Janet Jackson surprises Daddy Yankee at Latin Grammys, hails his influence
American music icon Janet Jackson surprised Puerto Rican reggaetón star Daddy Yankee at the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards, appearing to present him with the Person of the Year award and praising his influence on an entire generation of musicians.
Jackson made the surprise appearance during Thursday’s ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, where the veteran reggaetón performer was honoured for his contribution to Latin music.
The two musicians previously collaborated on the 2018 song “Made for Now”.
In her tribute, Jackson praised Daddy Yankee, whose real name is Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, for helping take reggaetón to audiences around the world and creating opportunities for younger Latin urban music artists.
“It takes vision and courage to help change the sound of music and to create new possibilities for artists who come after you,” she said.
“His artistry helps bring reggaetón to audiences around the world and open doors for generations of Latin urban artists.”
Addressing him by his first name, she added: “Ramon, I once said you have a beautiful soul and a great energy, and I’m that then and I need it tonight. That spirit is part of what makes your impact reach beyond the music. Tu música ha inspirado a toda una generación (Your music has inspired an entire generation).”
An emotional Daddy Yankee thanked Jackson, describing her as an inspiration and praising her legacy.
“She’s a great inspiration, a colleague, a person with such a kind heart and an impressive legacy, from an incredible family of talent,” he said.
“Janet, I love you so much, you know I respect you a lot. When we did that song, it was incredible! It’s one of my favourite songs ever, so I wanna thank you for being here.”
In his acceptance speech, the 49-year-old reflected on reggaetón’s difficult beginnings, recalling how the genre emerged from underground music culture before gaining international recognition.
“This was music that started from the bottom, started, as we say, in the underground, where our music was challenged. This started with cassette tapes, on the streets. At one point, even the government thought we were criminals and said we had no future,” he said.
He also recalled his childhood ambition of becoming a professional baseball player, joking that he had instead ended up playing in the big leagues of the Grammys.
“My dream was to be a baseball player, but I thank you because now we’re dropping beats in the big leagues of the Grammys,” he added.
Daddy Yankee’s recognition was accompanied by a star-studded performance featuring several of his biggest hits, including “Ella Me Levantó”, “Con Calma”, “Dura”, “Despacito”, “Lo Que Pasó, Pasó”, “Rompe” and “Gasolina”.
The performance featured appearances from Argentine producer Bizarrap, Spanish singer Bad Gyal, Colombian singer Feid, Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, French Montana and American rapper LL Cool J.
The tribute to Daddy Yankee began on Wednesday, November 11, with a special celebration at the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year gala in Las Vegas. Performers included J Balvin, Feid, Trueno and LL Cool J.
The honour came after Daddy Yankee announced his retirement from music in 2022 and later returned with a renewed focus on faith-inspired music. His 2025 album, *Lamento en Baile*, marked that new direction.
He has since continued releasing music, including “Sonríele”, which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart in October 2026.
The 2026 Latin Grammy Awards marked the 27th edition of the ceremony.