At the age of 35, Latin superstar Nicky Jam is already on the second phase of his career.
Five years ago the U.S. born reggaeton singer was struggling with a drug and alcohol addiction, after finding fame at a young age with the hit songs “Sabanas Blancas,” “Guayando,” “Sentirte.”
After hitting rock bottom, losing all his money and a stint in jail, Nicky climbed his way back to success with a move to Colombia in 2010 and the release of the singles “Juegos Prohibidos” and “Voy A Beber”.
“I think that I never thought that I was going to make it to this level where I’m at now. I just simply worked trying to go step-by-step. And every time I would go up one more step. So I would say, wow, maybe I can get to this other step. But never said I’ll get to the top because if you think that way things don’t really work that way,” said the singer.
“I don’t think that – I came from the failure and I was used to it, so for me it was unbelievable that good things would happen to me. And I believe that that same situation is what has made me to have my head up. And have my feet on the ground. That I have to value what God has been giving me as a second opportunity,” he added.
For the first time in ten years Nicky Jam has released a studio album, which chronicles his journey back to the limelight.
“This album, it is called ‘Fenix’ because the phoenix mythology it was something that I didn’t know. And people write me and say, ‘Nicky Jam the phoenix bird and I would say, ‘the phoenix bird, why this bird?’ I went to study and I realized that it was a mythology from a bird of something bad that came from out the ashes and reemerged. So I said this is goes with me. So then I called the album ‘Fenix’ and I also called my tour ‘Fenx.’ The people just gave me that me.”
The 26 track album features trap, R&B to reggae and dance hall.
Although born in Massachusetts, Nicky grew up and started his career in Puerto Rico. The musician said he has no choice but to be honest about his past with the hopes it can help others.
“I think I’m the perfect role model for the young kids because who is going to be role model for the young kids? Somebody that never done drugs and alcohol and never failed and always has a smile on their face. I don’t know, pop singer with a great smile and everybody thinks that his life is perfect, even though we do know it’s not like that. So I think I’m the perfect role model because a lot kids can learn from me, because I fell, I lost everything because of drugs, alcohol, and got back up again when I dropped all of that. That’s who you learn from.”
Just two months into 2017 Nicky already has already had significant professional and personal highlights, including 9 Billboard Latin Music Award nominations and his feature film debut alongside Vin Diesel in “XXX.”
“For my first gig as an actor I’m doing a confrontation with Vin Diesel for almost a minute and something in a movie, that’s not typical. That’s not the gig you get when begin to act for the first time in a movie. They said I was a natural. I liked my first time acting, I think I’ll keep doing it.”
Plus, Nicky married the love of his life on February 3 in Medllín, Colombia.
“She is very important in my life because she makes me feel like I’m a normal guy. And this industry is unreal and every time I go home and I’m with her I feel I have like a family, home. Even though it’s just a little dog and her for the moment, but I feel that she makes me feel that I’m a real person and she’s a really good one. And I’m thinking, I’ve got to keep this one.”
