Daddy Yankee is up for a huge honor at the Latin Grammys.
On Nov. 11, at a special gala during Latin Grammy week in Las Vegas, the reggaeton artist will be named the 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.
“This recognition from The Latin Recording Academy is a dream come true. It means a lot because it represents more than just a successful career; it’s recognition of years of discipline, struggle, faith, and commitment to our culture,” Daddy Yankee said in a statement.
“Receiving something like this is to honor Puerto Rico, to honor all Latinos, and specifically to that entire generation that believed in our music when no one else understood it.”
The Puerto Rican singer and rapper will be recognized for helping to pioneer reggaeton during his nearly three-decade career and for his humanitarian efforts in his home country, including his investments in sports, such as the Cangrejeros de Santurce, and the NBA Basketball School.
The turning point in Daddy Yankee’s career came with the release of 2004’s Barrio Fino, which spent 24 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The album included the blockbuster hit “Gasolina,” which boosted the globalization of reggaeton on a massive scale.
His reign continued for years, including Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito,” released in 2017, which spent 16 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song later had a remix featuring Justin Bieber that also peaked at No. 1.
In 2022, Daddy Yankee announced his retirement from music with the release of the album Legendaddy. However, last year saw the arrival of his latest album, Lamento En Baile, described as “purpose-driven music, incorporating spiritual reflection, ethical values and personal transformation,” per a press release.
