Today on Artiste of The Week, we’re celebrating an artiste who started from the bottom, got to the top, lost his way, and has now rebuilt himself, becoming Latin’s shining comeback kid.
He’s one of reggaeton’s most prolific artists, a Pina Records-affiliated rapper-singer, who has collaborated over the years with a long list of performers, including superstars such as Daddy Yankee, and he has released plenty of solo materials as well as well as popular albums. Born Nick Rivera Caminero on March 17, 1981, in Boston, Massachusetts. Well known by the stage name Nicky Jam.
Nicky Jam Jam has a history of finding success where you’d least expect it. He started rapping at local talent shows in his native Massachusetts, a location which was hardly a Latin music hotspot. Jam was discovered at a grocery store, where he would entertain himself by freestyling about the foods he was bagging. That was after his father moved the family to Puerto Rico to “go back to our roots” when he was 10.
An impressed customer brought him to a local indie label, through which Jam released his rap/reggae debut, … Distinto a los Demas, in 1994 when he was just 14. (different from others – distinct). His favorite was then-rising star Daddy Yankee. The underage Jam would usually be escorted out of clubs after his own shows, but one night he managed to stick around long enough to introduce himself to his hero. The admiration was mutual, and Yankee asked him to become his hypeman. The pair became inseparable and collaborated on a handful of hits. But the growing success was overwhelming, and Jam began abusing drugs and alcohol. “I was making too much money. I was too young,” he says. “I didn’t know how to deal.”
Yankee began criticizing his bad habits, even subtly checking him on a record. “Yankee felt like he was like my father. I took it too seriously and made a whole song for him,” explains Jam. Depressed, he gained weight, quit recording and supported himself and his habits with that hotel gig, singing lounge music for tourists he hoped wouldn’t recognize him. It was his lowest point, but it also planted the seeds for his comeback. The shows forced him to develop his singing voice, which inspired him to head back to the studio. “I was a rapper. I didn’t know I could sing. I saw a bunch of artists [succeeding] that didn’t have that. I was like, ‘I’m over here doing nothing — I should be there.’ ”
Success has not come easy for singer and rapper Nicky Jam. The reggaeton artist overcame issues with his past mentor and fellow Puerto Rican musical star Daddy Yankee, drug and alcohol abuse, and depression to reappear on the music scene more than 10 years after his initial success.
Jam is now making some of his best music and it’s taking him all over the world. Recent collaborators include Colombian reggaeton stars J Balvin, Maluma, and Spaniard Enrique Iglesias.
; Billboard Latin Music Awards, 2016 (6 awards) – Hot Latin Song of the Year, Latin Rhythm Song of the Year, Airplay Song of the Year, Streaming Song of the Year, Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event, Digital Song of the Year .
We’ve been talking the epic journey of Nicky Jam, who killed his career with drugs, exiled himself to Colombia and re-emerged with one of 2015’s biggest hits. We’ve also focused on his unique style of music which combines reggae rhythms with rapped vocals and Latin instrumentation reggaetón.
In February, his ‘Fenix’ album released this year landed at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums Chart on Billboard. That feat came after six earlier albums.
1994: …Distinto A Los Demás
2001: Haciendo Escante
2003: Salón de La Fama
2004: Vida Escante
2005: Vida Escante: Special Edition
2007: The Black Carpet
Jam made a big splash at the 2017 Billboard Latin Music Awards when he took the stage with actor Vin Diesel; the musician appeared with the actor in the 2016 movie xXx: Return of Xander Cage.
As we wrap things up on our AOTW, Nicky Jam, let’s look at his achievement so far, here’s a few from the numerous he’s bagged; Latin Grammy Awards, Latin American Music Awards, Billboard Latin Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards.
The 35-year-old star got married to Angélica Cruz in a star-studded private ceremony in Medellín, Colombia, early February. Celebrity guests in attendance were Vin Diesel and Gente de Zona. Enrique Iglesias and J Balvin were also in attendance.
Top 4 songs by Nicky Jam
NUMBER 4: Travesuras
NUMBER 3: “El Perdón” ft. Enrique Iglesias
NUMBER 2: Hasta El Amanecer – 4awards at the 2017 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
NUMBER 1: El Amante – Peaked at #4 on Billboard on 25.2.2017
