Daddy Yankee bids an epic farewell to the AT&T Center
The reggaetón legend’s sold-out concert recap
January 18, 2023
Saying goodbye to San Antonio for the final time, Puerto Rican superstar Daddy Yankee sold out his second AT&T Center stop on his La Última Vuelta World Tour. Set to retire following the tour, the rapper brought out all the stops to cap off an incredible career.
With no opening acts for the night, Yankee got the party started at 9 p.m., taking the thousands of fans in attendance through his entire discography to celebrate his legacy. First, the reggaeton legend came out on a 3D image of a life-sized plane on its wing, performing songs from his newest album, “LEGENDADDY,” which was released this past March. Then, with the crowd excited, he went into his older hits that ignited all the nostalgia, as everyone sang along to “Rompe” and “Lo Que Pasó, Pasó.”
Given that it was Yankee’s last tour, he went all out to deliver a memorable experience for fans. Each song featured many unique details, with the lighting, choreography and LED screens complementing the sounds and tones of the setlist. Images of a gorilla in “Machucando,” a depiction of his head opening a portal on which his dancers would be on during “Shaky Shaky,” and shots of a white goat with gold horns, symbolizing his “Greatest of All Time” (G.O.A.T) status in reggaeton, flashed throughout the show.
Yankee went through multiple outfit changes, with each break in the show giving dancers the time to launch into impressive routines and ensure the energy never stopped. He brought his well-known swagger to both his rapping and singing, sounding exactly as he did in his twenties while performing songs like “Ella Me Levantó.” His newly released songs kept the party going as well, with songs like “RUMBATÓN” featuring an excellent fusion of bachata and merengue with his signature reggaeton sound.
Starting with “No Me Dejes Solo,” he showed love to all his collaborators throughout his career. Artists that would feature on the songs he performed were shown on the big screen, like Wisin & Yandel, Zion y Lennox, Ozuna, and more; however, nothing received a louder response from the crowd than Yankee’s tracks with Bad Bunny, “La Santa” and “X ÚLTIMA VEZ.”
The love did not stop there, as he thanked the crowd for being at the concert and supporting him throughout his career. He gave a meaningful speech on his humble beginnings in the “barrios” of Puerto Rico and how he rose and achieved his dreams. His words resonated strongly with the crowd as he told everyone they, too, could make their dreams come true.
He loved the great energy that San Antonio brought him and for showing him that support “since day one.” As the cheers from the arena rained down on him, he was visibly touched, noting that his two shows here are memories he will take back to Puerto Rico and never forget. This exchange led perfectly to “Despacito,” the track that made history for Yankee and Latin music in the United States.
The set ended with a large cartoon-like figure of the star appearing on stage and remaining for the rest of the show. He performed “Limbo,” “Con Calma” and “Dura,” hits that have kept his legacy going over the last decade. Still, he had to finish with his most iconic hit, “Gasolina,” a song that, in his words, changed music history forever. It was the most fitting way to end the show and give a final farewell to the people of San Antonio.
“When it comes to Latino, it’s all about love, baby,” rang true at the packed AT&T Center as Daddy Yankee put on a killer show to end his career with and to say goodbye to all of his adoring fans. San Antonio’s opportunity to host the icon for one last time was an honor and a privilege.