Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (Latin American Spanish: [raˈmon lwis aˈʝala roˈðɾiɣes]; born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee (Spanish: [ˈdaði ˈʝaŋki]), is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. Dubbed the "King of Reggaeton", he is often cited as an influence by other Hispanic urban performers. Daddy Yankee aspired to become a professional baseball player, but following a shooting incident, he instead pursued a music career. In 1995, he independently released his debut studio album No Mercy.