Daddy Yankee

Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People 2006 - Arrivals

Yankee in 2006, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez

Place of Birth: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Date of Birth: February 3, 1977

Ethnicity: Puerto Rican [African, Spanish, possibly Taíno]

Daddy Yankee is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, rapper, actor, and record producer. He is known for the song Despacito (2017), with Luis Fonsi and, in some versions, Justin Bieber. He is known as “King of Reggaetón,” as well as “The Big Boss,” “El Cangri (The Chief),” and “Winchester.”

He is the son of Rosa María Rodríguez and Ramón Ayala Class. He is married to Mireddys González, with whom he has three children.

Daddy Yankee’s paternal grandfather was Porto Ayala y Ayala (the son of Elias Ayala y Trinidad and Senona Ayala y Caraballo). Porto was listed as “mulatto” on civil records. Elias was the son of José Ayala y Calderón and Estefania Trinidad y Pérez. Senona was the daughter of Juan Ayala y Calderón and Eugenia Caraballo y Hernández. José and Juan were brothers, making Elias and Senona first cousins.

Daddy Yankee’s paternal grandmother was Altagracia Class y Aponte (the daughter of José Class y González and Natalia Aponte). Altagracia was listed as “white” on civil records. José was the son of José del Carmen “Carmelo” Class y Adorno and María Celestina González y Adorno. Natalia was the daughter of Narciso Labrador y Fontánez and Catalina Aponte y Morales.

Sources: Death record of Daddy Yankee’s paternal grandfather, Porto Ayala y Ayala – https://familysearch.org

Daddy Yankee’s paternal grandmother, Altagracia Class y Aponte, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Daddy Yankee’s paternal great-grandparents, José Class y González and Natalia Aponte – https://familysearch.org

8 Responses

  1. charicew says:

    I always knew he was black just by listening to his music.

  2. Akwaba says:

    “Class” sounds Anglo or Germanic last name

  3. midori29 says:

    He makes really really good music thats from the African part lol. He has really good rythym. I knew there had to be African in there recent.

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