to get there, and a local judge released him. He then flew to Buenos Aires to play another scheduled show, and immediately returned back to Santa Cruz to perform the missed concert,  In 2004 Omar were arrested in Puerto Rico and charged with drug and weapons possession, but the trial was postponed and charges were eventually dropped due to faulty evidence and witness accounts. Omar would go on to platinum fame with his live album hit 'The Last Don', which sold over a million copies, along with selling a half-million copies of debut single 'Dale Don Dale'. Omar also won awards for Latin Pop Album of the Year, and Latin Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year in 2005. In 2006 his album 'King of Kings' made the highest charting debut ever in the U.S. top 10, and with the help of smash hit 'Angelito', became Reggaeton's Album of the Year. Two of Omar's songs Los Bandoleros' and 'Conteo' were featured in the movies 'The Fast and the Furious' and 'Tokyo Drift', His latest album 'Idon' spawned the song 'Virtual Diva', which was received well on radio as well as on MTV. The song has also become the most requested song on Latin radio stations. Don Omar will release his next album 'Idon 2.0' sometime next year,,,featuring a duo session wih fellow Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee. Thanks and stay in listing touch, PeteCam4

BOB MARLEY

BOB MARLEY

I was introduced to Bob Marley in 1985 by my brother. Every time we got together Bob Marley was played. “I Shot the Sheriff”, “No Woman No Cry”, “Could You Be Love”, “Stir it Up”, “Jamming”, “Redemption Song”, and “One
Love” were Bob Marley’s best know hits. Bob Marley is still the most widely known and revered performer in reggae music, he was known for spreading Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement. Bob Marley played “Get Up, Stand Up” as the last song at every concert, and it was the last
song he ever sang. Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley lost his fight with cancer on May 11, 1981. In my opinion Bob Marley is the all time King of reggae music.