Daddy Yankee turned the 2026 Latin Grammys into a celebration of his nearly three-decade career on Thursday night, delivering a sprawling medley of hits alongside LL Cool J and a parade of special guests.
The Puerto Rican superstar moved through a catalog that included “Gasolina,” “Rompe,” “Despacito,” “Con Calma,” and “Lo Que Pasó, Pasó,” with appearances from Bizarrap, Bad Gyal, Feid, Jay Wheeler, French Montana, and Diljit Dosanjh. Complete with costume changes and shifting stage sets, the performance placed Puerto Rico at the center of a tribute to the global reach of reggaeton.
Later in the ceremony, Janet Jackson made a rare appearance to recognize Daddy Yankee as the Latin Recording Academy’s 2026 Person of the Year, presenting the honor with admiration and respect. “It takes vision and courage to help change the sound of music,” she said, praising his role in bringing reggaeton to audiences worldwide. “Tu música ha inspirado a toda una generación,” she added in Spanish (“Your music has inspired an entire generation”).
The two previously collaborated on Jackson’s 2018 single “Made for Now,” a connection Daddy Yankee fondly recalled while thanking her for the surprise.
The televised tribute followed Wednesday’s Person of the Year gala, where J Balvin and LL Cool J formally presented him with the award, and many others showed up to pay homage to the reggaeton legend. The celebration also arrives amid a busy new chapter for Daddy Yankee, who recently released his album LA POSTAL and is set to appear at Coachella 2027.
Watch highlights of the performance and Janet Jackson’s tribute below.
🏆 ¡Un momento para la historia! De leyenda a leyenda. @janetjackson entregó a @daddy_yankee el reconocimiento como Persona del Año 2026 de La Academia Latina de la Grabación, celebrando su trayectoria y su contribución al crecimiento de la música latina alrededor del mundo. ❤️… pic.twitter.com/9CPbThihbo
— The Latin Recording Academy / Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 13, 2026
