By the end of the concert, my hearing was shot. I had the biggest smile plastered on my face as I thanked my brother once again for taking me to see Daddy Yankee live in Chicago. Though people were leaving the stadium, the electric feeling still hung in the air. It was a bittersweet experience to see the King of Reggaeton on his ultima vuelta, the last tour before he retires from music. As I was driving back, it really hit me that I got to be in the same place with a living legend in the Latin music industry.
Most may know him because of his hit song “Despacito,” but Daddy Yankee’s career has spanned over two decades and 13 albums. He started out in a club in Puerto Rico rapping over dancehall beats and Spanish reggae coming from Panama, making a fusion sound which was dubbed “reggaeton.” He helped pioneer an underground music scene that went from obscurity to selling out more than 30 million albums. He is the one that made it possible for Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Rauw Alejandro, and Karol G to rise to the height of stardom they have achieved internationally.
My short time with Daddy Yankee made me appreciate him more because he fostered an atmosphere of Latine pride and love. This feeling was so apparent throughout the whole concert. He kept shouting out all the countries represented in the stadium and at one point he asked everyone to lift their flags to celebrate their culture. It was the unity that really made the night special; the idea that we are connected beyond borders through the music that we all love.
Another thing that I love about Daddy Yankee is his sound, which is quite unique; when you listen to him enough, you can tell within the first five seconds that it is his song or a song that he is featured in. From the hard hitting tracks to the party anthems, there is never not a good time to listen to him. If you don’t know where to start, here are five songs to start you out (this is the moment where you pull up your Spotify).
Gasolina: If you have been to a Latine party, this most definitely was bumping at one point.
La Santa: A win-win situation because we get both Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny on this track.
Rompe: It may have come out 11 years ago, but it still hits hard.
Dura: This song is so catchy; it makes me want to dance every time I hear it.
King Daddy: Barrio Fino is just a superior album. Talk to the wall.
If you are looking to see Daddy Yankee live, he is coming back to Chicago on December 12 and 13 this year at the Allstate Arena. I highly recommend that you go and blow your ears out.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.