‘Jesus lives in me and that I will live for him’
No matter what you were doing in 2017, we were all united by one thing – Despacito being stuck in our heads.
The Latin pop song was released by Puerto Rican duo Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee in January that year, and when Justin Bieber decided to lend his voice to the song in April, it went stratospheric.
Despacito topped the charts in 47 countries, including here in the UK, where it was number one for 11 weeks, and in the US where it tied the record for the most weeks at number one in the Billboard Hot 100.
Meanwhile the music video racked up billions of views, and became the most viewed video of all time on YouTube, until it was knocked off top spot by Baby Shark.
But Daddy Yankee, real name Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, has now announced that he is retiring from music, NBC reports.
The rapper, whose other hits include ‘Gasolina’ and ‘Limbo’, made the announcement as he closed out the final show of his La Meta tour on Sunday.
He told the crowd: “My people, this day for me is the most important day of my life.
“And I want to share it with you because living a life of success is not the same as living a life with purpose.”
Yankee explained that despite his music career, he had felt unfulfilled in life.
He continued: “I have to confess that those days are over. Someone was able to fill that emptiness.”
The rapper then cited a verse from the Bible, telling the crowd: “What good will it be for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”
“That is why tonight, I recognize, and I am not ashamed to tell the whole world that Jesus lives in me and that I will live for him.”
And he revealed that he planned on ditching his rap name and living under his birth name, as part of a “new beginning.”
Yankee explained: “All the tools that I have in my possession such as music, social networks, platforms, a microphone – everything that Jesus gave me, is now for his kingdom.
“Thank you very much, Puerto Rico, and I hope that you walk with me in this new beginning.
“To all the people who followed me, follow Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life.
“Just like Jesus, with his mercy, allowed me to travel the world, in your mercy, Father, I hope you allow me to evangelize the world from Puerto Rico. Amen.”
Confirming his retirement on Instagram, he wrote: “Family: This day for me, is the most important day in my life.. 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.”
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