Art & Entertainment

'Despacito' Rapper Daddy Yankee Announces Retirement From Music With Farewell Tour

Singer and songwriter Daddy Yankee, also known as 'King of Raggaeton', announced he plans to retire Sunday (March 20).

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Rapper Daddy Yankee
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Singer-rapper Daddy Yankee, whose career exploded with 2004's hit 'Gasolina', will culminate his musical run with 'Legendaddy’ his first new studio album in 10 years, along with a world tour. His music launched a genre that altered the sound and business of Latin music and became a global phenomenon. The rapper had hinted at retirement and a last album and tour during an interview at Billboard's Latin Music Week last year but had yet to make an official announcement.

According to a LatestLY report, "Today, I'm announcing my retirement from music by giving you my best production and my best concert tour." Daddy Yankee said in a statement in a press release issued on March 20. "I will say goodbye celebrating these 32 years of experience with this new collector's item, the album 'Legendaddy'. I'm going to give you all the styles that have defined me, in one single album," he added.

His La Ultima Vuelta World Tour, a five-month trek, is set to kick off on August 10 in Portland, Oregon, and run through December. Pre-sale tickets will go on sale on March 25, with a general public sale to follow on March 30. The rapper has had six No. 1s on the Top Latin Albums chart, starting with 2004's 'Barrio Fino', the first-ever reggaeton album to hit that spot. As of March 2022, he's seen 76 entries on Latin Airplay and 86 on Hot Latin Songs, including the record-shattering 'Despacito' alongside Luis Fonsi. Rappers 'Legendaddy' is set to be released on May 24