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Wikipedia

Nicky Jam

Nick Rivera Caminero (born March 17, 1981), known professionally as Nicky Jam, is an American singer and actor. He is best known for hits such as "X", "Travesuras", "En la Cama", "Te Busco", "El Perdón", "Hasta el Amanecer", and "El Amante"; the latter three are from his 2017 album Fénix. He has frequently collaborated with other Latin artists such as Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Ozuna, Plan B and Anuel AA. While his early music exemplified traditional fast-paced reggaeton, his newer compositions place more emphasis on sung vocals and romantic lyrics.

Nicky Jam
Nicky Jam in 2019
Background information
Birth nameNick Rivera Caminero
Born (1981-03-17) March 17, 1981 (age 41)
Lawrence, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • actor
Years active1995–present[1]
Labels
Websitewww.iamnickyjam.com

Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father, his family moved to Puerto Rico when he was ten years old. He began recording music at age fourteen with his first EP ...Distinto a los demás (1995), and eventually caught the attention of Daddy Yankee. The two formed the group Los Cangris, which was active from the late 1990s to 2004. The pair split acrimoniously and Nicky Jam's career quickly took a sharp decline, followed by a period of legal struggles and substance abuse.[2]

He then moved to Medellín, Colombia, where he rejuvenated his career and developed a more melodic style of music, which proved to be popular through the release of the singles "Voy a Beber" and "Travesuras" in 2014. His success was furthered by the 2015 single "El Perdón" and his 2017 album Fénix. He released the album Íntimo in 2019, which was a critical and commercial success. Nicky Jam has also acted in the films XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017) and Bad Boys for Life (2020), and starred in and executive produced the Netflix biographical series Nicky Jam: El Ganador (2018).

Biography

1981–1996: Early life and career beginnings

Nick Rivera Caminero was born on March 17, 1981, in Lawrence, Massachusetts to a Dominican mother and Puerto Rican father.[3][4] Having been born on Saint Patrick's Day, he enjoyed attending parades for the holiday as a little boy.[4] While in Massachusetts, he developed an affinity for hip-hop, specifically East Coast acts Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch and LL Cool J.[5] When Nicky Jam was ten years old, his family moved to the Río Hondo suburb of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in an attempt to reconnect with the family's Puerto Rican roots.[5][6] However, in an interview with Billboard, Nicky Jam explained that his father had become embroiled in a drug-related case and escaped bail, necessitating the move to Puerto Rico.[5][7]

Nicky Jam initially experienced culture shock upon moving to Puerto Rico, having never spoken Spanish before arriving to the island.[4][8] Despite the difficult start, he quickly made friends in his neighborhood and after spending time in the streets as a middle schooler, became inspired to pursue a musical career.[4] He also used Caribbean hip-hop and reggaeton as a way to help him polish his Spanish-language skills.[5] He originally went by the moniker "Nick MC", but changed it to Nicky Jam after a neighborhood homeless man gave him the unsolicited comment, "You ain't Nick MC, you're Nicky Jam".[5]

While working at the Pueblo Xtra discount grocery store at age eleven, he passed time by rapping about the items he was bagging, which impressed a customer who invited him to record with a local indie label.[6][5] He subsequently signed a contract without reading it and received no advance money for his recordings.[5] He recorded and released his first EP ...Distinto a los demás in 1995 at age fourteen.[9][4][10] He endured a difficult breakup with his girlfriend shortly after the album's release and the emotional pain of the experience led him to try cocaine for the first time at age fifteen.[10] Nicky Jam reflected on the experience by saying: "[I thought], 'why am I going to take care of myself? My dad didn't handle his drug problems. My mom did drugs too, so why not me?' I mean, I had drugs all around me, and the foundation of everything is your home. It's your family."[10]

1997–2006: Los Cangris and career decline

 
Nicky Jam formed the duo Los Cangris with his idol and mentor, Daddy Yankee (pictured).

Despite his drug use, he managed to gain popularity in Puerto Rico as a hip-hop artist, and eventually met his idol, Daddy Yankee. Nicky Jam recalled that Daddy Yankee was familiar with his work, explaining, "He looked at me and said, 'I know who you are. You're that little kid that sings rap in a little Mickey Mouse voice. I like your style.'"[4] The two artists then formed a duo called Los Cangris. The duo achieved success in Puerto Rico through hit singles such as "En la Cama", "Donde Estan Las Gatas", and "Guayando".[6] While in the group, he went on to release the solo albums Haciendo escante (2001) and Vida escante (2004).[3]

However, Nicky Jam struggled to adjust to his new lifestyle and began using drugs and alcohol to an extent that concerned his musical partner.[6] Having used cocaine on and off since age fifteen, he later began using percocet.[5] Daddy Yankee began to criticize Nicky Jam's behavior and alluded to his bandmate in songs, including the lyric "your courage depends on a pill" from the 2004 song "Santifica Tus Escapularios".[5] This led an incensed Nicky Jam to release a diss track in response that same year. Nicky Jam quickly regretted releasing the song, explaining, "That wasn't a good choice, because he came with [2004 Billboard Hot 100 hit] 'Gasolina.' [I] looked stupid. He went his way, I went my way -- and obviously my way didn't go very well."[6]

Los Cangris separated in 2004 after a falling out between the two musicians.[11] After the breakup of Los Cangris, Nicky Jam struggled personally and professionally, calling himself the "embarrassment of the Latin Caribbean music industry".[10] Deeply depressed, Nicky Jam gained a significant amount of weight, eventually reaching 300 pounds (136 kg). He also experienced legal troubles, including a police chase in his car that was in the process of being repossessed.[5] He took a job in a hotel, performing lounge music for tourists.[6] Despite viewing this period to be his "lowest point", the artist developed his singing voice during this time, learning to incorporate sung vocals into his music as opposed to strictly rapping.[6]

2007–2016: Career renewal and successful singles

People laugh when I say I came to Colombia and cleaned myself out of alcohol and drugs. But I've seen a whole different Colombia. [Colombians] will stop doing whatever they're doing to make you happy. Sí, señor. No, señor. There's no excuses.

– Nicky Jam, on his relocation to Medellín, Colombia.[10]

In 2007, Nicky Jam moved to Medellín, Colombia in an attempt to stop using drugs and focus on music. The musician was well received by the people in Medellín, and the singer reflected, "They made me feel like I was a legend. The boost they gave me made me want to be a better person. I started eating OK, I stopped drugs, I stopped alcohol. People came to love me because I was loving myself."[6] In 2010, Nicky Jam suffered a nearly fatal overdose that served as the impetus for him to quit using drugs completely.[10] He lost 100 pounds (45 kg) and tattooed a significant portion of his body, including the entirety of his neck—which he considered a symbol of his recovery.[5] Artistically, he drew influence from the romanticism of Colombian music, in particular the genre of vallenato.[5] He also amended his friendship with Daddy Yankee after encountering him on a flight, where the two apologized to each other, and began touring together at the end of 2014.[6]

His songs "Voy a Beber" and "Travesuras" reinvigorated his career and led to his signing with Sony U.S. Latin.[6] "Travesuras" was Nicky Jam's first song to reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.[12] Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias contacted Nicky Jam to collaborate on the 2015 song "El Perdón", which later won Nicky Jam his first Latin Grammy for Best Urban Performance.[4] Nicky Jam was surprised when he received the phone call from Iglesias and initially hung up on him, believing the call to be a prank.[6] The song peaked at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 30 weeks on top of the Hot Latin Songs chart.[13][14]

His increased popularity during this time led Nicky Jam to reunite in 2015 with his mother who had been deported to the Dominican Republic; he had not seen her for more than twenty years.[15] He recalled, "Most of my life, I was trying to be famous, do music to see if my mom could listen to me and see me...when [the reunion] happened, it was like a movie moment. My bodyguard was like, 'There's this woman outside. She's fighting with everybody saying she's your mom and she wants to see you'...and automatically, I knew it was her because I remembered her voice."[15] Nicky Jam was presented with the Warrior Spirit award at the 2015 Premios Tu Mundo for his "musical resilience".[16] The following year, he recorded a remix of the 1992 song "De Pies a Cabeza" with Mexican rock band Maná, a collaboration Nicky Jam described as a "blessing".[17] In 2016, his song "Hasta el Amanecer" became his first song to reach one billion views on YouTube. The song won the Billboard Music Award for Top Latin Song at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards. It also won the Urban Song of the Year and was nominated for Single of the Year at the 29th Lo Nuestro Awards.[18]

2017: Fénix

 
The mural of Nicky Jam in Medellín, Colombia that later became the cover of his 2017 album Fénix (mural photographed in April 2018).

On January 20, 2017, he released the album Fénix. The album cover consists of a mural painted in Medellín of Nicky Jam with the Spanish word for "Phoenix" (stylized FEИiX). This mural was painted by fans without Nicky Jam's knowledge, and upon discovering the existence of the mural, Nicky Jam was so moved that he proclaimed on Instagram that he would make the mural the cover of his next album.[5] Fénix, a symbol of the artist's career rebirth, debuted at the top of the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart.[5] The album reached the top of the Billboard Latin Rhythm Albums chart on February 11, 2017, and stayed on the chart for a total of 142 weeks.[19] The record was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 18th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, losing to Salsa Big Band by Rubén Blades with Roberto Delgado & Orquesta.[20]

Fénix featured collaborations from Sean Paul, El Alfa, J Balvin, and Kid Ink and included Nicky Jam's first English-language songs "Without You" and "I Can't Forget You".[10][21] With the album, he hoped to maintain an organic reggaeton sound, feeling that genre had evolved into an overly "futuristic" sound in Puerto Rico.[8] The previously released singles "El Perdón" and "Hasta el Amanecer" were included on the album in addition to the new singles "El Amante" and "Si Tú la Ves", the latter featuring Wisin of reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel. The songs "El Amante" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, while "Si Tú la Ves" peaked at number 18 on the same chart.[22] "El Amante" also reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100.[13] Tony M. Centeno of Vibe praised the album by writing, "Despite the high demand for commercial, electronic club records, Jam manages to keep his integrity, remaining loyal to the lane he established for himself nearly 20 years ago."[21] Nicky Jam made his acting debut in 2017 in XXX: Return of Xander Cage, the third release in the XXX action film series, acting alongside Vin Diesel.[4]

2018–present: "X" single and Íntimo

 
Nicky Jam performing the 2018 World Cup's official song "Live It Up"

His collaboration with J Balvin, "X", peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.[13] The music video for "X" drew comparisons to Sean Paul's "I'm Still in Love with You" and Drake's "Hotline Bling".[23] The video debuted at the number one spot on YouTube's global music chart and amassed more than 200 million views in two weeks.[24] Nicky Jam performed the song with J Balvin on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon while Jimmy Fallon danced onstage with the two singers.[25] Reacting to the success of the song, Nicky Jam divulged, "I knew our music was going to be big, but I didn't think it was going to be the way it is now."[24] Nicky Jam collaborated with Will Smith, Diplo and Era Istrefi for the official 2018 FIFA World Cup anthem, "Live It Up". The song received mixed reviews, as critics derided the song's "generic message".[26][27] Nicky Jam starred in the Netflix biographical series Nicky Jam: El Ganador, which explored the artist's struggles with drug addiction and his rise to fame and premiered in November 2018.[28]

In October 2019, Nicky Jam previewed the release of his documentary, Behind Nicky Jam's Íntimo, which was produced through Apple Music.[29] He released the album Íntimo on November 1, 2019. It contained the singles "X", "Atrevete" featuring Sech, and "Whine Up" featuring Anuel AA.[30] Billboard called the album "17 songs of pure reggaeton magic".[30] In November 2019, he renewed his contract with Sony Music Latin.[31] He collaborated with Daddy Yankee on the song "Muévelo" which samples Jamaican dancehall artist Ini Kamoze's 1994 hit, "Here Comes the Hotstepper".[28] The video, filmed in Miami, serves as an homage to the period in the 1990s in which reggaeton was criminalized in Puerto Rico.[28] The song appeared on the soundtrack for the film Bad Boys for Life. Nicky Jam played villan Zway-Lo in the film, which was released on January 17, 2020.[10] In March 2020, Nicky Jam was honored with the annual Career Achievement Award at the Premios Tu Música Urbano 2020 hosted by Telemundo.[32] Nicky Jam appeared on Bad Bunny's surprise album Las que no iban a salir, released in May 2020.[33]

In August 2021, Jam announced that his first official post-pandemic tour will kick off in early 2022. The 'Infinity' Tour will visit major cities across the U.S. and Canada, starting Feb. 3, 2022, at Boston’s Agganis Arena.[34]

Musical style and influences

Nicky Jam's music has been classified as Latin trap[35] and reggaeton.[36] Veronica Villafañe of Forbes wrote that Nicky Jam is considered "one of the architects of the Latino urban music movement".[37] His music has been noted for both eliciting a party atmosphere and embracing overt sentimentality.[30] His career began in the mid-1990s, when reggaeton was in its beginning stages in Puerto Rico. While his early releases exemplified the sound of old-school reggaeton that drew massive popularity in Puerto Rico, Eduardo Cepeda of Remezcla wrote that Nicky Jam's "sound has shifted from hard-hitting dembow...to more velvety rhythms and romantic lyrics".[38] His lyrics have also been described by Billboard as "catchy and flirtatious".[39]

His earliest musical influence was Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video; he recalls that "I knew automatically when I saw Michael Jackson do 'Thriller' as a little kid that I wanted people to fall in love with my music."[10] The artist's first exposure to Caribbean music occurred upon seeing family members dancing to reggae at a house party hosted by his parents.[10] Upon his relocation to Medellín, Nicky Jam adopted a more melodic, romantic approach to his music, inspired by Colombian genres such as vallenato.[5] He has also expressed admiration for American soul singer Al Green, who he says inspired him to discuss romantic themes in his music.[5] Other artists who have influenced Nicky Jam include Prince, Jay-Z, Jenni Rivera[10] and Shakira.[40] Jay-Z's The Blueprint (2001) "gave [him] an idea of how to do [his] albums in the Spanish market and give [his] fans that kind of vibe".[36] He became a fan of Mexican rock band Maná in 1992 during the beginning stage of his career and describes the members of the group as his "idols".[17]

Personal life

Nicky Jam has four children, born in 2002, 2002, 2005, and 2012.[10] He married his girlfriend of two years, Angélica Cruz, in a private Catholic ceremony in Medellín in February 2017.[41] J Balvin and Vin Diesel attended the wedding, which featured performances by reggaeton group Gente de Zona and salsa singer Jerry Rivera.[41] In August 2018, the couple filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.[42] That same month, he purchased a house in the Palm Island area of Miami Beach for US$3.4 million.[43] On Valentine's Day 2020, Nicky Jam became engaged to model Cydney Moreau.[44] The couple met on the set of his music video for "Atrévete", an encounter which the singer described as "love at first sight".[10] After posting a photo alone on Valentine's Day 2021, Nicky Jam confirmed that he and Moreau are no longer together. In an interview with Vibe, he stated that he has attention-deficit disorder.[10] He dated Livia Rici, Nati Torres, and Paulina Cruz.[9]

Discography

Studio albums

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2017 XXX: Return of Xander Cage Lazarus Film
2017 The Keys of Christmas[45] Himself Film
2018 El Ganador Himself Biographical television series[46]
2020 Bad Boys for Life Lorenzo "Zway-Lo" Rodriguez Film[47]
2021 Tom & Jerry Butch Cat (voice)[48] Film

Awards and nominations

References

  1. ^ "El Albariño habría sonado ayer a ritmo de Nicky Jam". elcorreogallego.es (in European Spanish). Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  2. ^ "Así sonaba Nicky Jam en su faceta de "El Niño Raggamuffin"". Heabbi.com (in Spanish). December 14, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Birchmeier, Jason. "Nicky Jam - Biography". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Exposito, Suzy (January 30, 2020). "The First Time with Nicky Jam". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Katz, Jesse (February 16, 2017). "48 Hours With Nicky Jam In Medellín: How the City Helped Him Quit Drugs & Get Back on Top". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Murray, Nick (October 29, 2015). "How Nicky Jam Triumphed Over Drugs, Weight Gain and Beef With Daddy Yankee: 'I Was Too Young'". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  7. ^ Univision. "La transformación de Nicky Jam, de niño a ser una de las máximas estrellas del reggaeton". Univision (in Spanish). Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Caramanica, Jon (January 18, 2018). "For Nicky Jam, a Second Chance at Stardom as Reggaeton Surges Again". The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Nicky Jam lamenta el fallecimiento de un amigo". Primera Hora (in Spanish). September 11, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Estevez, Marjua (February 14, 2020). "Nicky Jam: A Love Supreme". Vibe. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  11. ^ Cordero, Rosy (January 8, 2020). "Nicky Jam and Daddy Yankee dropping new album as Los Cangris in 2020 on heels of reconciliation". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  12. ^ Mendizabal, Amaya (February 2, 2017). "Nicky Jam's 'Fenix' Lands at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  13. ^ a b c "Billboard Hot 100 - Nicky Jam Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  14. ^ Fernandez, Suzette (February 12, 2018). "Listen to 'Despacito', 'Bailando', 'La Tortura' & More of the Longest-Running Hot Latin Songs No. 1s". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  15. ^ a b Vulpo, Mike (January 22, 2020). "How Music Helped Nicky Jam Reunite With His Mom After 20 Years Apart". E! News. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  16. ^ Romero, Angie (August 20, 2015). "Nicky Jam, Daddy Yankee Win Big at Premios Tu Mundo". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Mana & Nicky Jam Team Up for New Version of 'De Pies A Cabeza'". Billboard. August 3, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  18. ^ Flores, Griselda (February 23, 2017). "Premio Lo Nuestro 2017: See the Full Winners List". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  19. ^ "Nicky Jam - Latin Rhythm Albums Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  20. ^ Cobo, Leila (September 26, 2016). "Residente, Maluma Lead Latin Grammy Nominations; 'Despacito' Earns 4 Nods". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  21. ^ a b Centeno, Tony M. (January 25, 2017). "Review: Nicky Jam Is Bound For Crossover Success With 'Fénix'". Vibe. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  22. ^ "Nicky Jam - Hot Latin Songs Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  23. ^ a b Madden, Sidney (March 25, 2018). "Nicky Jam And J Balvin Show Off Their Footwork In 'X' Video". NPR. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  24. ^ a b c Pierre-Bravo, Daniela (April 20, 2018). "The reggaeton revolution is here, and Nicky Jam saw it coming". NBC News. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  25. ^ Zemler, Emily (August 2, 2018). "Watch Jimmy Fallon Dance to 'X' Onstage With J Balvin, Nicky Jam". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  26. ^ Flanagan, Andrew (May 25, 2018). "Is Will Smith, Nicky Jam, Diplo And Era Istrefi's World Cup Anthem Good? Who Cares?". National Public Radio. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  27. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (May 25, 2018). "Official World Cup song review: 'Live It Up' with Will Smith, Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi is almost unlistenable". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 20, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  28. ^ a b c Exposito, Suzy (January 8, 2020). "Nicky Jam, Daddy Yankee Reunite as Los Cangris in Defiant 'Muévelo' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  29. ^ Fernandez, Suzette (October 21, 2019). "Nicky Jam to Unveil His 'Intimo' Journey Via Apple Music Documentary". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  30. ^ a b c "Viva Friday Playlist: Nicky Jam's 'Intimo' Album & More". Billboard. November 1, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  31. ^ "Nicky Jam Renews Multi-Million Dollar Contract With Sony Music Latin & Confirms 'Los Cangris' Comeback With Daddy Yankee". Billboard. November 20, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  32. ^ Exposito, Suzy (March 6, 2020). "Premios Tu Música Urbano 2020: Top Winners Include Daddy Yankee, Ozuna". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  33. ^ Peters, Mitchell (May 10, 2020). "Bad Bunny Drops Surprise New Album 'Las Que No Iban a Salir': Stream It Here". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  34. ^ Roiz, Jessica (August 17, 2021). "Nicky Jam Hitting the Road on 2022 'Infinity' Tour: See Dates". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  35. ^ Lopez, Julyssa (February 28, 2019). "Record labels said Latin trap was 'going nowhere.' Billions of YouTube views proved them wrong". Washington Post. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  36. ^ a b Centeno, Tony M. "Reggaeton Star Nicky Jam Imagines a Latin Trap Freshman Class - XXL". XXL Mag. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  37. ^ Villafañe, Veronica (January 17, 2020). "Nicky Jam Says Role In 'Bad Boys For Life' And Reunion With Daddy Yankee Are Perfect Timing". Forbes. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  38. ^ Castillo, Stephanie (April 21, 2020). "10 of the Best Nicky Jam Songs to Listen to After Netflix's "El Ganador"". O Magazine. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  39. ^ "10 of Nicky Jam's Most Flirtatious Lyrics". Billboard. April 18, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  40. ^ Univision. "Nicky Jam: "Soy fan de Shakira desde hace 15 años"". Univision (in Spanish). Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  41. ^ a b Gómez, Shirley (February 6, 2017). "Nicky Jam Wedding: Reggaeton Singer Marries Girlfriend Of Two Years Angelica Cruz In Colombia". Latin Times. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  42. ^ "Rumors confirmed: Reggaeton star Nicky Jam is separated from his wife". Miami Herald. August 30, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  43. ^ Abravanel, Lesley (August 20, 2018). "Reggaeton star Nicky Jam just bought a $3.4 million crib in Palm Island". The Miami Herald. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  44. ^ "Nicky Jam Is Engaged! Watch His Sweet Valentine's Day Proposal To Girlfriend Cydney Moreau". Billboard. February 15, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  45. ^ "Mariah Carey, Nicky Jam & More On YouTube's Christmas Special". Latin Times. December 5, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  46. ^ Trejos, Carolina. "Las vida de Nicky Jam llegará a la pequeña pantalla con la nueve serie El ganador de Telemundo". peopleenespanol.com (in Spanish). People en Español. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  47. ^ "'Bad Boys' Sequel Adds Nicky Jam". Variety. January 18, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  48. ^ Nicky Jam reveló qué personaje interpretará en Tom y Jerry, la película (in Spanish)

External links

  • Official website
  • Nicky Jam at IMDb

nicky, this, spanish, name, first, paternal, surname, rivera, second, maternal, family, name, caminero, nick, rivera, caminero, born, march, 1981, known, professionally, american, singer, actor, best, known, hits, such, travesuras, cama, busco, perdón, hasta, . In this Spanish name the first or paternal surname is Rivera and the second or maternal family name is Caminero Nick Rivera Caminero born March 17 1981 known professionally as Nicky Jam is an American singer and actor He is best known for hits such as X Travesuras En la Cama Te Busco El Perdon Hasta el Amanecer and El Amante the latter three are from his 2017 album Fenix He has frequently collaborated with other Latin artists such as Daddy Yankee J Balvin Ozuna Plan B and Anuel AA While his early music exemplified traditional fast paced reggaeton his newer compositions place more emphasis on sung vocals and romantic lyrics Nicky JamNicky Jam in 2019Background informationBirth nameNick Rivera CamineroBorn 1981 03 17 March 17 1981 age 41 Lawrence Massachusetts U S GenresReggaetonLatin trapOccupation s SingeractorYears active1995 present 1 LabelsIndustria Inc Sony LatinRCAWebsitewww wbr iamnickyjam wbr com Born in Lawrence Massachusetts to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father his family moved to Puerto Rico when he was ten years old He began recording music at age fourteen with his first EP Distinto a los demas 1995 and eventually caught the attention of Daddy Yankee The two formed the group Los Cangris which was active from the late 1990s to 2004 The pair split acrimoniously and Nicky Jam s career quickly took a sharp decline followed by a period of legal struggles and substance abuse 2 He then moved to Medellin Colombia where he rejuvenated his career and developed a more melodic style of music which proved to be popular through the release of the singles Voy a Beber and Travesuras in 2014 His success was furthered by the 2015 single El Perdon and his 2017 album Fenix He released the album Intimo in 2019 which was a critical and commercial success Nicky Jam has also acted in the films XXX Return of Xander Cage 2017 and Bad Boys for Life 2020 and starred in and executive produced the Netflix biographical series Nicky Jam El Ganador 2018 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 1981 1996 Early life and career beginnings 1 2 1997 2006 Los Cangris and career decline 1 3 2007 2016 Career renewal and successful singles 1 4 2017 Fenix 1 5 2018 present X single and Intimo 2 Musical style and influences 3 Personal life 4 Discography 4 1 Studio albums 5 Filmography 6 Awards and nominations 7 References 8 External linksBiography Edit1981 1996 Early life and career beginnings Edit Nick Rivera Caminero was born on March 17 1981 in Lawrence Massachusetts to a Dominican mother and Puerto Rican father 3 4 Having been born on Saint Patrick s Day he enjoyed attending parades for the holiday as a little boy 4 While in Massachusetts he developed an affinity for hip hop specifically East Coast acts Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch and LL Cool J 5 When Nicky Jam was ten years old his family moved to the Rio Hondo suburb of San Juan Puerto Rico in an attempt to reconnect with the family s Puerto Rican roots 5 6 However in an interview with Billboard Nicky Jam explained that his father had become embroiled in a drug related case and escaped bail necessitating the move to Puerto Rico 5 7 Nicky Jam initially experienced culture shock upon moving to Puerto Rico having never spoken Spanish before arriving to the island 4 8 Despite the difficult start he quickly made friends in his neighborhood and after spending time in the streets as a middle schooler became inspired to pursue a musical career 4 He also used Caribbean hip hop and reggaeton as a way to help him polish his Spanish language skills 5 He originally went by the moniker Nick MC but changed it to Nicky Jam after a neighborhood homeless man gave him the unsolicited comment You ain t Nick MC you re Nicky Jam 5 While working at the Pueblo Xtra discount grocery store at age eleven he passed time by rapping about the items he was bagging which impressed a customer who invited him to record with a local indie label 6 5 He subsequently signed a contract without reading it and received no advance money for his recordings 5 He recorded and released his first EP Distinto a los demas in 1995 at age fourteen 9 4 10 He endured a difficult breakup with his girlfriend shortly after the album s release and the emotional pain of the experience led him to try cocaine for the first time at age fifteen 10 Nicky Jam reflected on the experience by saying I thought why am I going to take care of myself My dad didn t handle his drug problems My mom did drugs too so why not me I mean I had drugs all around me and the foundation of everything is your home It s your family 10 1997 2006 Los Cangris and career decline Edit Nicky Jam formed the duo Los Cangris with his idol and mentor Daddy Yankee pictured Despite his drug use he managed to gain popularity in Puerto Rico as a hip hop artist and eventually met his idol Daddy Yankee Nicky Jam recalled that Daddy Yankee was familiar with his work explaining He looked at me and said I know who you are You re that little kid that sings rap in a little Mickey Mouse voice I like your style 4 The two artists then formed a duo called Los Cangris The duo achieved success in Puerto Rico through hit singles such as En la Cama Donde Estan Las Gatas and Guayando 6 While in the group he went on to release the solo albums Haciendo escante 2001 and Vida escante 2004 3 However Nicky Jam struggled to adjust to his new lifestyle and began using drugs and alcohol to an extent that concerned his musical partner 6 Having used cocaine on and off since age fifteen he later began using percocet 5 Daddy Yankee began to criticize Nicky Jam s behavior and alluded to his bandmate in songs including the lyric your courage depends on a pill from the 2004 song Santifica Tus Escapularios 5 This led an incensed Nicky Jam to release a diss track in response that same year Nicky Jam quickly regretted releasing the song explaining That wasn t a good choice because he came with 2004 Billboard Hot 100 hit Gasolina I looked stupid He went his way I went my way and obviously my way didn t go very well 6 Los Cangris separated in 2004 after a falling out between the two musicians 11 After the breakup of Los Cangris Nicky Jam struggled personally and professionally calling himself the embarrassment of the Latin Caribbean music industry 10 Deeply depressed Nicky Jam gained a significant amount of weight eventually reaching 300 pounds 136 kg He also experienced legal troubles including a police chase in his car that was in the process of being repossessed 5 He took a job in a hotel performing lounge music for tourists 6 Despite viewing this period to be his lowest point the artist developed his singing voice during this time learning to incorporate sung vocals into his music as opposed to strictly rapping 6 2007 2016 Career renewal and successful singles Edit People laugh when I say I came to Colombia and cleaned myself out of alcohol and drugs But I ve seen a whole different Colombia Colombians will stop doing whatever they re doing to make you happy Si senor No senor There s no excuses Nicky Jam on his relocation to Medellin Colombia 10 In 2007 Nicky Jam moved to Medellin Colombia in an attempt to stop using drugs and focus on music The musician was well received by the people in Medellin and the singer reflected They made me feel like I was a legend The boost they gave me made me want to be a better person I started eating OK I stopped drugs I stopped alcohol People came to love me because I was loving myself 6 In 2010 Nicky Jam suffered a nearly fatal overdose that served as the impetus for him to quit using drugs completely 10 He lost 100 pounds 45 kg and tattooed a significant portion of his body including the entirety of his neck which he considered a symbol of his recovery 5 Artistically he drew influence from the romanticism of Colombian music in particular the genre of vallenato 5 He also amended his friendship with Daddy Yankee after encountering him on a flight where the two apologized to each other and began touring together at the end of 2014 6 His songs Voy a Beber and Travesuras reinvigorated his career and led to his signing with Sony U S Latin 6 Travesuras was Nicky Jam s first song to reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart 12 Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias contacted Nicky Jam to collaborate on the 2015 song El Perdon which later won Nicky Jam his first Latin Grammy for Best Urban Performance 4 Nicky Jam was surprised when he received the phone call from Iglesias and initially hung up on him believing the call to be a prank 6 The song peaked at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 30 weeks on top of the Hot Latin Songs chart 13 14 His increased popularity during this time led Nicky Jam to reunite in 2015 with his mother who had been deported to the Dominican Republic he had not seen her for more than twenty years 15 He recalled Most of my life I was trying to be famous do music to see if my mom could listen to me and see me when the reunion happened it was like a movie moment My bodyguard was like There s this woman outside She s fighting with everybody saying she s your mom and she wants to see you and automatically I knew it was her because I remembered her voice 15 Nicky Jam was presented with the Warrior Spirit award at the 2015 Premios Tu Mundo for his musical resilience 16 The following year he recorded a remix of the 1992 song De Pies a Cabeza with Mexican rock band Mana a collaboration Nicky Jam described as a blessing 17 In 2016 his song Hasta el Amanecer became his first song to reach one billion views on YouTube The song won the Billboard Music Award for Top Latin Song at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards It also won the Urban Song of the Year and was nominated for Single of the Year at the 29th Lo Nuestro Awards 18 2017 Fenix Edit The mural of Nicky Jam in Medellin Colombia that later became the cover of his 2017 album Fenix mural photographed in April 2018 On January 20 2017 he released the album Fenix The album cover consists of a mural painted in Medellin of Nicky Jam with the Spanish word for Phoenix stylized FEIiX This mural was painted by fans without Nicky Jam s knowledge and upon discovering the existence of the mural Nicky Jam was so moved that he proclaimed on Instagram that he would make the mural the cover of his next album 5 Fenix a symbol of the artist s career rebirth debuted at the top of the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart 5 The album reached the top of the Billboard Latin Rhythm Albums chart on February 11 2017 and stayed on the chart for a total of 142 weeks 19 The record was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 18th Annual Latin Grammy Awards losing to Salsa Big Band by Ruben Blades with Roberto Delgado amp Orquesta 20 Fenix featured collaborations from Sean Paul El Alfa J Balvin and Kid Ink and included Nicky Jam s first English language songs Without You and I Can t Forget You 10 21 With the album he hoped to maintain an organic reggaeton sound feeling that genre had evolved into an overly futuristic sound in Puerto Rico 8 The previously released singles El Perdon and Hasta el Amanecer were included on the album in addition to the new singles El Amante and Si Tu la Ves the latter featuring Wisin of reggaeton duo Wisin amp Yandel The songs El Amante peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart while Si Tu la Ves peaked at number 18 on the same chart 22 El Amante also reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 13 Tony M Centeno of Vibe praised the album by writing Despite the high demand for commercial electronic club records Jam manages to keep his integrity remaining loyal to the lane he established for himself nearly 20 years ago 21 Nicky Jam made his acting debut in 2017 in XXX Return of Xander Cage the third release in the XXX action film series acting alongside Vin Diesel 4 2018 present X single and Intimo Edit Nicky Jam performing the 2018 World Cup s official song Live It Up His collaboration with J Balvin X peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 13 The music video for X drew comparisons to Sean Paul s I m Still in Love with You and Drake s Hotline Bling 23 The video debuted at the number one spot on YouTube s global music chart and amassed more than 200 million views in two weeks 24 Nicky Jam performed the song with J Balvin on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon while Jimmy Fallon danced onstage with the two singers 25 Reacting to the success of the song Nicky Jam divulged I knew our music was going to be big but I didn t think it was going to be the way it is now 24 Nicky Jam collaborated with Will Smith Diplo and Era Istrefi for the official 2018 FIFA World Cup anthem Live It Up The song received mixed reviews as critics derided the song s generic message 26 27 Nicky Jam starred in the Netflix biographical series Nicky Jam El Ganador which explored the artist s struggles with drug addiction and his rise to fame and premiered in November 2018 28 In October 2019 Nicky Jam previewed the release of his documentary Behind Nicky Jam s Intimo which was produced through Apple Music 29 He released the album Intimo on November 1 2019 It contained the singles X Atrevete featuring Sech and Whine Up featuring Anuel AA 30 Billboard called the album 17 songs of pure reggaeton magic 30 In November 2019 he renewed his contract with Sony Music Latin 31 He collaborated with Daddy Yankee on the song Muevelo which samples Jamaican dancehall artist Ini Kamoze s 1994 hit Here Comes the Hotstepper 28 The video filmed in Miami serves as an homage to the period in the 1990s in which reggaeton was criminalized in Puerto Rico 28 The song appeared on the soundtrack for the film Bad Boys for Life Nicky Jam played villan Zway Lo in the film which was released on January 17 2020 10 In March 2020 Nicky Jam was honored with the annual Career Achievement Award at the Premios Tu Musica Urbano 2020 hosted by Telemundo 32 Nicky Jam appeared on Bad Bunny s surprise album Las que no iban a salir released in May 2020 33 In August 2021 Jam announced that his first official post pandemic tour will kick off in early 2022 The Infinity Tour will visit major cities across the U S and Canada starting Feb 3 2022 at Boston s Agganis Arena 34 Musical style and influences Edit Travesuras 2014 source source One of the first hits upon revitalizing his career in Medellin the song demonstrates the melodic style the singer adopted upon his relocation as well as his reggaeton influences X 2018 source source Nicky Jam s collaboration with J Balvin features a synth trumpet hook and elements of reggae reggaeton Latin pop and Afrobeats 23 The song s music video debuted at the number one spot on Youtube s global music chart and amassed more than 200 million views in two weeks 24 Problems playing these files See media help Nicky Jam s music has been classified as Latin trap 35 and reggaeton 36 Veronica Villafane of Forbes wrote that Nicky Jam is considered one of the architects of the Latino urban music movement 37 His music has been noted for both eliciting a party atmosphere and embracing overt sentimentality 30 His career began in the mid 1990s when reggaeton was in its beginning stages in Puerto Rico While his early releases exemplified the sound of old school reggaeton that drew massive popularity in Puerto Rico Eduardo Cepeda of Remezcla wrote that Nicky Jam s sound has shifted from hard hitting dembow to more velvety rhythms and romantic lyrics 38 His lyrics have also been described by Billboard as catchy and flirtatious 39 His earliest musical influence was Michael Jackson s Thriller video he recalls that I knew automatically when I saw Michael Jackson do Thriller as a little kid that I wanted people to fall in love with my music 10 The artist s first exposure to Caribbean music occurred upon seeing family members dancing to reggae at a house party hosted by his parents 10 Upon his relocation to Medellin Nicky Jam adopted a more melodic romantic approach to his music inspired by Colombian genres such as vallenato 5 He has also expressed admiration for American soul singer Al Green who he says inspired him to discuss romantic themes in his music 5 Other artists who have influenced Nicky Jam include Prince Jay Z Jenni Rivera 10 and Shakira 40 Jay Z s The Blueprint 2001 gave him an idea of how to do his albums in the Spanish market and give his fans that kind of vibe 36 He became a fan of Mexican rock band Mana in 1992 during the beginning stage of his career and describes the members of the group as his idols 17 Personal life EditNicky Jam has four children born in 2002 2002 2005 and 2012 10 He married his girlfriend of two years Angelica Cruz in a private Catholic ceremony in Medellin in February 2017 41 J Balvin and Vin Diesel attended the wedding which featured performances by reggaeton group Gente de Zona and salsa singer Jerry Rivera 41 In August 2018 the couple filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences 42 That same month he purchased a house in the Palm Island area of Miami Beach for US 3 4 million 43 On Valentine s Day 2020 Nicky Jam became engaged to model Cydney Moreau 44 The couple met on the set of his music video for Atrevete an encounter which the singer described as love at first sight 10 After posting a photo alone on Valentine s Day 2021 Nicky Jam confirmed that he and Moreau are no longer together In an interview with Vibe he stated that he has attention deficit disorder 10 He dated Livia Rici Nati Torres and Paulina Cruz 9 Discography EditMain article Nicky Jam discography Studio albums Edit Vida escante 2004 The Black Carpet 2007 Fenix 2017 Intimo 2019 Infinity 2021 Filmography EditYear Title Role Notes2017 XXX Return of Xander Cage Lazarus Film2017 The Keys of Christmas 45 Himself Film2018 El Ganador Himself Biographical television series 46 2020 Bad Boys for Life Lorenzo Zway Lo Rodriguez Film 47 2021 Tom amp Jerry Butch Cat voice 48 FilmAwards and nominations EditMain article List of awards and nominations received by Nicky JamReferences Edit El Albarino habria sonado ayer a ritmo de Nicky Jam elcorreogallego es in European Spanish Retrieved May 10 2021 Asi sonaba Nicky Jam en su faceta de El Nino Raggamuffin Heabbi com in Spanish December 14 2018 Retrieved February 18 2021 a b Birchmeier Jason Nicky Jam Biography Allmusic Rovi Corporation Retrieved December 13 2014 a b c d e f g h Exposito Suzy January 30 2020 The First Time with Nicky Jam Rolling Stone Retrieved April 17 2020 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Katz Jesse February 16 2017 48 Hours With Nicky Jam In Medellin How the City Helped Him Quit Drugs amp Get Back on Top Billboard Retrieved April 17 2020 a b c d e f g h i j k Murray Nick October 29 2015 How Nicky Jam Triumphed Over Drugs Weight Gain and Beef With Daddy Yankee I Was Too Young Billboard Retrieved April 17 2020 Univision La transformacion de Nicky Jam de nino a ser una de las maximas estrellas del reggaeton Univision in Spanish Retrieved February 18 2021 a b Caramanica Jon January 18 2018 For Nicky Jam a Second Chance at Stardom as Reggaeton Surges Again The New York Times Retrieved April 17 2020 a b Nicky Jam lamenta el fallecimiento de un amigo Primera Hora in Spanish September 11 2020 Retrieved December 22 2020 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Estevez Marjua February 14 2020 Nicky Jam A Love Supreme Vibe Retrieved April 17 2020 Cordero Rosy January 8 2020 Nicky Jam and Daddy Yankee dropping new album as Los Cangris in 2020 on heels of reconciliation Entertainment Weekly Retrieved April 17 2020 Mendizabal Amaya February 2 2017 Nicky Jam s Fenix Lands at No 1 on Top Latin Albums Chart Billboard Retrieved February 15 2018 a b c Billboard Hot 100 Nicky Jam Chart History Billboard Retrieved April 17 2020 Fernandez Suzette February 12 2018 Listen to Despacito Bailando La Tortura amp More of the Longest Running Hot Latin Songs No 1s Billboard Prometheus Global Media Retrieved May 29 2020 a b Vulpo Mike January 22 2020 How Music Helped Nicky Jam Reunite With His Mom After 20 Years Apart E News Retrieved May 7 2020 Romero Angie August 20 2015 Nicky Jam Daddy Yankee Win Big at Premios Tu Mundo Billboard Prometheus Global Media Retrieved May 17 2020 a b Mana amp Nicky Jam Team Up for New Version of De Pies A Cabeza Billboard August 3 2016 Retrieved May 8 2020 Flores Griselda February 23 2017 Premio Lo Nuestro 2017 See the Full Winners List Billboard Eldridge Industries Retrieved November 2 2017 Nicky Jam Latin Rhythm Albums Chart History Billboard Retrieved May 8 2020 Cobo Leila September 26 2016 Residente Maluma Lead Latin Grammy Nominations Despacito Earns 4 Nods Billboard Retrieved September 26 2016 a b Centeno Tony M January 25 2017 Review Nicky Jam Is Bound For Crossover Success With Fenix Vibe Retrieved May 8 2020 Nicky Jam Hot Latin Songs Chart History Billboard Retrieved May 28 2019 a b Madden Sidney March 25 2018 Nicky Jam And J Balvin Show Off Their Footwork In X Video NPR Retrieved May 11 2018 a b c Pierre Bravo Daniela April 20 2018 The reggaeton revolution is here and Nicky Jam saw it coming NBC News Retrieved April 17 2020 Zemler Emily August 2 2018 Watch Jimmy Fallon Dance to X Onstage With J Balvin Nicky Jam Rolling Stone Retrieved May 3 2020 Flanagan Andrew May 25 2018 Is Will Smith Nicky Jam Diplo And Era Istrefi s World Cup Anthem Good Who Cares National Public Radio Retrieved April 17 2020 O Connor Roisin May 25 2018 Official World Cup song review Live It Up with Will Smith Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi is almost unlistenable The Independent Archived from the original on June 20 2022 Retrieved April 17 2020 a b c Exposito Suzy January 8 2020 Nicky Jam Daddy Yankee Reunite as Los Cangris in Defiant Muevelo Video Rolling Stone Retrieved April 17 2020 Fernandez Suzette October 21 2019 Nicky Jam to Unveil His Intimo Journey Via Apple Music Documentary Billboard Retrieved April 17 2020 a b c Viva Friday Playlist Nicky Jam s Intimo Album amp More Billboard November 1 2019 Retrieved April 17 2020 Nicky Jam Renews Multi Million Dollar Contract With Sony Music Latin amp Confirms Los Cangris Comeback With Daddy Yankee Billboard November 20 2019 Retrieved April 17 2020 Exposito Suzy March 6 2020 Premios Tu Musica Urbano 2020 Top Winners Include Daddy Yankee Ozuna Rolling Stone Retrieved May 3 2020 Peters Mitchell May 10 2020 Bad Bunny Drops Surprise New Album Las Que No Iban a Salir Stream It Here Billboard Retrieved May 14 2020 Roiz Jessica August 17 2021 Nicky Jam Hitting the Road on 2022 Infinity Tour See Dates Billboard Retrieved August 18 2021 Lopez Julyssa February 28 2019 Record labels said Latin trap was going nowhere Billions of YouTube views proved them wrong Washington Post Retrieved February 26 2020 a b Centeno Tony M Reggaeton Star Nicky Jam Imagines a Latin Trap Freshman Class XXL XXL Mag Retrieved April 24 2020 Villafane Veronica January 17 2020 Nicky Jam Says Role In Bad Boys For Life And Reunion With Daddy Yankee Are Perfect Timing Forbes Retrieved May 3 2020 Castillo Stephanie April 21 2020 10 of the Best Nicky Jam Songs to Listen to After Netflix s El Ganador O Magazine Retrieved May 3 2020 10 of Nicky Jam s Most Flirtatious Lyrics Billboard April 18 2016 Retrieved May 4 2020 Univision Nicky Jam Soy fan de Shakira desde hace 15 anos Univision in Spanish Retrieved July 25 2022 a b Gomez Shirley February 6 2017 Nicky Jam Wedding Reggaeton Singer Marries Girlfriend Of Two Years Angelica Cruz In Colombia Latin Times Retrieved May 4 2020 Rumors confirmed Reggaeton star Nicky Jam is separated from his wife Miami Herald August 30 2018 Retrieved May 4 2020 Abravanel Lesley August 20 2018 Reggaeton star Nicky Jam just bought a 3 4 million crib in Palm Island The Miami Herald Retrieved May 11 2020 Nicky Jam Is Engaged Watch His Sweet Valentine s Day Proposal To Girlfriend Cydney Moreau Billboard February 15 2020 Retrieved May 4 2020 Mariah Carey Nicky Jam amp More On YouTube s Christmas Special Latin Times December 5 2016 Retrieved December 29 2018 Trejos Carolina Las vida de Nicky Jam llegara a la pequena pantalla con la nueve serie El ganador de Telemundo peopleenespanol com in Spanish People en Espanol Retrieved May 28 2017 Bad Boys Sequel Adds Nicky Jam Variety January 18 2019 Retrieved January 30 2019 Nicky Jam revelo que personaje interpretara en Tom y Jerry la pelicula in Spanish External links EditOfficial website Nicky Jam at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nicky Jam amp oldid 1130737226, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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