Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee has announced he's quitting music to become a full-time follower of Jesus Christ, Breitbart reported. The performer, born Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, told fans during a Sunday concert in his native Puerto Rico.
"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," Daddy Yankee said.
He drove the point home by quoting the Bible. "For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world if he loses his life?" Daddy Yankee uttered the words of Matthew 16:26.
Daddy Yankee said he'd be returning to his roots for "a new beginning" as Ramón Ayala, thus ditching his famous stage name. He shared much about his personal faith with the audience during this announcement.
"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," Daddy Yankee added.
"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," Daddy Yankee continued.
The performer posted a similar message on his Instagram. Daddy Yankee rose to fame with international hits such as "Gasolina" and after being featured on the Luis Fonsi single, "Despacito."
Daddy Yankee is not the only Latin artist to publicly convert to Christianity and retire from the business. Cuban rapper Almighty announced in 2019 that he would quit his role in creating "the devil's music" to focus on his relationship with God, Billboard reported.
Others find God but stay put in their industry. One of the most radical conversions came out of Hollywood after troubled actor Shia LaBeouf became Catholic following his role as Padre Pio in a film about the saint, the New York Post reported.
"I had a gun on the table. I was outta here," LaBeouf said at the time about his pre-conversion frame of mind.
"I didn’t want to be alive anymore when all this happened. Shame like I had never experienced before — the kind of shame that you forget how to breathe," he continued.
"You don’t know where to go. You can’t go outside and get like, a taco. But I was also in this deep desire to hold on," LaBeouf added.
It all changed for LaBeouf once he took the role that he thought would "save" his Hollywood career but instead saved his soul. "I started hearing experiences of other depraved people who had found their way in this, and it made me feel like I had permission," LaBeouf said of his conversion.
Show business is a veritable viper's pit that many people are lost to. It's a hopeful sign to see so many like Daddy Yankee and LaBeouf who are overcoming that trend and turning their lives over to Christ, and perhaps others will also find inspiration in that.
