The music industry has finally forgiven Puerto Rican singer Daddy Yankee for his endorsement of Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) in the 2008 presidential election.
Back in 2008, Daddy Yankee endorsed McCain to the ire of many in the music industry. The musician told the New York Post after his endorsement that he did not care who he angered with his decision to support the Arizona Republican.
"I don't care who I piss off," Daddy Yankee said. "This is about my ideals, not about making friends. Senator McCain is the kind of man whose promises you can actually believe in."
Fellow musician Fat Joe called Daddy Yankee a "sellout" for endorsing McCain over then-Sen. Barack Obama (D., Ill.). One Democratic Party source told Politico that Obama rebuffed Daddy Yankee's endorsement before he switched to endorsing McCain.
Nine years later, it seems the music industry has forgiven Daddy Yankee for his rogue political endorsement, with one of his songs dominating the music charts.
"Despacito," the popular single by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, has reached the number one spot on Billboard's top music chart. Canadian singer Justin Bieber is featured in the song, whose lyrics, primarily in Spanish, are about having a sexual relationship in a romantic way. The song has been a smash hit, topping the charts of 45 countries.
The official YouTube video for "Despacito" received one billion views after 97 days, which is the second-fastest video on YouTube to reach the achievement after Adele's "Hello."
It is also the first Spanish song to top the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996.
Listen to "Despacito" below: