Legendaddy (stylized in all caps) is the eighth studio album by Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee, released on March 24, 2022, by El Cartel Records and Republic Records.
Published 10 years after his previous studio album, Legendaddy was originally intended to be Daddy Yankee's last record, as he announced that he would retire from music after the end of his farewell concert tour, La Última Vuelta, in 2023. Nevertheless, he subsequently returned to music, releasing Lamento en Baile in 2025.
Daddy Yankee described its themes as "fight, party, war and romance." Musically, Legendaddy is primarily a reggaeton record that incorporates trap and elements of salsa, bachata, cumbia, dembow and electronic dance music. He co-wrote and co-produced all 19 tracks, for which he recruited producers including Play-N-Skillz, Dímelo Flow, Luny, Tainy, and Chris Jedi. It features collaborations with Bad Bunny, Becky G, El Alfa, Lil Jon, Michael Buffer, Myke Towers, Natti Natasha, Nile Rodgers, Rauw Alejandro, Pitbull, and Sech. The album received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who referred to it as a good send-off for his retirement, although some of its tracks were criticized. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Música Urbana Album, while the single "Agua" garnered him a Latin Grammy Award for Song of the Year nomination.
Eight singles were released from the record, of which the Bad Bunny-featured "X Última Vez" peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Global 200 and within the top 10 in 10 Latin American countries, while "Remix" and "Rumbatón" reached number one in Daddy Yankee's native Puerto Rico; the former was the most-played radio song of the year in the country. Legendaddy became his highest-peaking album in Spain, at number two; the United States, at eight; Switzerland, at 17; and Canada, at 78. It subsequently received a Latin platinum and gold certification in the United States and Spain, respectively. Legendaddy is Daddy Yankee's final studio album in the reggaeton and hip-hop genre and as well as his final album released under El Cartel Records.
Background Following the release of Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album Prestige (2012) and his mixtape King Daddy (2013), it was announced in 2014 that his next project would be King Daddy II, which was later renamed El Disco Duro and scheduled to release in 2016. On October 26, 2016, he showed some of the album's tracks to Zumba creator Beto Pérez, with whom he had a partnership, and announced that it would be released during early 2017. On June 21, 2017, when asked about the record, he stated that the release had been postponed due to standalone singles being more profitable. 17:33–18:06 In 2019, Vice contributor Gary Suarez opined that it was "either completely dead in the water or overdue for a radical revision from what he originally intended," while Ulises Fuente of La Razón anticipated that it might not be released because of the success of his standalone singles. In February 2020, Puerto Rican urban music news media Rapetón reported that Daddy Yankee's manager and label Pina Records' CEO, Raphy Pina, stated in a now-deleted post that "people [were] waiting for something that was never made".
On September 10, 2020, Daddy Yankee closed a global distribution deal with Universal Music Group with plans of releasing a new album and producing a documentary about the history of reggaeton. He had his music distributed by Universal through Capitol Latin since 2012 and proposed the recording of a new album due to him owing the label several singles. On September 15, 2021, Billboards Leila Cobo stated that the then-unnamed album would release in the fall, while Daddy Yankee hinted at a retirement and said that he saw himself growing as an executive producer of movies and documentaries. On September 23, 2021, during his acceptance speech for his induction into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame, Daddy Yankee told his fans to "enjoy his last musical round". Following that, on December 30, 2021, he posted that he was going to "give his last round to the world" in 2022.
On March 20, 2022, he posted a video on his social media in which he announced that he would retire from music after the conclusion of his upcoming farewell concert tour, La Última Vuelta, as well as the release date for his final album, Legendaddy. In the video, the rapper said that he "finally [saw] the finish line" and that he would "give [his fans] all the styles that have defined [him] in one single album," which he referred to as "his best production". The announcement was made on the 27th anniversary of Daddy Yankee's and his wife Mireddys Gonzalez's marriage; the latter posted that "[he] had enjoyed Daddy Yankee for a long time, but now is Raymond Ayala's turn to enjoy what he has built." The album's track list was posted on March 22, 2022, while the guest features were revealed a few hours before the release.
Daddy Yankee decided to retire in 2020 while working on the album during the COVID-19 pandemic and after realizing that he was "feeling good, pleased and accomplished" and that he had to "give himself the opportunity to enjoy everything he had achieved" after working non-stop for 32 years. He always wanted to retire young and felt that the time had come to "look for something beyond the industry" and to be a "normal person". He decided to feature a track list consisting entirely of new songs, without including previously released singles from past years, stating that "it would make an impression because it's something that isn't done anymore." He said that he will have music as a hobby, like he used to when young, and that he sees himself "owning more teams, producing content for movies, documentaries and series [and] producing new music acts." In February 2023, Daddy Yankee announced an "extension" for the album with pre-recorded bonus tracks, including "Chispa", which was selected as the 2023 World Baseball Classic anthem.
Composition
Daddy Yankee described the album's themes as "fight, party, war and romance," while The New York Times also added "self-mythologizing". Primarily a reggaeton record, both old-school and contemporary, Legendaddy also incorporates trap and elements of salsa, bachata, cumbia, dembow and electronic dance music. Daddy Yankee co-wrote all lyrics with each track's respective guest features and producers. Puerto Rican urban acts Pusho and Justin Quiles co-wrote four and two songs, respectively. The 48-second intro is voiced by American ring announcer Michael Buffer, who presents Daddy Yankee as a "heavyweight champion with an undefeated record of 32 years". It is followed by "Campeón", an "electro-tinted reggaeton" track in which the rapper summarizes his trajectory, describes himself as a legend and expresses that he can retire as an unbeaten champion. He wrote it thinking about his childhood in poverty and the children that now are in the same situation he lived through. He wanted listeners to "identify with him because every human being has a champion inside and the time will come in which they will be able to get it out."
"Remix" is a reggaeton song about exalting the attributes of women with breast and butt implants—an allegory to remix versions being better than the originals—and includes a sample of the chorus from his single "Impacto" (2007). "Pasatiempo" features Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers and blends reggaeton with a repeating sample of the melody of Swedish producer StoneBridge's remix version of the house single "Show Me Love" (1992) by American singer Robin S., with lyrics about casual sex and a woman who wants to have fun at a nightclub and "take out the beast" she has inside. The following track, "Rumbatón", referred to by Daddy Yankee as the album's flagship, 1:08:01–1:08:08 is a "bachata-infused reggaeton" reminiscent of his single "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" (2004), with Puerto Rican producer Eliel on piano and American musician and former member of Aventura Lenny Santos on guitar. The song takes its chorus from "Báilame" (2006), written by Puerto Rican lyricist and rapper Wise and performed by compatriot duo Trébol Clan. Daddy Yankee had never heard "Báilame" until it was shown to him by Dominican producer Luny and decided to use the chorus in order to reminisce and give the song a retro sound. 1:06:30–1:07:09
"X Última Vez" features Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny and is a "sad and nostalgic" song that blends "old-school reggaeton beats with edgy urban sounds," with lyrics about "wanting to rekindle old flames" one last time and "finally saying goodbye to a relationship." The title has a double meaning by also referring to the last time they will collaborate. Bad Bunny references Daddy Yankee's "Donde Hubo Fuego" (2004) by interpolating its chorus during his verse. "Para Siempre" is a "romantic mid-tempo reggaeton" that features Panamanian singer Sech, who provides "R&B vibes," and is about a marriage proposal and finding the "right partner". Daddy Yankee identifies a lot with the track because of his relationship with his wife, to whom he dedicated lines about being together since poverty and the value of her companionship. In "Uno Quitao' y Otro Puesto", he boasts about his career, rapping about his beginnings, his "rise to the top," his invincibility against time and the "zero intimidation" he feels from his enemies. The song uses an "old-school" reggaeton beat, a "heavy bass" and gunshot sounds.
"Truquito" is a 26-second skit featuring a 1993 recording from late American salsa singer Frankie Ruiz that serves as a prelude to the following track, "El Abusador del Abusador", an uplifting reggaeton and salsa fusion with lyrics about being humble while also knowing one's worth. "Enchuletiao'" is a trap song in which he talks about "his unrivaled eminence in the genre". The next song, "Agua", is a "1980s-inspired dance" track that features vocals by Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro and electric guitar funk riffs by American guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers. "Zona del Perreo" is a contemporary reggaeton song that features Dominican singer Natti Natasha and American singer Becky G. "Hot" features Cuban-American rapper Pitbull and is an "EDM fusion" that uses the beat from "Trompeta y Guaracha" (2019) by Mexican disc jockey DJ Morphius and American production duo Muzik Junkies. "La Ola" is an "old-school infectious perreo" with flirtatious and repetitive lyrics about joining a party. "Bombón" is a dembow track that features Dominican rapper El Alfa and American crunk act Lil Jon. "El Rey de lo Imperfecto" is a romantic "urban-infused cumbia song" about an imperfect man "promising to unconditionally love a person through her own insecurities and drama." It is followed by "Impares", a heartbreak song with a "heavy reggaeton beat" about an incompatible couple. The album closes with "Bloke", a reggaeton track that is heavily inspired by Daddy Yankee's 1990s songs and ends with him bidding farewell to his fans.
Production Daddy Yankee co-produced and programmed all tracks; some of his work include the beat of "Remix", the melodies of "Uno Quitao' y Otro Puesto" and "Campeón", as well as the drumline of the latter, and the synthesized trumpets and bass of "El Abusador del Abusador". 1:50–2:41 American production duo Play-N-Skillz, producers of Daddy Yankee's "Con Calma" (2019), worked on six tracks, including the singles "Agua", "Hot", "Bombón" and "Pasatiempo". They felt "grateful" for being "part of [his] last footprint in music" and referred to the album as "one of [their] favorite projects" they have ever worked on. Puerto Rican El Cartel Records' producers JBD, OMB and Nekxum produced eight, seven and five tracks, respectively.