He's one of the best-selling Latin music artists—but he's apparently more interested in the best-selling book of all time. During the last show of his farewell tour on Sunday, Daddy Yankee told the crowd in his native Puerto Rico that he plans to devote his life to Jesus Christ. The BBC calls it an "abrupt change" for the Reggaeton star, noting the blend of reggae, Latin American dance hall music, and hip-hop is "sexually charged" and "street-smart." The 46-year-old, whose claims to fame include 2004's "Gasolina" and the 2017 megahit "Despacito," told the crowd that he struggled for a long time to try to fill the void in his life, without success, reports PIX11. But "those days are over, and someone was able to fill that void": God.
"I realized that for everyone I was someone but I was no one without Him," he said. "Throughout the years I was able to travel the world, win many awards, applaud and praise, but I realized something that's in the Bible: For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" He drove home his realization in a post to his 49 million Instagram followers: "Tonight I recognize and am not ashamed to tell the whole world that Christ lives in me and that I will live for him. This is the end of one chapter and the beginning of a brand new one."
As for what's next, he told the crowd that "all the tools that I have in my power, like music, social media, platforms, a microphone, everything that God has given me is now for his kingdom. ... I hope you walk with me in this new beginning and I hope you remember something very important: Don't follow any person. I am human. To all the people who follow me, follow Jesus Christ, he's the way, the truth, and the life." The Los Angeles Times adds that as drones flew in the shape of a cross above him, he offered a prayer: "Father, I hope you allow me to evangelize the world from Puerto Rico. Amen." (Read about five other artists who traded the mic for religion.)
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