Nicky Jam

They say truth is stranger than fiction, and Nicky Jam, born Nick Caminero to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father, has one of the most unlikely and genuinely inspirational rags-to-riches stories in reggaeton, the kind of life that would almost be too bizarre for a film. Born in Boston, Massachusetts but relocated to Barrio Obrero in Puerto Rico at the age of six, music was Caminero's escape from a life that began in pretty extreme poverty. It got to the point where while he was still legally a minor, Caminero was drafted to do illegal work in a grocery store to help support his family. In what little free time he got, he would busk in front of the store to make a little more money and hone is performance skills.

While he was performing, a homeless man who was a regular audience member for Caminero's busking sets gave him the nickname Nicky Jam, but he wasn't the only person to see the eleven year old's talent blossoming that early. A music executive also saw him perform outside the grocery store, and in a move that seems straight out of a Hollywood movie, signed him to a record deal basically on the spot. The label teamed him up with a number of hugely respected producers and in 1994, Nicky Jam's first album “...Distinto A Los Demás” was released when he was a mere fourteen years old. While the record wasn't a hit, it was far better than anyone expected from the teenager, and shortly afterwards, Jam began having his follow up tracks become regional hits.

Because of this, he was teamed up with fellow Puerto Rican producer and songwriter Daddy Yankee, and with him, he started becoming a commercial force to be reckoned with. Ever since his 2001 album “Haciendo Escante” made him one of the biggest reggaeton artists in the world, he has remained one of the most respected artists of the genre. For making the transition from teen star to adult artist better than many could dream of, and remaining relevant to this very day, Nicky Jam comes highly recommended.