Are you struggling to overcome your past trauma?

Are you looking for ways to heal from it?

Today, Jay sits down with renowned reggaeton artist and songwriter Nicky Jam. Nicky's music career took off after a series of successful mixtapes and collaborations with other artists, including Daddy Yankee, with whom he formed the iconic duo Los Cangris. His work has earned him international fame and multiple awards, establishing him as a major influence in the reggaeton and Latin trap genres.

Nicky recounts his first foray into music, packing groceries and freestyling at a supermarket, which inadvertently launched his career despite his young age and the informal nature of his work. He opens up about the difficulties of his upbringing, including his mother’s struggle with substance abuse and prostitution, shaping his understanding of normalcy and family life. This background set the stage for his initial break into the music industry, where early rejections and setbacks paved the way for his eventual success in the Puerto Rican mixtape scene and beyond.

Together with Jay, Nicky also discusses the challenges of maintaining authenticity and personal happiness amidst fame, expressing discomfort with being seen as a role model and emphasizing the importance of understanding and support for mental health, especially for men in the public eye. Despite ongoing struggles with PTSD, anxiety, and the scars of his traumatic past, Nicky remains hopeful and driven, looking forward to continuing his career and making a positive impact through his work and personal experiences.

In this interview, you'll learn:

How to handle early setbacks

How to deal with the pressure of expectations

How to use personal struggles as a source of strength

How to maintain creativity under pressure

How to find redemption through new opportunities

How to help others through your work

Nicky's story demonstrates that with unwavering determination and a genuine approach, it's possible to transform challenging beginnings into legacies of success and enduring influence.

With Love and Gratitude,

Jay Shetty

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro

03:12 Earliest Childhood Memory

04:06 First Deal

06:44 I Was Happy with the Album

08:15 Life on the Streets

12:06 There’s a Different World Out There

15:22 Looking for Billy

17:20 Simpler or Complicated Life?

19:05 Commands Don’t Work on Me

24:58 Battling Alcohol Addiction

31:06 Drug and Alcohol Problem

34:20 Finding Help

36:40 Feeling Alone

39:18 Almost Dying

42:52 Prison Life

45:59 Moving to Columbia

52:00 My Mom is Different

54:48 Do You Pray a Lot?

58:01 Reconciliation

59:49 Forgiveness

01:05:31 I’m not Retiring

01:09:24 My Album is My Story

01:10:11 Some Misunderstanding People Have

01:12:37 Surgery and Recovery

01:13:46 Talking is Therapy

01:15:12 Nicky on Fast Five

Episode Resources:

Nicky Jam | Website

Nicky Jam | Instagram

Nicky Jam | Facebook

Nicky Jam | TikTok

Nicky Jam | YouTube

Dubbed by ElevenLabs and this link: https://elevenlabs.io/jay_shetty

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vaughn Meccod