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.
