Daddy Yankee (pic) and his wife of nearly 30 years, Mireddys Gonzalez, are getting divorced.
The rapper, who retired from performing 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 their family remains their priority. The rapper has three grown children, two of whom he shares with Gonzalez.
"This is not an easy time, 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 Gonzalez attempted to work out 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 holds deep respect for Mireddys Gonzalez and is therefore prioritizing the preservation and protection of their privacy regarding their marriage and the personal matters that only they fully understand," his attorney told Rolling Stone on Tuesday. "For a long time, my client made unsuccessful efforts to reconcile their differences."
Yankee's attorney 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 did not yield the expected results."
The high school sweethearts were married in 1995, when they were just 17 years old. Over the years, Gonzalez has also served as Yankee's manager and CEO of his record label, El Cartel Records.
"She's the boss. She has always been the boss," he told Billboard in 2021.
After Yankee announced his retirement from music in 2022, Gonzalez praised her husband's career.
"As we celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary, I hear you tell the WORLD that you are retiring from MUSIC that has been your passion for these last three decades. Soon it's your turn to say goodbye to the stage," she wrote on Instagram. "You've enjoyed Daddy Yankee for so long, but now it's up to Raymond Ayala to enjoy what he's built."
Since exiting the reggaeton scene, Yankee has released a series of Christian hip-hop singles, including Loveo and, most recently, Bailando en la Lluvia (Dancing in the Rain). – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service
