After Years of Being ‘The Bad Boy,’ J Balvin Says Fatherhood Changed His Life

Being a father definitely changes people’s lives. Just ask J Balvin.

The Colombian artist has put aside controversies and even his new music to focus on being a father to his one-year-old son, Rio.

As he said in an interview with NBC News, J Balvin has postponed his new music to focus on his family priorities.

“I’m really focused on my kid,” he said as he discussed becoming a dad for the first time. “My kid makes me want to be a better person.”

J Balvin and the secret to breaking the mold

Dubbed the “Prince of Reggaeton,” J Balvin is one of the best-selling Latin artists in the world. The Colombian singer has won eleven Billboard Latin Music Awards, six Latin Grammy Awards, and many more. 

After the success of his 2014 single “6 AM” alongside Farruko, J Balvin paved the way for many urban artists enjoying success on the platforms. And he did it following in the footsteps of one of his biggest influences: Daddy Yankee.

Three years after his first hit, Balvin conquered the world with “Mi Gente” featuring Willy William. The single became the number one song in the world according to Global Top 50 on Spotify and reached one billion plays on YouTube.

In September 2017, “Mi Gente” was remixed with Beyoncé, which positioned Balvin on the U.S. charts.

Over the next few years, the hits just kept pouring in.

And then the controversies began

From his silence in the face of rampant police violence in his native Colombia between 2019 and 2021 to his flirtation with misogyny in music videos, Balvin has always given people something to talk about.

In response to the #BlackLivesMatter movement, the singer fanned the flames by tweeting #EveryLivesMatter and #LatinoLivesMatterToo. Although he later apologized for the insensitive comment, the video for his song “Perra,” in which he appeared walking with two Black women tied up in leashes, only got him in more trouble.

And as if conflict was the best marketing strategy, last year J Balvin had one of the most famous feuds on social media with Puerto Rican singer Residente.

The conflict between the two began when J. Balvin called for a boycott of the Latin Grammys, where Ruben Blades would be honored. The rest is a story of memes and songs.

Balvin also mocked singer Christian Nodal on social media for his güero look.

A new chapter?

Now 37 and in a relationship since 2018 with Argentine model Valentina Ferrer, Balvin seems to have put priorities in perspective.

“I’m thinking about how to give back,” he said. “I’m focused on how to help my community back.”

As he told NBC News, children “make you humble, and they make you ask yourself how you can be better. That’s when everything makes sense.”