He spent his early years on the island where he got interested in rap and reggaeton music. The lyrics are both a testimonial to their shared convictions and a nod to Diesels status as keeper of the Fast & Furious flame (the franchise is expected to bear its eighth installment this summer). He had sent her a photo of himself asking her if she would be his friend and, initially assuming that it was a hoax, Angelica had not replied. In the documentary, we get to know the background of Nicky, as well as his mother, father and sister. Billboard Latin Music Award for the Song of the Digital Year, for El Perdn: 2016. El todopoderoso me hizo rpido y furioso. (Listen up, do not fear the envious. Who is Nicky Jam's mother? Meet singer's family and ex-wife from Reggaeton was born, and Nicky Jam became one of the genre's biggest stars. So he took a step back from music - that is, until recently. Yankee felt like he was like my father. Al Green is something else, says Nicky Jam, who lights up at the mention of a name not often associated with reggaetn. In it, Nicky Jam engages in his standard bravado - singing to his lover about how she thinks of him when she's in bed with her partner. Distractify is a registered trademark. Offers may be subject to change without notice. I didnt know I could sing. According to the study, "The Latinization Of Lawrence," immigration was encouraged by mechanization in Puerto Rico's U.S.-dominated sugar industry and fallout from the bloody reign of the Dominican Republic's Rafael Trujillo, the U.S.-backed dictator. Singer Nicky Jam stars in Nicky Jam: El Ganador, mini-series that focuses on his life from childhood in Puerto Rico to his career as an international music star. Some of his work includes He is best known for hits such as "X", "Travesuras", "Te Busco", "El Perdn", "Hasta el Amanecer", and "El Amante", the latter three from his . 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. I used to be a king here. Obviously, he was wearing glasses, but I think he teared up. ", Meanwhile, Cydney shared a video clip of the romantic proposal on her own Instagram, writing, "Yes x a million. RIVERA: The night before was the 30th birthday of one-time reggaeton superstar Nicky Jam. But thanks to the release of the Netflix series Nicky Jam: El Ganador, it seems more people are interested in the singer-songwriter and actor than ever. The over-the-top raunchiness of songs like "En La Cama," In Bed, marked a new epoch in the young history of reggaeton music. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Visit Billboard Pro for music business news, Bernie Sanders Brooklyn Rally Features Grizzly Bear, EPMD & Tanya Stephens, The Billboard Cover Story: 2016 Predictions Jidenna Will Be Pop Musics Most Iconic (And Bearded) Dandy, Classic Man Singer Jidenna on How His Fathers Death Inspired His Dandy Style: It Was My Way of Grieving. : As Netflix Series Begins, The Battle Over Her Estate WagesOn, Meet Anitta, Brazils Trilingual and Biz-Savvy BreakoutStar, How Calibre 50 Became Folk Heroes of the Mexican ImmigrantCommunity. RIVERA: Through a partnership with the Latin Grammys, he's provided full rides to Boston's prestigious Berklee School of Music. Have something to tell us about this article? After a difficult time in music, Nicky Jam persisted and sought to start his career again, so he traveled in 2007 to Medelln, Colombia, where he gave several concerts. Youre Nicky Jam. It was meant as encouragement, a swag boost from a street prophet, but all the older kids thought it was hilarious this prepubescent rapper with a moniker that sounded like preserved fruit. News, translates to, "The best Valentine of my life. He is popular for his studio albums 'Distinto A Los Dems', 'The Black Carpet' and 'Fenix'. My mom wasnt with me. 2. He has been in reggaeton since his youth. I didnt know how to deal., Nicky Jam, Daddy Yankee Win Big at Premios Tu Mundo, Yankee began criticizing his bad habits, even subtly checking him on a record. But in this sequel, "Bad Boys for Life," popular reggaeton star Nicky Jam gets in on the action in his first real role in aHollywood blockbuster. The name "Nicky Jam" was jokingly given to Rivera by a homeless man. RIVERA: He stopped making music and struggled to hang onto odd jobs in San Juan's tourism industry. RIVERA: In 2000, he teamed up with another reggaeton legend, Daddy Yankee, forming a duo known as Los Cangris. Listen to Nicky Jamand other artists featured in this weeks issue of Billboard. He presses a wad of Colombian pesos into the beggars palm. Never underestimate the power of music. On Nov. 19 hes up for three awards at the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas. Everyone has been like, Nicky Jam, el ave fnix, el ave fnix. You know what Im saying? Every comeback trades on the power of myth, but Nicky Jams is inseparable from that of Medellin, a city that itself has risen from the ashes. For the month of February of the year 2015, Nicky Jam signed a contract with Sony Music Latin and with SESAC Latina and launched the song El Perdn which also included a remix in collaboration with Enrique Iglesias. My name is Zway-Lo. Aqu con mi hijo @joe._.the_beast desendoles una feliz navidad a todos, A post shared by NICKY JAM (@nickyjampr) on Dec 22, 2019 at 8:40am PST. The series is available on the streamer in Latin America and Spain. In that same year, his album was overshadowed by the release of several hits from his former partner Daddy Yankee, so Nicky Jam stopped recording songs, falling back into addictions and absolute depression. I told him I was sorry, he told me he was sorry. Nicky Jam was one of its first stars, but fame hasn't been easy. Es la pregunta que muchos seguidores se hacen teniendo en cuenta que el artista Nicky Jam se cas con la modelo paisa Anglica Cruz en enero de 2017 y se divorci en agosto 2018, sin embargo lahistoria de su romance no se asemeja a lo que sucedi con 'Rosa'. NICKY JAM: Crack cocaine was taking over and literally killed a lot of people and messed up a lot of families. Nicky Jam - History and Biography La serie biogrfica de Nicky Jamha sido todo un xito. They made me feel like I was a legend. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google. Best day ever." One of the most prolific artists in reggaeton and Latin trap, Nicky Jam is a charting, award-winning singer and songwriter who has collaborated with a long list of performers, including superstars such as Daddy Yankee, Farruko, J Balvin, and dozens of others.In addition, his solo material includes the popular albums Vida Escante (2004) and The Black Carpet (2007) as well as its accompanying . (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON"). Enjoyable a cheap doughnut snack with kids Felix, 13, and Willow, ten, they blamed high . Jam has created and collaborated on some of the biggest reggaeton hits of the last decade, including "Yo No Soy Tu Marido," "X," and "Hasta El Amanecer." Here are some of the Puerto Rican rapper and singer's his best songs to add to your playlists. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DONDE ESTAN LAS GATAS"). UNIDENTIFIED AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you, Nicky. Watch Nicky Jam: El Ganador | Netflix Official Site por felices #10aosdematrimonio @cardenasjorgee ? Along with kindred Medelln-born artists like J Balvin (who also attended the wedding) and Maluma, Nicky Jam has helped shift reggaetns center of gravity from the Caribbean to Colombia. It shows Nicky Jam almost exactly as he looks right now: black cap (he owns about 300) and black T-shirt (he has them shipped by the bushel from a New York boutique), unshaven lumberjack jaw and gnarly neck tattoo of a spread-winged owl. But for a moment, as the years and miles and languages overlap like stamps on an old passport, hes also aware of having traveled a singular path. From the age of 10, he showed an interest in urban music, performing . I'm the happiest man in the world, and no can change that. RIVERA: Nicky Jam said he woke up partially paralyzed the next morning. Copyright 2023 Distractify. The boost they gave me made me want to be a better person. Nickys ex-wife is Colombian model Anglica Cruz. There's a backstory with Burnett - Martin Lawrence - who was my coach in school. Hes writing songs I love., Released in February, their collaboration, El Perdn, an achingly romantic plea heavy on melody and reggae flourishes all touchstones of Medellin reggaeton went on to spend a whopping 30 weeks atop the Hot Latin Songs chart (its currently No. The Cangris. I hope we last until we're old. Lo Nuestro Award for Collaboration of the Year: 2016. La serie de 13 captulos, dirigidapor JessyTerrero, cuenta cmo lleg a ser Nicky Jam el fenmeno musical que es hoy en da, pasando por su vida de pequeo en Boston, su drogadiccin y vida en las calles, el paso por la crcel y por ltimo el renacimiento como el Ave Fnixque lo llev a tocar la punta de la cima del xito. Nicky Jam: El Ganador - Wikipedia La artista colombiana fue la escogida para darle vida a Rosa, una paisa que se rob el corazn del artista. I know this because every time I do a song, I feel that passion. Born in the USA, catapulted to teen fame in Puerto Rico and practically washed up by his 20s, Nicky Jam went to Medelln, Colombia -- a city haunted by its drug kingpin past to find sobriety, love. Nicky shared the happy news via Instagram in Spanish. I thought, If I start doing things to take care of myself and, you know, giving myself love, says Nicky Jam, people are going to recognize that love, and its going to be easier for them to love me., Now, he has to worry about being loved too much: Where once he drove Medellns streets without an escort, he now slips off his 80-point diamond Rolex before leaving home, darting in and out of buildings lest he be mobbed by cellphone-wielding fans. Vin Diesel and Nicky Jam pose during xXx: Return of Xander Cage - Mexico Photocall at St. Regis Hotel on Jan. 05, 2016 in Mexico City, Mexico. Billboard Latin Music Award to Song of the Year, for Hasta el Amanecer: 2017. iHeartRadio Music Award for Latin Artist of the Year: 2017. To be a guy that disappeared from reggaeton for 10 years and come back, says Jam, it cant be better than that., Nicky Jam on Breaking Shakiras Chart Record, Writing for His Girlfriend & More: Exclusive, Jam has a history of finding success where youd least expect it. I took advantage and learned everything I could during the almost five-six months recording the series. Migrants found work in small manufacturing towns in southern New England, but those low-paying jobs brought high social costs to the area. In the month of December of the year 2007, the urban singer resumed music with the release of his album The Black Carpet with which he reached position 24 of the Top Latin Albums of the United States. Nicky Jam Family/Marriage: Nicky Jam Wife and Kids in Real Life Follow-up Travesuras went to No. #Nicky_JamNick Rivera CamineroBorn March 17, 1981 (age 39)Lawrence, Massachusetts, U.S.Genres ReggaetonLatin trapOccupation(s) SingersongwriterInstruments VocalsYears active 1994presentLabels Industria Inc.Sony Latin RCARivera was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father. I was making too much money. ? By then, though, the familiar temptations of young fame of too much too fast were beginning to undermine Nicky Jam, who as a teenager turned to cocaine and later Percocet. Nicky's youngest daughter, Luciana, was born in August 2012 and her mother is Carolina Nieto. He was born on March 17, 1981, in Boston, Massachusetts. The message, according to E! Latin American Music Awards for the Favorite Streaming Song, for the song Travesuras: 2015. Nicky Jam has a new life, and it's a good one. He had sent her a photo of himself asking her if she would be his friend and, initially assuming that it was a hoax, Angelica had not replied. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. I said, this is Nicky Jam, and he's not where he needs to be. He was surprised that I was interested in acting and he told me, 'if you get past the casting, the role is yours. Im an expert in the Hispanic media industry. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. Nicky Jam aka, Nick Rivera Caminero was already a big name in Latin trap/reggaeton music prior to April 2020. I didnt believe him. This is where the magic is., These are the growing pains his transformation has wrought, the good problems Nicky Jam now navigates. Beautiful and sensual (Collaborated with Romeo saints): 2017. All Rights Reserved. He tinkers again with his phone, and suddenly Diesel is rapping that same verse to a rollicking, Nicky Jam-produced beat. I love you so much. People laugh when I say I came to Colombia and cleaned myself out of alcohol and drugs, says Nicky Jam. He went his way, I went my way and obviously my way didnt go very well., Yankee became reggaetons biggest star after Gasolina, while Jam was suddenly a pariah in the very music he helped popularize. Can you believe that? And although he has four children from previous relationships (his marriage to Cruz is his first), he found himself soaking one night in his rooftop Jacuzzi feeling utterly alone: Whats the point of having all this if you dont have anyone to share it with? He calls life with his new bride healthy for your insides, for your heart.. It continues to recount the rise, fall, and rebirth of his music career and in doing so, telling the story of reggaeton itself. Although the half-sisters are extremely close in age, Yarimar (aka "Ari") is older. Nicky and Angelica were building their dream house in Miami together but sold it soon after their divorce, following which Nicky bought a house in Miami Beach, Florida. She and Nickys father got a divorce at the time when they moved to Puerto Rico. Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias Video Not Quite About Forgiveness: Which El Perdon Visual Is Best? Nicky Jam Says Role In 'Bad Boys For Life' And Reunion - Forbes No, seor. Even the more severe aspects of his appearance including the avian neck sleeve that required a three-and-a-half-hour session at the Real Deal Tattoo Studio in Medellns trendy Poblado district he sees as symbols of recovery. So I stuck with it.. (On the xXx single In My Foreign, he holds his own alongside Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Yachty and French Montana. Since then I do not want you away from me. I was too young, he says. Im not even on the right path now, he says, back behind the wheel of his Benz. 1. Nicky Jam put it up for sale with another company for $ 3.5 million, but it didn't sell. At a stoplight, a wizened old woman jumps in front of the car and makes a show of juggling three circus balls. The name "Nicky Jam" was jokingly given to Rivera by a homeless man. At the age of around 8, Nicky moved to Barrio Obrero, Puerto Rico with his father Jos Rivera and sister Stephanie. As his security detail fetches the drinks, he checks his phone and discovers a WhatsApp video message from Diesel. Nick Rivera Caminero, aka Nicky Jam, is an American singer-songwriter and actor. The singer recorded his first rap and reggae album titled Distinto a Los dems which was not very successful in the market, but he did have several DJS take him into account as a support for some musical events. Nicky Jam: the winner, premiered his first episode on November 30, 2018, this series Biografia del Artista produced by Endemol and Telemundo. They had a lavish wedding in Medelln with guests like movie star Vin Diesel and J Balvin. His voice is squeaky and the lyrics are hokey, but his delivery bristles with headstrong ambition. A post shared by @ caroni_re13 on Aug 13, 2019 at 7:30am PDT. (13 episodes, 2018) Series Film Editing by Series Casting By Series Production Design by Juan Carlos Castillo . He was born on March 17, 1981, in Boston, Massachusetts. Latin American Music Awards Award for best single of the year, for the song El perdn: 2015. Queenmaker. It's like every story. The star refers to the 2018 Netflix/Telemundo 13-episode bio seriesNicky Jam: El Ganador, that tells the story of his life: his rise, fall and rebirth as a hit-making music machine. Well, there you have it! NICKY JAM: You could say it's a beautiful story. Billboard Latin Music Award to Latin Rhythm Songs Artist of the Year, Soloist: 2016, 2017. You could say he raised us as a fugitive., Starting over in Puerto Rico required the English-speaking boy to learn his parents language. He took us to Puerto Rico, and he went to raise us over there as a fugitive. He found the people unfailingly hospitable, their Spanish full of pleasantries and honorifics. The two got married in a beautiful ceremony on February 3, 2017, in Medellin, Colombia. We still have a lot to go through. Rivera's family was low-income, and as a minor, he performed illegal work in a grocery store in order to help support them, improvising while bagging groceries. On January 20, 2017, Nicky Jam released his album Fnix, which is the seventh studio album by the singer. (Story first aired on All Things Considered on Jan. 6, 2023.). RIVERA: Later that year, Nicky Jam hit it big with "Voy A Beber," which continued his renovated style and broke him into U.S. and Puerto Rican markets. N W A: You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge. You know what I'm saying? "It's amazing, because after 20 years, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reunite to make a movie and after almost 20 years, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam also reunite to make the single 'Muvelo,' which is part of the movie's soundtrack. He learned Spanish and started gaining fans in Puerto Rico's emerging hip-hop and dancehall scenes. In my mind, I was abandoned by her since I was eight-years-old. Nicky added: I thought, Why am I going to take care of myself? The opportunity to join the action-comedy came up in 2018, when the artist performed the official song Live It Up, for theFIFA World Cup in Russia with Will Smith. Nicky Jam - Wikipedia (Story first aired on All Things Considered on Jan. 6, 2023.) Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. (13 episodes, 2018) Series Set Decoration by Omar Vazquez . Jam developed an interest in music at a young age and began performing as a reggaeton artist in the late 1990s. Desde futbolistas como Lionel Messi hasta colegas del cantante urbano como J Balvin, se sumaron al recientelanzamiento de Netflix que relata la vida y carrera artstica de Nicky Jam. Because the mural is identical to the cover of Nicky Jams new album, one could be forgiven for assuming that his marketing team commissioned it, a PR stunt masquerading as guerrilla art. 1 on Billboards Top Latin Albums chart. Nicky Jam met his current girlfriend, Cydney Moreau, on the set of his Atrvete music video in 2019, and the two have been together ever since. Nicky Jam photographed in April 2015 in Miami. La serie se centra al igual quela vida de Nicky Jam, en Colombia, el lugar que le permiti al artista renacer. My dad didnt handle his drug problems. Back in 2017, Yarimar had her quinceaera, and she shared photos from the celebration on her public Facebook page where she has also shared photos alongside her sister, Alyssa. Following the massive success of Tiger King and The Last Dance, many have used the lockdown period to catch up with other docu-series on the streaming platform. Fame came early for Reggaeton star Nicky Jam, and he admits he - NPR His family moved back to his fathers native land in Puerto Rico when he was just ten years old, and there he was inspired to pursue music as a career. Im here for you., Diesel was already a fan of Nicky Jams when he recommended the novice actor for the minor role of an island kingpin in the third xXx film. El Ganador, a Netflix series about Nicky Jam's life and career, premieres on April 21. Thats what makes Nicky Jam so different from everybody else.. Nicky Jam was one of its first stars, but fame hasn't been easy. "Yankee felt like he was like my father. Jowell y Randy & Nicky Jam: En la intimidad. I love you. 1 at the international box office, muscling to the top of 32 foreign markets. The name \"Nicky Jam\" was jokingly given to Rivera by a homeless man. But the funny thing was, it was a catchy name: Nicky Jam, Nicky Jam, he says. In fact, Nicky proposed to her on Valentines Day 2020, and the couple is now happily engaged, living in Miami, and planning to start their life together. Latin Grammy Award for the best urban performance, for the song El perdn: 2015. Let's take a closer look at Nicky's baby mothers so far. He gained popularity as a singer in Puerto Rico and his career kicked on after meeting idol and fellow music star Daddy Yankee. A year later, he released the song Travesuras with which he continued to position and gain more fame in reggaeton, also reached the number four position on the Hot Latin Songs list of Billboard. The humility of his adopted city in turn humbled him. Nicky Jam - IMDb Ana Luca Domnguez junto a Jessy Terrero, productor de Nicky Jam: El Ganador. RIVERA: The night before was the 30th birthday of one-time reggaeton superstar Nicky Jam. People came to love me because I was loving myself., Scoring a few regional indie hits, Jam re-emerged as part of a new wave of Medellin reggaetoneros including J. Balvin and Maluma. Nicky, 39, is an American singer and songwriter who was born in Boston, Massachusetts. The wedding had a strict no-cellphone policy during the ceremony and was attended by many celebrity guests, including Vin Diesel, J Balvin, and Enrique Iglesias. He also appeared in other Colombian cities between 2007 and 2010, where he was very well received, motivating him to continue on the path to success. ), As he prepares for a month-long European tour in March, Nicky Jam sees yet another crossroads looming on the horizon, a test of his newfound faith and purpose. Nicky Jam, photographed Feb. 1 at home in Medelln. A few months later, Yankee discovered that Nicky used drugs and alcohol, tried to help him, but after not getting positive results and receiving a tuneful song by Nicky Jam, in 2004 they separated. Having been born on Saint Patrick's Day, he enjoyed attending parades for the holiday as a little boy. I was a rapper. Theres no excuses. He still recalls visiting a restaurant and ordering sancocho, a savory island stew; there was none, but the proprietor dashed out to gather the ingredients and whipped him up a bowl on the spot. It carried his stardom to new heights. Lo Nuestro Award for the Artist of the Year Urban: 2016. A banner announcing a February bullfight flutters in the afternoon breeze as the syncopated pulse of reggaetn Medelln has four radio stations devoted to the genre spills from beer halls and fitness centers. Una publicacin compartida por Ana Luca Dominguez (@analuciado) el 5 de Dic de 2018 a las 6:37 PST. So, I went to the casting in Los Angeles and it all worked out," he recalls. He has Puerto Rican ascendance from his father and Dominican from his mother. This article originally appeared in the Feb. 25 issue of Billboard. He met his first wife, Angelica Cruz, a TV host, on social media. The family moved to Barrio Obrero in Puerto Rico when he was ten years old. Even Yankee, who today calls Nicky Jam a mature man with a noble heart, makes appearances on two of Fnixs tracks. That's when I thought, this is something that I enjoy and really want to do. "I'm one of the villains of the movie. Billboard Latin Music Award for Latin Rhythm of the Year, for Hasta el Amanecer: 2017. It continues to recount the rise, fall, and rebirth of his music career and in doing so, telling the story of reggaeton itself. Ana Luca Domnguez encarna a Rosa, una mujer paisa que se roba el corazn de Nicky Jam. Soon after, the amalgamation of hip-hop and reggae was complete. Though he is born in Boston, Massachusetts, he has a Puerto Rican heritage from his fathers side and a Dominican one from his mothers. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. . On this October evening hes in Zarazoga, Spain, the latest stop on a European tour that also has him hitting Paris, Milan, Rome and Barcelona. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. In the United States, it reached the 65th position of the Billboard Hot 100 and the 82nd of the Canadian Hot 100. Nicky Jam, Daddy Yankee Reunite as Los Cangris in New 'Muvelo' Video Y por ende, los protagonistas de la serie deban ser colombianos. RIVERA: One of those families was his own. I used to open for these big singers they were 20, 25 years old, and I was a kid with a Mickey Mouse voice, trying to speak Jamaican, recalls Jam. Nicky Jam was 11. The chart-topping singer-songwriter, considered to be one of the architects of the Latino urban music movement, admits to being bit by the acting bug and wants to pursue a career in Hollywood films as well. One of the biggest comebacks in Puerto Rico's rich musical history began in an unlikely place: more than 1,000 miles away, in Colombia. With his acting mentors encouragement, he hopes to return to the screen mostlikely in a fourth installment of xXx. Nicky's only son, Joe, was born in 2005 which would make him either 14 or 15 at this point. The song became a total success worldwide, so much that it reached the first position in several singles lists of Spain, France, Portugal, Holland, and Switzerland. "He told me they were going to do Bad Boys and I told him that I would love to be in it. All Rights Reserved. Nicky Jam's Troubled Past Revealed in 'El Ganador' on Netflix, A Complete Timeline of Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam's Beef, Laura Haddock Takes Center Stage in Netflixs 'White Lines'. One day the wife of an independent record executive dropped by and asked if he was signed to a record label. His bilingual flows caught the attention of DJs and vocalists whose mixtapes were forming the basis of a harder-edged sound that combined reggae rhythms with rapped vocals and Latin instrumentation: reggaeton. Jam is writing for Iglesias next album and finishing his own, due in early 2016. Todos los derechos reservados. In slender, hieroglyphic-y letters, the artists have scrawled FENIX as in phoenix, the bird of legend over Nicky Jams head. The dramatization follows Nicky's life from his childhood in Boston, Mass., where he was born, to his return to his father's hometown in Puerto Rico, where his family moved when he was 10. The song, released just a week ago, currently sits at No. Nicky Jam and Daddy Yankee perform at Coliseo Jose M. Agrelot on Sept. 18, 2015 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Rivera's family was low-income and as a minor he performed illegal work in a grocery store in order to help support them, in his free time improvising in front of his workplace. In 1992, while working, he began to rap and improvise, capturing the attention of customers who were in the supermarket, among the clients was the wife of a recording director of Puerto Rico, who was surprised with his attitudes and who he sang to and decided to take Nicky to her husband. But Ive seen a whole different Colombia.. In 2014, after seven years of living in Colombia and without having released a single song, Nicky Jam came out with a hit. Foto: Instagram @analuciado y @nickyjampr. Born Nick Caminero, he started rapping at local talent shows in his native Lawrence, Mass., hardly a Latin music hotspot. Thats where rapper-singer Nicky Jam, a star in reggaetons explosion in the 1990s and early 2000s, exiled himself after torpedoing his career through drugs, alcohol and an ill-advised beef with his own mentor, Daddy Yankee. Nicky Jam was born as Nick Rivera Caminero on March 17, 1981 in United States, to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father. Nicky Jam, whose real name is Nick Rivera Caminero, was born on March 17, 1981 in Lawrence, Massachusetts to a Puerto Rican father and Dominican mother. At his emotional 2022 induction into Billboard's Hall of Fame, Nicky Jam's father, Jose Manuel Rivera, the former fugitive who got him clean so many years ago, handed him his award. Im a little bit of everything, he says. NICKY JAM: I called my dad and I just - I told him, yo, bro, I got to stop these Percs (ph), bro, 'cause I'm going to die. RIVERA: Always a lover of hip-hop and someone who rapped for fun in Lawrence, 10-year-old Nicky Jam continued freestyling and rapping after moving. To be on the right path, I cant be singing this music. Though his lyrics tend to be more romantic than risque, reggaetn is still music of this world, not Gods music., The way Im seeing it, God has given me all this for me to realize that this isnt what I really need in my life, says Nicky Jam, whose own playlist is heavy on Spanish-language Christian tunes. Billboard Latin Music Award for the Song of the Digital Year, for Hasta el Amanecer: 2017. He had hit bottom. A grieving woman magically travels through time to 1998, where she meets a man with an uncanny resemblance to her late love.