Getty Daddy Yankee in November 2016.
Daddy Yankee, the “King of Reggaeton,” has one of the biggest hits of 2017 with “Despacito,” and his popularity is still going strong in 2018. The song, recorded with Luis Fonsi, is now the most-streamed track in history and was the first Spanish-language song to hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart since “Macarena.” Daddy Yankee, whose real name is Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, is married with three children and has two brothers.
The music video for “Despacito” has had 2.6 billion views since it was posted on YouTube. An audio-only post of the Justin Bieber remix has over 427.4 million views on YouTube. The remix is still #1 on the Billboard Songs of the Summer chart, and Spotify says both versions have been listed to 1.1 billion times.
NPR reports Universal Music claims that the two versions have been streamed a combined 4.6 billion times across YouTube, Spotify and other platforms, making it the most-streamed song of all time. The song will appear on Fosni’s next album.
With Daddy Yankee dominating music this summer, here’s a look at his family.
1. Daddy Yankee Is Married to Mirredys Gonzalez & Has 3 Children
GettyLuis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee in April 2017.
The 40-year-old Daddy Yankee has been successful in keeping his private life private, despite his international success and recognition as a pioneer of Reggaeton. A 2006 New York Times profile reveals that he is married to Mirredys Gonzalez, a music manager. They also have three children together, ages 22, 20 and 18. The couple have been married since 1994, when Daddy Yankee was only 17.
In 2006, Daddy Yankee told Telemundo journalist Maria Celeste Arras about his family, marking the first time he publicly talked about his wife and children, People En Espanol reported at the time.
“We are friends more than anything,” Yankee said of his relationship with his wife in 2006. He told Arraras that he has a close relationship with his children and tells them to stay away from drugs and gangs. He said he didn’t talk about his family because it is “the only thing that is reserved for me.”
2. His Younger Brother Melvin Has a Career as a Christian Rapper in Puerto Rico
Daddy Yankee isn’t the only member of his family to find success. His 31-year-old brother Melvin Ayala is a Christian rapper. He has recorded four albums and released five singles.
In a 2006 interview with Noticia Cristiana, Melvin said he hoped to find success in a different sector of the music business. He understood that he couldn’t compete with his brother, but still wanted to perform with him.
Melvin explained to the site that his more famous brother attended a Pentecostal church in Barrio Obrero, a sector of San Juan. He said that his brother occasionally calls him for advice whenever he feels the pressure of work.
You can follow Melvin Ayala on Instagram.
3. Daddy Yankee’s Parents are Ramon Ayala and Rosa Rodriguez.
Daddy Yankee’s parents are Ramon Ayala and Rosa Rodriguez. In recent days, this news has surprised some fans enough to think it was a Mandela effect.
However, it appears this is the case of two Ramon Ayala’s names being mixed up, and it does not appear that the famous Mexican musician is any relation to Daddy Yankee, a famous musician from Puerto Rico. According to Daddy Yankee’s biography, he was born to Ramon Ayala and Rosa Rodriguez on February 3, 1977 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. His father was a bongosero (salsa percussionist) and his mother’s family also had numerous musicians. He was raised in the Villa Kennedy housing projects. The famous Ramon Ayala’s original name is Ramon Covarrubias Garza, born in 1945 in Mexico. This story will be updated as more details are available.
In 2015, EFE reported that the famous Ramon Ayala would be working with Daddy Yankee on his next project. No mention was made in the article of any relation between the two. The story says: “Mexican musician Ramon Ayala said recording a song with Puerto Rican reggaeton star Daddy Yankee was among his next projects. ‘I have a song for him and we’ll record it together soon,’ Ayala said in a press conference Wednesday in Los Angeles, where he was promoting his concert at the Greek Theatre this weekend.”
The article also notes the similarity in their names, but never mentions any relation, nor does Ayala give any quotes that indicate a family relation between the two stars.
4. His Older Brother Nomar Was Daddy Yankee’s Manager
Daddy Yankee’s older brother is Nomar Ayala. According to his Instagram page, Nomar is a minister at the Iglesia de Avivamiento Jesucristo Rey D’ Reyes de Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
Nomar was also Daddy Yankee’s manager, as the 2006 New York Times profile notes. He worked with his brother at El Cartel Records, the label Daddy Yankee created when he was only 21. Daddy Yankee put out his first four albums on El Cartel, even overseeing the manufacturing.
Daddy Yankee is now signed to Universal Music Group.
5. His Daughter Jesaaelys Marie Is a Fashion Blogger With Over 142,000 Instagram Followers
Daddy Yankee’s youngest daughter, Jesaaelys Marie, has gained attention on social media thanks to her Instagram page. She has over 142,000 followers and bills herself as a “travel junkie and beauty blogger.”
His other children are daughter Yamilette Rodriguez and son Jeremy Ayala González. In May 2013, Latin Trends reported that Yamilette graduated from high school.
You can follow Jeremy on Instagram here.
Although he is married to a woman and has three children, there were rumors on the web that Daddy Yankee is gay. In 2013, the “Gasolina” singer appeared to announce that he is gay and even released a “statement.” “I am a human being like any other, with virtues and defects, and I don’t believe that this is a defect,” the “statement” allegedly read. As E! News reports that a photo appearing to show him kissing another man also surfaced on the web.
His publicist, Mayna Nevarez, told The Los Angeles Times that Daddy Yankee is not gay and called the reports “false news.”
“Online blogs and social media are once again to blame for the spread of false news reports, which other media outlets have also shared regarding a public figure,” Nevarez said in 2013. “The reports circulating regarding Daddy Yankee’s declaration of homosexuality was falsely written by an online outlet known for fabricating false information and spreading it through social media sites.”
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Daddy Yankee’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know