Daddy Yankee in Lima: The king of reggaeton stirs up his Peruvian family

It happened in 2004. It’s been a yearPetrol”. She was played on the radio, on television, at discos, at parties, in public transport. And as she gained fans, she was not without ill-wishers; but even those who said they hated her, with pleasure her Omnipresence had the upper hand on its creator. Daddy Yankee, then a Puerto Rican singer who achieved success in his native country in the 90s, crossed our musical atmosphere with the glow of a comet. Whoever predicted that this heavenly body was about to fall was completely wrong, because for over 30 years the popular ‘DY’ has just been in orbit.

Like other icons, he also contributed to the creation of his own myth. In a kingdom without a monarch, he claimed the throne and there was no one to oppose him. He called himself Big Boss, Ultimate Leader, King Daddy, King of Remixes, Boss, Kangri. And over time, he managed to impose an irreconcilable truth: that this son of San Juan de Puerto Rico was the one who made this genre, vilified by rockers and ballad performers, a real trend all over the world. I might not be the only one Tego Calderon D Don Omar also paved the way, but this does not matter to his followers, who will recognize in him a simple king of reggaeton.

For this reason, it is not surprising that tickets for his farewell tour “The Last Return” were sold out in less than two hours, or that a few days before his concert in Lima, some fans camped near the National Stadium, despite the cold Lima. night of this rare spring. In a year that catered to the menu of international artists’ shows to give Peruvians plenty to choose from, The Daddy Yankee Show was destined to be one of the main dishes, if not the main one. And knowing that they were looking forward to it, Ramon Luis Ayala Rodriguez (his real name) was able to more than live up to expectations.

The legendary dad lands at the National

Around ten o’clock in the evening, Daddy Yankee appeared on the imposing stage above the National Stadium after the countdown. A giant screen in the center, accompanied by two other huge vertical screens, showed the plane from which the Puerto Rican artist emerged, who seemed to be walking on one of the wings. Dressed in a gold suit and dark glasses, “Big Boss” lit up his concert with “Champion”, a hit from his latest album “Legendaddy”, followed by “Remix”. And, like a king on the battlefield, he was accompanied by dancers dressed as soldiers.

Perhaps there is no better term than “exciting” to describe the production the 45-year-old singer put on at the first of his two presentations in Lima. Because in addition to synchronized choreography, laser lighting, flame and smoke diffusers, LED spotlights, pyrotechnics and 3D effects, a network of technologies was created that this reggaeton legend used to amplify the discharge of energy generated by his music. A visual package that changed with the rhythm of the songs and gave the impression that you were in front of a series of different video clips, all of which starred Daddy Yankee.

Realizing that his fans did not just come to dance, Maximo Lider allowed them to sing along with him a series of singles that alternated between his latest works and works of past years, those that strengthened his career in Latin America. Thus, the 2021 theme “Problem” was followed by such classics as “Rompe”, “Machucando” and “Lo que pasa, pasa”, later traced in the most recent “Rumbatón”. With one foot in her past, “DY” continued to sing “She Picked Me Up”, “Older Than Me”, “Don’t Leave Me Alone”, “Your Prince” and “I’m Gone”, supported by voices from Zion & Lennox and Wisin y Yandel, who collaborated with him during those reggaeton boom years.

The stars invited the king of remixes to the court

For those who have been awarded the title of “King of Remixes”, it is no coincidence that their concert brought together some referents of the urban genre, with whom they published more than 200 collaborations during their career. His fellow travelers were present as they were projected onto the screen like holograms, and their voices were heard in the Nacional. So, Sech was heard on “Sal y perrea”, Bad Bunny on “Soltera”, Nicky Jam on “Llamado deemergencia” (“one of my favorite songs,” he said before introducing it) and “Shaky Shaky” , Ozuna in Baila baila baila and China, and Mike Towers in Pasatiempo.

“The trajectory of this server is thanks to you,” he admitted. yankee dad, humble, in one of the many words of love he dedicated to his Peruvian audience. “What a good mood you guys are in. They have great food… they are chefs by nature,” he later praised, knowing our gastronomic pride. And as if someone is back in their footsteps, the mixture of “Gangsta Zone”, “Pose” and “Impacto” preceded this anthem called “Somos de calle” which talks about its origins. But just as he put everyone in a bag of nostalgia, he pulled them out instantly with “La santa” and “X Última vez”, two of his collaborations with Bad Bunny.

Side note: what yankee dad included in your Set list the three songs recorded along with ‘Bad Rabbit’ may speak of a possible succession to the throne. He even dared to say hello to his compatriot and Colombian Carol Gee, two Latin American performers whose careers took off in a big way, reflected in the music galas where they received nominations and awards. But, speculation aside, “DY” didn’t show up to hand out the crowns to anyone, and continued his show with “Windshield Wiper” (a special moment when the whole stadium was lit up by cell phones from side to side) and “Que tira pa”. “lante”.

From now on, only Raymond

“My career would not have been so brilliant if it wasn’t for a country like you, Peru,” he said. yankee dad. “This country has always fascinated me, every time I go and see them with such kindness… Peru is a country where people walk with such humility and kindness. Thank you for this lesson,” he continued, keeping everyone on their toes. “As a child I dreamed that the world would sing in our language, this server broke the barriers by singing in Spanish, I felt proud to be Latino with this song,” he added. And then, without further ado, “Despacito” – “the song of the decade”, as he defined it – sounded, and Luis Fonsi appeared on the big screen.

At that moment, it was felt in the air that the king of reggaeton was preparing to retreat. “Farewell” foreshadowed that farewell was near, although “What should I do?”, “Hot”, “Limbo”, “Bombon” (that TikTok success), “Quietly” and “Fool” gave the illusion that the concert had been for a while . But two hours of full sandungeo and intense karaoke have already passed, and yankee dad He has already broadcast a very complete itinerary of his 32-year career. “This is the song of the decade, the song that never ends, the song that changed the game forever,” he said before the DJ kicked off “Gasolina,” reggaeton’s supreme exponent.

“I’m leaving. Thank you for this love. The first goal with you was incredible. Thank you family. From now on, they will see me as their brother Raymond Ayal. “Maximum Leader” says goodbye,” he said towards the end, and everyone around continued to sing how much “she loves gasoline, give her more gasoline.” And just as he came into our lives, with the fuel that kept the parties going on and on, he left the stage saying all that. Goodbye, Ramon.

EER+ 20 BLONDE… Is the dispute justified?

The controversy has flared up over “Blonde,” a movie about Marilyn Monroe that has just been released on Netflix. Is this misogyny, as they say? Or another story that makes her attractive? Lucia Barja and Renato Leon analyze a film about a Hollywood icon. 7 years of bad luck if you don’t listen to this super episode.