El Cartel: The Big Boss
El Cartel: The Big Boss is the fourth studio album and eighth overall by Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee. It was released on August 10, 2007 by El Cartel Records through Interscope Records. The album features contributions from Scott Storch, will.i.am, Luny Tunes, Tainy, Akon, and Mr. Collipark among others, and was nominated for a Lo Nuestro Award for Urban Album of the Year. The album became the Top Selling Latin Album in the United States of 2007, His third consecutive album to do so, following Barrio Fino en Directo in 2006 and Barrio Fino  in 2005 that were top sellers in the two previous years. Production. Initial plans of the album, Acording to Yankee himself in Summer of 2005, the album would feature much of his vintage reggaeton style and that he's been in talks with P. Diddy, the Neptunes, Lil Jon and one of his childhood idols, Dr. Dre, about getting down on the album. However, none of those plans was materialized. Daddy Yankee said that he wanted people to see his style as an MC and return to his hip-hop roots. He collaborated with producers Scott Storch and will.i.am to  combine, as he put it, "the force and our creative minds to create a new sound." He also collaborated with Akon on a track called, "Bring It On", a track he considered as a follow-up to his lead single. Another song from the album that is characterized as a "catchy club banger" entitled, "Impacto" was produced by Scott Storch and features The Black Eyed Peas member, Fergie. He also recorded a song with Pussycat Dolls' lead vocalist, Nicole Scherzinger, which he described as a "crazy dancehall, Caribbean song." On the track "Soy Lo Que Soy", Daddy Yankee self-proclaimed  himself as the leader of reggaeton when he stated that "the Latin people baptized me as the King of Reggaeton". Reception. Commercial reception. In the United States, the first week prediction were between 110k-115k. However, The album debuted at number seven on the U.S. "Billboard" 200 and at number one on the "Billboard" Top Latin Albums chart, selling 82,000 copies in its first week, making it the highest reggaeton album to sell in its first week. By the end of 2007, the album became the top selling Latin album in the United States with 248,000 copies sold. On March 26 , 2009, the album received a Latin album triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipping 300,000 copies. In Mexico, the album debut at number five and later received platinum certification for moving 50,000 copies. Also, the album was certified Gold. In Argentina, the album debut at number 4. The album also charted in Swerzerland and Spain. In Japan, it debut at number 41 with 4,184 copies sold. As of November 2007, The album sold 800,000 copies worldwide. It hit 900,000 copies in it first 12 months of been released. Critical reception. Allmusic gave the album  a positive review and said the album consists of "potential hits". Rhapsody said, "he once again proves himself the reigning king of reggaeton" and proclaimed that "he's also doing more with hip-hop in the mainland idiom than a lot of artists." Andrew Casillas of Stylus Magazine compared the album to Daddy Yankee's previous efforts and said, "while the front-loaded standard reggaetón tracks aren’t short on hit potential, they’re lacking in the sort of charisma that has made Daddy Yankee famous." He then added that "the closing third of the album is quite encouraging." Promotion . During the promotion of the album, Daddy Yankee performed at Madison Square Garden. The album was supported by The Big Boss Tour, which started its U.S. leg at the Chicago Allstate Arena on August 31 through October 17, 2007 at the Toyota Center in Houston. Singles. "Impacto" was released as the lead single from the album on April 12, 2007. Simultaneously, the remix version, featuring Fergie was released as a second single. The videos of the two version were released in the Universal Studios. "Mensaje De Estado" was released as the first promotional recording off the album; a short music  video then followed. The third official single, "Ella Me Levanto" was also released. On October 2007 was released the official video. The video was recorded in the Dominican Republic.