Listen to MP3.com's Exclusive Interview with Daddy Yankee
An Interview with Daddy Yankee
Stream: Windows Media Player Required.

CR: Hi. How are you?

DY: How are you, man?

CR: I'm doing well. How are you this morning?

DY: Yeah, man, working, working, working, working hard every day.

CR: I hear you've been out since 6 a.m.

DY: Yeah, well, that's part of it, man. I'm not complaining. This is good, man, what I'm going through now.

CR: Right. Well, let's get started here. Some of our readers are probably going to want to know exactly who you are. So maybe we could just get a brief introduction.

DY: Yeah, this is Daddy Yankee, you know, reggaeton artist for a lot of people. Reggaeton is a new genre, so I'm going to educate them. I'm going to explain to them what's reggaeton. Reggaeton is a hybrid of hip-hop, dance hall, and salsa, you know. That all combined we got...the result is the reggaeton who's taking over the world right now. Right now reggaeton has been a worldwide genre because of those elements, because you can, you can fuse any genre in our genre. So, that's the potential of the reggaeton.

CR: And how did it really start for you? When did it start?

DY: I mean, I started out when I was 13, 14 years old. But the funny thing is that when I began to rap it was no reggaeton about that time. It was just straight Spanish hip-hop. But then in the early '90s, you know, talking about '91, '92, '93--no, before that, before that--the dance hall movement showed up in Puerto Rico, and it became more popular than hip-hop. And all of a sudden the Spanish reggae from Panama came into the picture as well. So we were like obligated to jump on that beat, but the funny thing was, it was two genres at the same time--it was hip-hop or reggae. But what we...the difference about us is that we began rap over the dance hall and the hip-hop beats, you know, at the same time. You know, we were playing the hip-hop vinyls and the dance hall vinyls in the same time. So the result of that was a new rhythm which is reggaeton.

CR: So you've really managed to fuse just about every sort of street sound you can imagine.

DY: Yeah. That's why the reggaeton is so powerful and we're getting a lot of recognition in the African-American market and European market because this is real--it came from the street. The regions of the reggaeton are from the streets, from the barrio actually.

CR: Right. And do you feel...well, let me back up for a second. I'm sorry. I'm getting ahead of myself. You said you've taken it from the street and you've taken it global. And at the moment, you're definitely the forerunner of reggaeton. Like if people were to associate any one person with the genre, it would be you. And I'm curious, how does that feel? How does that feel to be the representative of this movement?

DY: It's a great honor. It's a great honor. I mean, I've worked for it because I'm the pioneer. I'm one of the founders of reggaeton. But at the same time I know that I'm the face, I'm the ambassador, but it's my responsibility to let the world know there is a lot of talent out there too. You know, we have a lot of great artists as well in the reggaeton genre.

CR: So I know you have the Cartel label, correct?

DY: Mm hmm.

CR: So can we expect, you know, as your popularity grows, especially in Europe and the United States, are you going to bring more artists up with you?

DY: Yeah, that's why we decided to partner up with Interscope, because we're looking forward to grow the Cartel brand and signing acts. Right now I'm filming my movie which is done in [Torevarrio], and we're going to sign acts, and we're going to, you know, we're going to be just as big as any label in the industry.

CR: Wow, that's a powerful statement. I mean, obviously hip-hop has grown a lot since it seeped out of the streets of New York. And over the past 25 years it's become something completely different than what we all saw in the late '70s and early '80s. Do you expect, I mean, reggaeton is obviously something that's been brewing for a while. How do you see it changing and evolving now that it's becoming very popular?

DY: I mean, the sound has evolved a lot. I mean, if the people look through history on the first reggaeton steps, you know, it's a lot of difference, you know, the reggaeton that we were creating in the '90s and the one that we have now. And the music has evolved a lot, and that's why we have gained a lot of fans all over the world, not only in the States. I mean, if you go to Europe there's a lot of people, you know, into reggaeton now, and there's a lot of people in Japan as well, and Japan is my second-largest market after the States. So there's a lot of people feeling the movement because of the fusion that we're using now, because it's appealing to the masses now.

CR: Yeah, and I heard in Italy they're licensing "Gasolina" for a Citroen commercial.

DY: For a Citroen commercial, and right now the new single "Rompe"--in Japan the people are thirsty for it, you know, then, and we just dropped the single like a month ago. So, you know, it's crazy, you know. I don't even have words to describe it, because reggaeton is not, you know...it emerged from the barrio, you know what I'm saying, but right now it's a worldwide movement. You know, I'll be one day in the States, and the other day I'll be in Spain, then the other day Japan, Germany, and Colombia, so it's all over the world.

CR: Did you expect this?

DY: No, I wasn't expecting this, being honest with you. I know that--I knew that I had something powerful, you know, that we had the potential to conquer South America and the Latinos out here in the States. I always knew that. But transcending boundaries like, now, like, people that now speak...Spanish people is [feeling it] right now, so you know, it's amazing you know. It's great.

CR: It must be.

DY: You know, but you know, music is a universal language. I mean, let me put it like this, man. The biggest example is hip-hop, man. In Puerto Rico when I first--when I began to rap, I didn't know what they were saying, but I was feeling the music, you know, anyway. So even though I didn't understand hip-hop, you know, the lyrics, I knew that it was--I knew that it was a great beat and a good flow. So, you know, right now I know that the flow and the rhythm are speaking for us, you know, because they don't understand the language, but they know that the flow is tight and it's a great beat, you know. They feel that the music is real. So it's almost the same, you know, reaction that we getting now, you know.

CR: It's true. And speaking of rappers, you know, well the new album, it's not really--well, it is a new album, but it's not quite a new album.

DY: No, it's not quite a new album, but we decided to drop it because I know there's people out there that they want to know more about reggaeton. So with the DVD we're like educating the masses, so a lot of people have read or know about Daddy Yankee because of the articles in the magazine, but it's not the same thing to know that you have...you're going to be able to watch it and be part of it, and understand more about the artist. So I know that DVD is going to help me a lot, to a lot of people in the States and Europe that want to learn more about Daddy Yankee.

CR: So you think it'll help them to see it, not just hear it?

DY: Yeah, to see it and watch that, you know, it's real, you know--the success and all the massive impact I have had.

CR: And there's some...you obviously have a few new tracks on the album, including some work with Snoop Dogg and Paul Wall?

DY: Mm hmm. Yeah.

CR: What was the...I mean, each of those people, what was it like working with them?

DY: I mean, working with Snoop Dogg, besides, you know, being a great honor to work with him, because I consider him an icon, a living legend in the industry, it was good, you know. I am learning something new, that it's all about respect, you know. Respect, you know. Snoop Dog has such respect for Daddy Yankee, that I was surprised, you know what I'm saying, because I've been admiring, you know, I've been admiring Snoop Dog since I was a little kid. So coming from him, those words, you know, hearing it was like the dream come true, and Paul Wall, you know, I met Paul Wall at the VMA, so it was a natural chemistry between me and him, you know, real street, real, real chemistry right there, and we decided to work, that it was like, "Yo, Paul, do you want to do this song with me?" And he said, "Yo, Yankee, let's do it, you know, say no more." So I love to work with people like that.

CR: Yeah, Paul was sort of, I mean, he's in the same boat as you are right now.

DY: Yeah, yeah. You know...

CR: Kept bubbling up, exposing people to a new kind of, you know, a new kind of hip-hop, you know.

DY: Exactly, exactly. We bringing, like, new flavors on the table, you know what I'm saying?

CR: Yeah, yeah, that's really exciting. So to a lot of people you're new, but you're not at all. And especially in the hip-hop world, a lot of people have been familiar with you for a while now. You've worked with some pretty amazing people. I mean you've worked with NAS, you've performed on stage with Usher and P. Diddy, and it's crazy. Who's next? How far up can you go?

DY: I mean, my biggest achievement will be working with Dr. Dre.

CR: OK.

DY: Yeah, because working with Doctor Dre is going to be like, you know, my biggest, you know, achievement, because, you know, I've been, you know, been a Doctor Dre fan since I was a little kid in Puerto Rico growing up and watching him in videos, and I know the whole Doctor Dre history, so you know, I know that I'm going to have...I will have the honor to work with him on my next album, so it's going to be great.

CR: Now that you've taken the sound from the barrio to the globe, do you...I'm curious, does anybody resent that?

DY: No, no. It's the other way around. They feel proud about that. They proud of everything that I'm doing, and I'm getting a lot of love because of that, because I'm showing the world, you know, like the people from the barrio have the same potential as any artist in the world, you know, and besides Daddy Yankee, there's a lot of great talents in the barrio too. You know, so I'm just opening the door for them. I'm just, you know, breaking--breaking the walls, and I know that, there's millions of talent that, they're going to be entering by that door too.

CR: That's so true. I mean it's obvious, you know, you're acting as a positive influence for a lot of young kids. Do you...how do you give back to the community?

DY: Yeah, how do I give back, man? The best way, man, giving, giving present to the kids. December 10 I was in Puerto Rico giving present to the kids, to the kids from my barrio that I grew up in Villa Kennedy. I give away, like, more than 7,000 toys and bicycles to the kids in my barrio, you know, so it was good. You know, I do that every year. That's the way that I give back to the community, because I know there's a lot of kids out there just like Daddy Yankee in the same hood, with the same potential, and they just need attention and somebody to motivate them, so they looking right now at Daddy Yankee like, oh, my god, Daddy Yankee made it, I know that I'm able to do it as well, so I'm just [planning] to know that, you know, if I could, if I could do it, I know that you could do it too. So that's the message that I'm always, you know, working in [mind].

CR: So what's the next step? You said you were...I know you're working on a film.

DY: Mm hmm.

CR: Is that in production right now?

DY: Yeah, it's under production. There's only five singers to film. We're going to film in January. After that we're going to deliver the movie, and hopefully we will be launching the movie in April and May.

CR: What's the name of the film?

DY: Talento de Barrio, but we're going to title the movie Straight From the Barrio for the Anglo market.

CR: Right! And maybe you could give us an idea what it's about. I mean, I assume it's about growing up in the barrio.

DY: Yeah, yeah, basically it's growing up in the barrio. It is about--it's not my autobiography, it's not that, but it's...

CR: Is it close to your life?

DY: No, it's not even close, I'm just playing a character that is it in the barrio, you know. You know, I'm playing this kid that the name is Edgar Dinero, and he is like the leader of the gang in the barrio. But he has, he has a talent inside of him that it will help him out to get out of that environment. You know what I'm saying? But the thing is that we got a lot of Edgar Dineros in the barrio. Potential kids, you know, unfortunate they're into the streets, you know, gang. So I just, I made that movie to motivate my people. I'm going to do it to motivate, you know, my, my, the youth of the barrio. When they see the movie they going to be impressed because I remember that I saw Menace II Society, Boyz n the Hood and Juice. Even though I don't belong to the African-American community, I felt identified with those movies because it's almost the same struggle but in different scenario. So I know that a lot of people is going to be interested to see the life and the struggle that we have in the barrio. So, the movie, even though it's not my biography, you know, I'm going to show the world the struggle and other things that surround us in the barrio.

CR: Do you expect to do any film work in the future?

DY: Oh, yeah.

CR: Would you?

DY: Yeah, I receive a bunch of opportunities now. A lot of people has calling me to appear in movies. You know what I'm saying. I mean, in big movies. I was surprised about that, like, you know, appear in a lot of movie, a lot of people have been coming to my office, and I'm just thinking not to do it because right now the priority is the next album. That's my biggest priority after, after En Directo, after the En Directo media tour and everything.

CR: So En Directo, you said there's a media tour? Or...what does that involve?

DY: I mean, we gonna promote the album to the highest level, and we shot the video of "Rompe." We planning to shoot the "Gangsta Zone" video with Snoop Dog in the island. Afterwards that we're going to Colombia to film another video--the name of the video is going to be El Truco--that is a fusion of Vallenato, which is the traditional Colombian music that I put in the album, mix it with reggaeton, so it's the first time that the people, because they going to listen to Vallenato with reggaeton.

CR: Yeah, I'm a big fan of Vallenato, and I heard...a friend of mine was just in Colombia, and he said that you're everywhere there.

DY: Yeah, yeah, and right now, "Rompe" is number one on the charts in Colombia. I just did a phone call yesterday, and everybody surprised me, you know, telling me that in the radio station there, oh, my god, this is something--it's number one everywhere in Colombia. So I'm glad of that. And they playing El Truco-- That's the name of the Vallenato song that I have. They liked it a lot, and I decided to make that fusion because Colombia has been one of my biggest markets in my career.

CR: That's amazing.

CR: When we can expect to hear the new album--I mean, not En Directo but the new album in 2006.

DY: 2006? Oh, third quarter of this year we...we're planning to put that album out.

CR: All right. Well, we're looking forward to it.

DY: Yeah, thank you, man.

CR: Thank you, Yankee.

free music

	Stream the song for free! Daddy Yankee f/ Snoop Dogg - Gangsta Zone Stream: Windows Media Player Required.
	Stream the song for free! An Interview with Daddy Yankee (Exclusive) Stream: Windows Media Player Required.

more: free music

videos

"Daddy Yankee - Rompe" Windows Media Player Required

more: Daddy Yankee videos