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Transcript

Daddy Yankee

Hello, I'm Leila Cobo, and I want to thank you for joining us on this musical adventure. Our audience is ready and waiting anxiously to meet today's guest. You're going to see him, I promise, as you have never seen him before... Because on this show we give an insightful look at each artist's journey. During this entire hour, we'll have the chance to be excited, have fun, and travel to different places... Because that is what music does for you, and that is what those who make music do, as well. You will also have the opportunity to participate by asking questions, and together we will discover this musical wonder. Estudio Billboard starts now!

Can you be an artist and a businessman too? When a person reaches success at a young age, he either gets very confused or gets stronger and more confident. There are plenty of examples of those who started out doing well but ended up with nothing... But in this case, it is like the saying, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". His dream was to play Major League baseball. However, after being shot in the leg, his life changed, and he dedicated himself entirely to music. He is the man who put reggaeton out there, and he took it around the entire world all by himself. He is a businessman who runs his own career and his own businesses. He likes facing challenges. He is a producer, a recruiter, and also a spokesman for humanitarian causes. But above all of this, He has gotten the "flow". Let's meet him.

There isn't a place in the world where his music hasn't been played. It is heard and danced even in India. He is a singer, a composer, and a producer. He just finished directing his first movie. He has his own brand of shoes, his own record label, his own publishing house, in fact, his own empire. Stay tuned, because when we return, "The Big Boss", Daddy Yankee, will be here with us

He was born in Puerto Rico on February 3, and was named Ramón "Raymond" Ayala. He grew up in the humble neighborhood of Las Lomas, where people listened to salsa and merengue. At the age of 13, he started to sing rap in Río Piedras and to worry about social issues. When he was 16, while watching a street fight, he was shot in the right femur, and this changed his life forever. But, his professional beginnings in the world of music were lead by the hand of DJ Playero... And, Daddy Yankee was born. Today, at the age of 30, having sold more than 20 million albums around the world, he has become a hit for the Latin and English speaking markets. By blending genres such as hip-hop, R&B, merengue and salsa, he has become considered an urban artist, the first Latin urban artist in the world. Let's welcome, Daddy Yankee.

[clapping]

Thanks. Hello.

Hello. Thanks for coming.

Thanks. Congratulations.

Hey! You look good!

Great, great! We're glad to be here in your show.

Congratulations! I saw you perform last weekend.

You did?

Yes. Didn't you see me? I was in the front row.

No, you know, when I play I look at the crowd.

You were somewhere else...

Pure adrenaline... I was looking at everyone but, you know, as an artist you get involved in the shows. Sometimes you can spot a couple of people, but...

I just didn't throw any flowers...

Ha, ha, ha. We had a great time at the Miami Arena.

Yes. It was spectacular. And I loved it when you arrived in the helicopter. I don't know if our audience has seen the show, but he arrives in a helicopter. Tell us a little about this.

Well, part of the show is... The helicopter represents the movement of "El Cartel" by Daddy Yankee. It is a "total movie" as I like to say. I like to make shows that are more than just a concert, turn them into an event. Something that remains in people's memory when they get home. I bet if your children were there, or any person who went to the concert, they are always going to remember something about my show... "Did you see him?", "He appeared suddenly, in the middle of the show. He was flying around." Those are memorable moments, and I like it when people take home a great experience.

Tell us about what you're wearing, and show us a little of your bling-bling.

Well, this is "El Cartel". The bracelet and the chain are by "El Cartel"... "El Cartel" bling-bling...

It says "El Cartel". Doesn't it?

Yes. Daddy Yankee's record label.

Emeralds?

Well... completely bling-bling.

Very nice. So, this is the pendant?

Yes.

Ok, you wear more bling now, right? I remember that a year ago you had some bling style, but not that much...

Yes, limited. But you keep on progressing, thank God. I wear my bling depending on the outfit, depending on color matching. Sometimes I don't wear any at all. Sometimes you see me, and I'm not wearing it. Today, I decided to wear it... But it all depends if it matches with what I'm wearing.

Ok, and the shoes... Are those the Reebok shoes by Daddy Yankee?

Yes, These are mine... Daddy Yankee with RBK. These are one of the newest styles. You can get them in white or white and red. It's been great. There has been great support. So, thanks to everyone for the support!

Finally, I know you were talking with P. Diddy about being the image for the Sean John clothing line, and...

Yes, we were doing a lot of things with him for a little while. In 2008, we plan to launch a lot more surprises. One of them is a fragrance by Daddy Yankee...

When will it be on the market?

February or March of next year. It has already been developed. Now, we are planning how to market it, promote it, etc.

What does it smell like?

Well, it smells... like a man. It's very manly. The most important thing is that the ladies approve the fragrance. They are the ones in charge, you know? So, we introduce it to all the ladies because men are going to wear something that women like. So, this fragrance is women-approved, and...

And, does your wife approve the fragrance?

Yes.

Maybe some people here don't know that Daddy Yankee has three children. How old are they?

Well, they're grown up now. I started... I started when I was not supposed to. Ha, ha, ha. Well, we started... I had my first baby girl when I was 17.

Ok.

So, she's grown now. She's 13 now. She goes with me to the night clubs, instead of going out with some other guys. I'd rather take her with me.

Does she really go out with you?

Yes, I'll take her with me, so I can teach her everything, show her the world out there, so nobody deceives her. Later, she can make her own decisions, but I'm going to show her the "real" side of the world. That's the most important thing. She has a young dad. At the beginning, I didn't get it. I said, "Oh my God, I'm a kid myself and I already have one." And, it wasn't easy, honestly. It wasn't easy to support the baby because the first thing you say is, "Ok, I have a girl. Let my wife take care of her." But it was the opposite in my case: My wife was like... "You have to take care of her, you support her, you do everything"... It was very hard, but I'm happy now.

In fact, your family is very important for you. Isn't it? Your wife works in the business. She is one of your managers, and you work with your brother as well.

Yes, my brother-in-law, and other people who grew up with me, they’re working with me. It is a family business, you know, and my family is the foundation of the company. Right now, we have more than 100 people to handle all the stuff we deal with.

Daddy Yankee Enterprises has more than 100 people?

Right. I always say that my family should be the one to benefit first. After that, others can benefit, too. I started like that, you know. When I started, nobody knew about the business, only me. I said, "Everyone is going to learn here. Even if we don't know what we're doing tomorrow. Everyone is going to learn." And thanks to that experience, everybody started to learn, step by step. My brother and I were always in the street. We were crazy tigers out there, so...

What do you mean by "crazy tigers out there"?

We were... The music gave me the opportunity to bring my brother back, and to show him the right path in life.

He's your older brother, right?

Older, yes.

Ok, so tell me... You were growing up in Puerto Rico and wanted to be a baseball player.

Right.

What happened? Were you a good player?

I was good.

Really? What position did you play?

Third base, catcher... I played any position. Understand? And then I got a shot, and music became a priority in my life. I had no other choice. At the same time, my daughter was born. I didn't have money. I was...

Was it all at the same time?

All at the same time.

Three sudden changes.

All of a sudden, like... Take this!

Talking about music again... It was your hobby.

Yes.

And what did you do? Did you sing? Play the congas?...

I used to sing. Sometimes I played the congas... playing around with dad.

Oh, your father is a percussionist.

Yes, yes.

Let's see, what did the "old man" teach you to do on the congas?

I'm not going to play the congas. I haven't played them in a long time!

But, see? They look inviting...

And I'll keep on playing. Ha, ha. My dad and I kept on playing. I used to play the campana, and we kept on playing... I would sit down by his side. I would play the campana, and we would have a party. We would call the neighbors over. We played salsa... It was like that. And little by little, I got started in music. But as a child, I was more interested in rock than in any other kind of music.

You were?

Yes. As a kid, I liked Guns N' Roses. I remember listening to Honestly by Stryper.

I'm your friend who will always be true Honestly

[laughing]

I used to listen to all of those rock songs... And then I was given a tape by Run DMC that started like this:

[humming]

And I thought, "Forget about it! I'm going to listen to hip-hop from now on!" It started when I was given the tape by Run DMC with the song Rock This Way on it. It had rock, and I liked that, too. And that's how I started to listen to hip-hop. Rob Base had the hit It Takes Two. It is a classic song. Those songs, all of them changed my life. Rakim was a big influence on me. Microphone Fiend, Follow The Leader, Public Enemy's Don't Believe The Hype, all of those songs influenced my life... Big Daddy Kane, Let Go... Well, all of those old-school hip-hop songs... And, that was how I chose hip-hop.

So, if you had not received that Run DMC tape, you may be playing the electric guitar right now?...

Yes, I would be playing rock right now. But it was good because it gave me the chance to realize another kind of musical genre. So... When you listen to all kinds of music, you make all kinds of music.

Right. When we return, I want you to tell us more about how you make music. We have to take a break. When we come back, we will continue talking about the music of Daddy Yankee.

[clapping]

We continue talking with Daddy Yankee, the most famous Latin rapper in the world. You were saying that your change from rock to rap was due to many American urban rappers. Now that you have become Daddy Yankee, have you met any of them?

Of course. When I was arriving at the airport in North Carolina, I met Big Daddy Kane, who was one of my favorites. I felt nervous when I saw him. I said, "Oh my God! Look who's here!" And I couldn't help myself. I went to him and said to him, "Nice to meet you, I'm Daddy Yankee." And he said, "Of course, I know who you are. I've heard a lot about you!" Wow, hearing that from Daddy Kane... I told him, "Listen, you have been a huge influence on me. Thanks!" He was really surprised, understand? He said, "Wow, music is amazing. You're a young Puerto Rican man, but my music was intended for Americans". He had never imagined that he was such an influence on Puerto Rico. It is from them that I learned how I wanted to produce my show. That is why when I have a concert, I like to have a huge crowd... a show that is memorable... because even today I remember their shows. Back then, I thought... "My shows in the future will have to be like this. They will have an impact on people"... So, I know that whenever young people or children go to my concerts they are going to say, "I remember that performance by Daddy Yankee, my concerts will be like the ones by Daddy Yankee". That is what I thought when I was young.

And, you improvise a lot in every show?

Yes, all the time.

So If I mention one topic right now... can you improvise?

Yes.

Really? Let me see... ok, baseball.

Ok, ya tú sabes, llegó Daddy Yankee, el cantante de grandes ligas, cada vez que improviso mi lengua no se fatiga. Papi, esté atento que en esta música yo he bateado pa'500, un promedio fenomenal, claro que soy el campeón mundial, me dicen Daddy Yankee, El Diamante, en esta música soy el cuarto bate, improvisando papi, pon la peso sobre la balanza, cuando yo tiro esto es como una doble matanza, double play se dice en inglés, Daddy Yankee improvisando es el rey, la ley, papi ya tú sabes, no te vayas en fault porque si no, con esta música te saco en out, 'tas ponchao loco, llegó el pitcher más violento, Daddy Yankee, con mi talento yo me sustento y el show me robo por supuesto, que ando con Leila Cobo, ok Daddy Yankee, yo!

[clapping]

Bravo! Very nice! When you are writing a song, how do you begin? Do you begin with an idea or with a beat? How do you do it?

Music is unpredictable. Sometimes I go to the recording studio, and I just start to improvise the lyrics right away without writing, and I create songs like that. And sometimes, when I want to deal with social issues, I sit down and analyze what I want to say because you want to get to the point. Sometimes, I write. Sometimes, I improvise. It depends on the muse.

Well, I have to ask about La Gasolina because it is an important song.

It has become a classic. It is a classic that will never fade away. It's going to be out there forever.

Yes.

Lo Que Pasó, Pasó is going to be on the radio as well... Rompe too...

There are many, many hits. There are so many that I don't even know where to begin. Let's start talking about La Gasolina. What is the story behind that song? Many people say, "I was involved with it". At least ten people say they were the producer of this song.

he real story is... I had the song in my mind, and I was thinking... I have to write this song. I want to talk about this... I am in the barrio and a guy says, "¡muchacha, mira, cómo te gusta la gasolina!"... So I thought...Wow! Music is just like that. I said, "I have to make a song with that as the title." Well, one day I was with Eddie, who is one of my buddies, and I said, "I have this song..."

Eddie Dee?

Yes. I told him: "Look, I wrote this". We both started to create the lyrics. We did it. We talked with Luny Tunes and said, "Listen, I have this track." I recorded it, and they created the track...

What did you have in the beginning? Was it the chorus, the part that goes a mi me gusta la gasolina or the lines from the start of the song?

I had the lines and the "flow". I record with a lot of "flow", you know?

So the "flow" comes first, and then you add the beat?

Yes, most of the time. I usually have the "flow" first, then the melody. Then I include the lyrics in reggaeton songs. In the hip-hop and rap songs, I take the time to write the lyrics first, you know?... Because you have to express yourself... say something. That's why writing is so important in rap. When you're creating reggaeton, because it is more melodic, you try to get a "hook", a melody. That is the most important thing. And, that's what I do. Rompe. I remember Rompe. I was at the studio. I came in and I heard the beat. I heard...

[humming]

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