Daddy Yankee and his wife of almost 30 years, Mireddys González, are divorcing.
The “Gasolina” rapper, who retired from acting last year to rededicate his life to his Christian faith, announced the split Monday on his Instagram Story.
“After more than two decades of marriage and after many months of trying to save my marriage, which my wife and I share, today my lawyers responded to the divorce petition received from Mireddys,” Yankee wrote in Spanish. He added that he respects González's decision and that his family remains his priority. The rapper has three adult children, two of whom he shares with González.
“It is not an easy moment, but I understand that it is part of my life process,” he added, noting that it was time to “accept and continue.”
The Grammy nominee called his faith in Christ his “refuge” and “constant guide” as he and González attempted to resolve their differences: “Now more than ever I trust that God has a purpose for every stage of our lives.”
Yankee called his Instagram post the only statement he would make about his divorce.
“My client has deep respect for Mireddys González and therefore prioritizes the preservation and protection of her privacy regarding her marriage and the personal matters that only they fully understand,” her lawyer told Rolling Stone on Tuesday. “For a long time, my client made unsuccessful efforts to reconcile their differences.”
Yankee's lawyer said that the artist was notified of González's decision to file for divorce in September, adding that “private efforts were also made during this time but they did not give the expected results.”
The high school sweethearts married in 1995, when they were just 17 years old. Over the years, González has also served as Yankee's manager and CEO of his record label, El Cartel Records.
“She's the boss. “She's always been the boss,” he told Billboard in 2021.
After Yankee announced her retirement from music in 2022, González praised her husband's career.
“As we celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary, I hear you tell the WORLD that you are retiring from the MUSIC that has been your passion for these last three decades. Soon you will have to say goodbye to the stage,” he wrote on Instagram. “You've enjoyed Daddy Yankee for a long time, but now it's Raymond Ayala's turn to enjoy what he's built.”
Since leaving the reggaeton scene, Yankee has released a series of Christian hip-hop singles, including “Loveo” and, most recently, “Bailando en la Lluvia.”
