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El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)

Where the lyrics of El Cartel: The Big Boss take you, and where it was really made.

This reggaeton album became the best-selling Latin album in the United States in 2007, and the artist's own label says it had sold nearly 2 million copies worldwide by 2024.

Key places

Where the sessions began in Miami (2007)

Recording site Criteria Studios — Recording for the album officially began in August 2006 at the Hit Factory in Miami. The sessions ran until April 2007, ending with the Fergie remix of Impacto. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• El Cartel: The Big Boss is the fourth studio album and eighth overall by Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee
• Released June 5, 2007 by El Cartel Records through Interscope Records
• Third installment after El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001)
• Lyrics and themes range from immigration, tabloid rumors, romance, dance and protest against political corruption
• Production leans toward hardcore reggaeton and Latin urban, mixed with tropical rhythms, R&B and straight-up hip-hop on a few tracks
• Guest appearances include Akon, Fergie, Will.i.am, Nicole Scherzinger and Héctor el Father
• Producers include Scott Storch, Luny Tunes, Tainy and Mr. Collipark

Background

• Made after the commercial success of Barrio Fino, when Yankee signed a distribution deal with Interscope Records and Universal Music Group
• Yankee said he wanted listeners to see his style as an MC and to return to his hip-hop roots
• Yankee said he did not want to copy the formula of Barrio Fino, including singles such as Gasolina and Rompe
• Release was first planned for October 2006 and later pushed back to February 2007
• In an April 12, 2007 press release, Yankee said he had recorded 26 songs in total and was selecting the tracklist

Recording

• Recording sessions officially began in August 2006 at the Hit Factory in Miami
• Sessions ended in April 2007 with the recording of the Fergie remix of Impacto
• Yankee worked with producers Scott Storch and will.i.am to combine the force of their creative minds
• Bring It On with Akon was treated as a follow-up to the lead single
• Impacto was produced by Scott Storch and described as a catchy club banger

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, born February 3, 1976 in San Juan, Puerto Rico; known as Daddy Yankee.
• Called the "King of Reggaeton" and "Godfather of Reggaeton".
• Originally aimed to be a professional baseball player; after being shot in the leg during a studio session, pursued music.
• Debut solo studio album No Mercy released April 2, 1995.
• Barrio Fino (2004) became the top-selling Latin album of the 2000s; "Gasolina" credited with bringing reggaeton to a global audience.
• "Despacito" with Luis Fonsi (2017) topped the Billboard Hot 100, the first Spanish-language song to do so since "Macarena" in 1996.
• Became the most-listened artist worldwide on Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
• Sold over 30 million records worldwide; announced retirement in 2022 after the Legendaddy album, later returning with Lamento en Baile (2025).

Business and Other Work

• Co-owns El Cartel Records; created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero charity for young incarcerated people.
• Acted and produced in Talento de Barrio (2008).

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• El Cartel: The Big Boss received generally favorable reviews from critics
• Most critics praised the production and Yankee's input, while others criticized some creative decisions and the repetitive formula
• AllMusic gave a positive review and said the album consists of potential hits
• Rhapsody said Yankee once again proves himself the reigning king of reggaeton
• Jon Pareles of The New York Times praised Yankee's charisma, consistency and ability
• Leisla Cobo of Billboard praised the production and mainstream appeal
• Agustin Gurza of the Los Angeles Times gave the album 3 out of 4 stars
• Andrew Casillas of Stylus Magazine gave a mixed review, saying the closing third of the album is quite encouraging

Reappraisal

• Neil Drumming of Entertainment Weekly called the results robotic, with shrill melodies and rigid beats
• Ed Morales of Newsday placed the album at number five on his list of the top 10 Latin CDs of 2007

Records

• Debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 and at number one on Top Latin Albums with 82,000 copies in its first week
• Highest opening week for a reggaeton album at the time
• Best-selling Latin album in the United States of 2007 with 248,000 copies sold
• Latin album triple platinum from the RIAA on March 26, 2009, for shipping 300,000 copies
• Mexico: debuted at number five, later platinum for 50,000 copies
• Label says the album had sold nearly 2 million copies worldwide as of 2024

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Yankee performed Impacto on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on August 3, 2007, one of the few Latin acts to do so at the time
• Yankee said he had talked with P. Diddy, the Neptunes, Lil Jon and Dr. Dre about joining the album, but none of those plans materialized
• On June 8, 2007, Yankee was hospitalized due to dehydration and exhaustion, which led to many public appearances being cancelled
• The lead single Impacto was used in a Pepsi TV advertisement across 14 Latin American countries
• The video for Ella Me Levanto was recorded in the Dominican Republic

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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