\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div> \t\t\t\t\tDior jacket, pants, belt and shoes.<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeredith Jenks<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \n\tNow Ayala has embarked on a dramatically different second act, with Jesus as a centerpiece and the goal of releasing music that\u2019s commercially successful but is \u201cmusic with a purpose,\u201d as he calls it, rather than religious music with evangelical lyrics.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cHaving a life of success is different from having a life of purpose,\u201d Ayala replies when I ask what prompted his conversion and the ensuing shift in direction. \u201cBefore, my interest was transforming the industry [through music], and that purpose had to do more with business and money, influence, success. Now my purpose is to transform lives with that same instrument. They\u2019re very different purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tBut the vehicle is still the same. On Oct.\u00a023, Ayala will perform as Daddy Yankee at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, his first televised performance in three years. And he will release Lamento En Baile<\/em> (Mourning Into Dancing), his first album since 2022 \u2014 and his first since publicly converting \u2013 on Oct. 16. The title comes from Psalm 30:11, which says, \u201cYou have turned my mourning into dancing,\u201d and dovetails with its first focus track, \u201cSonr\u00edele,\u201d a peppy merengue brimming with optimism.<\/p>\n \n\tIt\u2019s the first track Ayala has released under DY Publishing, as well as the first step in rebuilding his catalog. In October 2024, Concord purchased key elements of his music publishing and master-recording catalog, including chart-topping hits \u201cGasolina,\u201d \u201cCon Calma\u201d and \u201cDespacito.\u201d According to Concord\u2019s website and Billboard<\/em> reports, the agreement encompasses work from 2002 through 2019 and includes certain name, image and likeness rights. Prior to that acquisition, Billboard<\/em> reported that parts of his catalog had been quietly acquired around 2021 by Cinq Music and a private fund that asked not to be named, which then sold those assets to Concord. (Concord, Cinq and Ayala himself decline to comment about specifics of the deals.)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cSomeone like [Daddy Yankee], someone who is as prolific as he is productive, we imagine it will happen fairly quickly,\u201d says Jorge Mej\u00eda, president\/CEO of Sony Music Publishing Latin America and U.S. Latin, which continues to administer all songs written by Ayala for the world. \u201cThis is not an unusual situation for us. Artists inevitably evolve throughout their careers \u2014 growth, change and reinvention are all part of the creative journey.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tAmiri top and pants, Dior sneakers, Cartier sunglasses.<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeredith Jenks<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \n\tAyala is releasing his new music on his own DY Records through a license deal with HYBE Latin America, which announced the signing in July in tandem with the release of \u201cSonr\u00edele\u201d and is betting big on Daddy Yankee as its first major and established artist. \u201cObviously, partnering with [Daddy Yankee] is extremely important for us,\u201d HYBE Latin America COO Juan Sebasti\u00e1n Arenas says. \u201cWe\u2019re partnering with a music icon, supporting a new project. Our goal is to tell the industry we\u2019re here to do something new. There\u2019s no one better than [him] to accomplish that.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tLikewise, in HYBE, Ayala found a label partner that\u2019s young (HYBE Latin America launched in 2023), inquisitive and eager to break molds. This summer, Ayala, who has a big following in Asia, went to South Korea for the first time and shot the video to his upcoming single \u201cEl Toque,\u201d incorporating elements of Korean dance.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI am my own manager now and I\u2019m managing myself 100% alone, and I have good allies,\u201d Ayala says. \u201cHYBE is a good ally. They have a progressive mentality and they\u2019re in constant reinvention. That\u2019s very compatible with my new vision.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tIf you listen closely,<\/strong> it\u2019s clear the seeds of Ayala\u2019s conversion were planted in his music long ago. On 2007\u2019s \u201cCoraza Divina\u201d (Divine Shield), for example, an autobiographic rap set over salsa tumbao<\/em> that narrates his rise from the hood, he named a higher power: \u201cEvil realized he was the chosen child and sought to destroy him\/But you know what? I have a divine shield, the power to light my path,\u201d he says in the chorus.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cMany people don\u2019t know that I converted to the Lord for the first time at 19 years old,\u201d Ayala says. \u201cBut I diverged from the path. My lyrics were clean, but I knew they belonged to the world, [not to God].\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tStill, in a genre rife with sexually graphic lyrics that often glorify drugs and violence, Ayala always stood out as a rapper with a conscience who delivered mostly G-rated material, but nevertheless oozed swagger and braggadocio. The strategy let him open the door for reggaet\u00f3n to find success among mainstream Latin audiences and beyond: He was the first Latin urban artist to consistently place hit songs on radio when that medium was the key driver to success.<\/p>\n \n\tBut clearly, the content of Ayala\u2019s music went deeper than a commercial play. On 2004\u2019s Barrio Fino<\/em>, the breakout album that includes \u201cGasolina,\u201d there were tracks that referenced God and resilience. It\u2019s a theme that appears again and again in his work \u2014 through to 2016, when, unbeknown to the public, he privately converted. He didn\u2019t announce it, he says, \u201cbecause I had many agreements I had signed and committed to\u201d \u2014 label deals, recordings with other artists, brand deals, a major tour \u2014 \u201cand I had to deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tAmiri top, blazer and pants, Cartier sunglasses.<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeredith Jenks<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \n\tAyala is known for keeping his word. He\u2019s a man of habit and discipline: makes his bed every morning, works out, reads, eats healthy, goes to the studio, repeats. As the \u201cBig Boss\u201d of reggaet\u00f3n and the urban movement itself, he couldn\u2019t conceive of not fulfilling his contractual obligations. So he kept his allegiance to Christ to himself, until that 2023 show where he told the world about his new path.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI wanted to get to where I am now and not owe anything to anyone,\u201d he says. \u201cI wanted to be in peace and complete liberty.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAnd he was, for a while.<\/p>\n \n\tDaddy Yankee\u2019s reentry into the world of music<\/strong> as an artist led by faith in Jesus initially appeared seamless. He returned with the single \u201cBonita,\u201d an uptempo reggaet\u00f3n fused with horns and merengue that was all about positivity and happiness.<\/p>\n \n\tIt was the first of a handful of tracks distributed through SoundOn, TikTok\u2019s distribution and marketing platform, prior to his HYBE deal, and it benefited from TikTok support and exposure. Users have created over 1.2\u00a0million videos with \u201cBonita,\u201d which generated over 1.1\u00a0billion views, and Daddy Yankee-posted content got more than 48.5\u00a0million likes, 1.7\u00a0million comments and over 3.8\u00a0million shares.<\/p>\n \n\tThe fact was, Ayala had announced his retirement from music in 2022. \u201cThe perception was that Yankee had retired and 1760549159 we wanted to say he hadn\u2019t,\u201d says Gabriel Llano, head of artist services for U.S. Latin and Latin America at SoundOn at TikTok. \u201cWhen he made this musical shift, we wanted users to take those songs of his with positive messages to tell their own stories.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tAmiri top and Cartier sunglasses.<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeredith Jenks<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \n\tAfter \u201cBonita,\u201d Ayala released \u201cDonante de Sangre,\u201d a rap track where he addressed his conversion head-on for the first time. The song, which was also a metaphor for life, was used for a Red Cross blood donation campaign in Mexico, adding a dimension of social good to his new music.<\/p>\n \n\tOther like-minded singles trickled out, even as, in October 2024, Concord announced its purchase of parts of Daddy Yankee\u2019s catalog. Then, on Dec.\u00a02, 2024, Ayala made yet another surprise announcement.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cAfter more than two decades of marriage and after many months of trying to save my marriage, which my wife and I share, today my lawyers respond to the divorce petition received [from] Mireddys,\u201d he wrote in a letter shared to Instagram, referring to Mireddys Gonz\u00e1lez, his longtime wife and high school sweetheart. \u201cI\u2019m grateful for the time we shared, full of blessings and values, of love and with a beautiful family that will continue to be our priority.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tGonz\u00e1lez was not only Ayala\u2019s wife but also the president of his label, El Cartel Records, and a member of its board of directors. Within weeks of the divorce announcement, on Dec.\u00a017, Ayala filed two legal motions seeking an injunction against Gonz\u00e1lez and her sister Ayeicha Gonz\u00e1lez-Castellanos (El Cartel\u2019s secretary\/treasurer), alleging they withdrew tens of millions of dollars from his business bank accounts without authorization, according to court documents.<\/p>\n \n\tIt was the first of a series of back-and-forth complaints, some of which are still in litigation, that have been reported widely by the press and touch many aspects of Ayala\u2019s career and assets, including information surrounding the initial sale of catalog assets in 2021.<\/p>\n \n\tAlthough the cases are public, Ayala has not spoken about them \u2014 save for perfunctory comments as he\u2019s gone in and out of court in Puerto Rico \u2014 and he declined to answer questions now. But he has definitely learned some things.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cBe on top of everything, even if you have lawyers and accountants,\u201d Ayala says. \u201cNow I\u2019m alone, so I have to be 100% [involved]. Things I used to delegate, I don\u2019t delegate anymore. It\u2019s my responsibility, and I feel good and I feel I\u2019ve learned so much more. You think you know everything about the music business and the rules keep changing. The smallest things can make a great difference.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAnd, he cautions new artists, male and female: \u201cEven if you\u2019re not famous or successful and your career is only beginning, get married with a prenup. Music is unpredictable.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tDaddy Yankee photographed August 27, 2025 at Rein Studios in Brooklyn.<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeredith Jenks<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \n\tWhatever challenges Ayala has faced<\/strong> over the course of his lengthy career, they\u2019ve been impossible to discern from the outside. Through the years he\u2019s been unflappable, even-keeled, scandal-free. He has never even been attacked on social media \u2014 a feat in this day and age. But the past year shook him up.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019ve always taken good care of myself, [but now] I\u2019ve learned to give myself more self-love,\u201d he muses when I ask what he has taken from this experience. \u201cIt\u2019s very important to be clear on what self-love is and establish limits. All kinds of healthy limits. Learn how to say no. I learned that we sacrifice ourselves for many people, and you do it so much that you normalize it. And that\u2019s not the way it should be. You need to set limits. I\u2019ve learned to be more assertive.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tWhen I point out I always found him assertive, he nods. \u201cI\u2019ve always been assertive with those outside my close circle. But you also need to set limits on those close to you.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAnd eventually, Ayala learned how to make music again.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI never thought I\u2019d be in this situation, but I found myself in it,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd the strength I found to record an album full of joy in the most unexpected moment of my life is what helped me regain my strength. When we\u2019re in the middle of a crisis, one of our biggest fortitudes lies in adoring and praising the Lord because it brings joy.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeredith Jenks<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \n\tDespite the change in content and the change in purpose, Ayala intends to tackle the marketing and promotion of his \u201cmusic with a purpose\u201d with every tool at his disposal, something that has proved tricky in the Latin world for religious artists who previously made secular music. Many Latin acts, particularly from Puerto Rico, are devout Christians but don\u2019t share their beliefs in their music. And many others have publicly announced their conversions and released evangelical music with mixed results.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cFrom a programming perspective\u00a0\u2026 it will all depend on the lyrics,\u201d iHeartLatino senior vp of programming Pedro Javier Gonz\u00e1lez says. \u201cYankee is being smart in how he\u2019s handling it. He knows he has global impact and is looking for the best way to take the message without alienating anyone. Up to now, it\u2019s been positive lyrics that don\u2019t sound religious. A lot of people are looking for this kind of content.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tHYBE\u2019s Arenas agrees. \u201cHYBE likes to send positive messages to the world, and I do see a trend coming with inspirational music, music that has undertones of faith,\u201d he says. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen it in the Anglo world, and we\u2019re starting to see it in Latin as well. I think there\u2019s an audience for these fans, but the right platform for the music hasn\u2019t existed before.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tFor Ayala, it\u2019s simply part of who he is now.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cEveryone who\u2019s inside the faith has to go to the world and preach the gospel,\u201d he says, an obligation that applies to all, not just pastors or evangelizers. \u201cI can\u2019t simply convert and stay silent, you know? This isn\u2019t simply making Christian music; the challenge is to make the kingdom part of pop culture. My vision [in the past] was to transform the industry when they told me I couldn\u2019t. Now I\u2019m in the same situation with a different purpose: revolutionize and reinvent.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \n\tThis story appears in the Oct. 11, 2025, issue of <\/em>Billboard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.billboard.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At some point during the past turbulent months, as he searched for purpose and faced the pressures of a very public divorce that engulfed both his personal and professional life, the music stopped for Raymond Ayala. \u201cFor the first time in my life, the muse shut down,\u201d says the man long known as Daddy Yankee. 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