From high school sweethearts to their divorce announcement, see the timeline below.
Daddy Yankee and Mireddys González during Premio Lo Nuestro a la Musica Latina 2007 – Show at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, United States.
Rodrigo Varela/WireImage
Daddy Yankee and his longtime wife, Mireddys González, announced they were getting divorced on Monday (Dec. 2). The beloved Puerto Rican couple would have celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2025.
In a heartfelt statement — and his only declarations — the former reggaetón artist born Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez expressed: “With a heart full of respect and honesty, I want to share some important news about my personal life,” he said in a statement on his Instagram Stories. “After more than two decades of marriage and after many months of trying to save my marriage, which my wife and I share, today my lawyers respond to the divorce petition received by Mireddys.”
He continued to note that his faith in Christ was his refuge during this difficult time. “It is time to accept and continue. Protect my stability, my children and everything built over so many years. I deeply thank those who have accompanied us during this journey and I ask that you respect our privacy in this process. I know that this news may surprise many,” he wrote.
Together since they were 17, they have two grown children, Jesaaelys and Jeremy. The former is a popular make up artist and the latter is an aspiring music producer. An entrepreneur in her own right, González was also manager of Yankee and CEO of his label, El Cartel Records. She’s widely known to wield broad influence over Yankee’s music career.
Though Yankee has always kept his relationship and personal life underwraps, Billboard compiled a timeline of his and Mireddys relationship from high school sweethearts to rare social media appearances to their divorce news below:
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1995 – High School Sweethearts
Daddy Yankee and Mireddys met when they were in high school, at the age of 17, and have since become inseparable.
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1996 – Their First Born
In 1996, the teen couple welcomed their first child together, daughter Jesaaelys. Now, 29, she’s a popular makeup artist boasting over five million followers on TikTok.
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1998 – Their Second Baby
Two years later, Mireddys gave birth to Jeremy, who today is an aspiring music producer. Jeremy recently produced tracks for J Balvin’s Rayo and Myke Towers’ La Pantera Negra albums, respectively.
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2007 – El Show de Cristina
In 2007, Yankee was a guest on El Show de Cristina, where he went to promote his album El Cartel: The Big Boss. In the audience, Mireddys proudly watched as her husband talked about a song on the album, “Todos Quieren a Raymond,” that he wrote for those who like to gossip and to deny tabloid news that would cause problems in his relationship.
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2008 – Detrás de La Fama
In an interview with Telemundo’s Detrás de la Fama, Yankee talked about a “cruel entertainment world” and the only private thing he has is his family. He briefly talked about his marriage with host Rashel Diaz: “It has been very difficult, but behind the success of a good man there is always a good woman. She has been with me from the beginning and deserves the best of me. She was with me at a time when no one believed in me and I didn’t know what the future held. She sought me out for who I am, for my essence,” he gushed.
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2021 – The Billboard Cover Story
Image Credit: Jai Lennard In 2021, Daddy Yankee graced the cover of Billboard, ahead of headlining the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Week. Mireddys was present at the cover shoot and interview in Puerto Rico. “‘She’s the boss. She has always been the boss,” he says with a smile. “(Later, I’ll catch the two of them chatting on the hotel balcony, Yankee whispering in her ear as her hands encircle his waist, as if they’re still teenagers.),” Billboard’s Leila Cobo wrote in the cover story.
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2022 – “Para Siempre”
There’s no denying that although he kept his marriage life private, Yankee’s muse and inspiration was Mireddys. On his 2022 album, Legendaddy, the artist reeled in Sech for “Para Siempre.” The romantic reggaetón bop narrates their love story: “You know me from the bottom when I lived in the hood/ And you’re still with me, no matter what happens/ You’re my MVP, there’s no one who can replace you/ I’m just telling you that/ I want you to be mine forever.”
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2022 – Rare Mireddys Interview
That same year, Mireddys was a guest on “Las Más Perras” podcast, where she briefly talked about supporting Daddy Yankee’s career and being his manager. “Behind him, next to him, I’m there, and that’s what’s important,” she said. “I like to work because I come from a hard-working family.” During the interview, she also admitted that she loves to clean and organize the house. “It’s a big house, and it’s only the two of us now because our kids are grown and moved out,” she noted.
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2023 – Social Media Celebrations
In 2023, both Yankee and Mireddys shared more of their personal life on social media. This included trips on a private jet together, a look inside Daddy Yankee’s birthday with his loved ones, and even a video of them celebrating their anniversary. “Today is an important day because we’re celebrating our 28th anniversary,” Yankee said on a TikTok posted March 21. “It’s 28, and the ones to come,” Mireddys replied, smooching Yankee on the cheek.
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2024 – The Divorce
In December, Yankee announced that “after months of trying to save his marriage,” Mireddys filed for divorce. “This is not an easy time, but I understand that it is part of my life process,” he expressed in a heartfelt letter. This year, Daddy Yankee has also been devoted to his faith and beliefs. He opened up about his new life chapter during his four back-to-back farewell concerts in Puerto Rico in late 2022.
