Jhayco (formerly Jhay Cortez), a talented rapper and singer, was born as Jesús Manuel Nieves Cortés on April 9, 1993, in Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. He later moved to Camden, New Jersey, which gave him a bilingual upbringing.
At the age of 15, Jhayco began composing songs, catching the attention of producer Eddie Dee. His talents were recognized by producers Lele el Arma Secreta and Eliel, who connected him with the duo Zion & Lennox. Jhayco contributed two songs, “Como curar” and “Detective de tu amor,” to their album Los Verdaderos and also produced “Soltera” under the pseudonym Jay el Superdotado.
He then made significant contributions to Tito El Bambino’s work, composing five singles, including “Llama al sol” from the album Invencible, which won a Latin Grammy for the best tropical album in 2011.
Jhayco’s musical journey took a different turn in 2013 when he joined the Latin pop group Stereo 4, which featured four diverse voices, including his own. After collaborating with the group on the song “Te quiero ver” in 2016, he eventually ventured into a successful solo career.
In 2017, Jhayco signed with Universal Music Latino, marking a pivotal moment in his career. He released his first single under this label, “Donde no se vea,” featuring Jory Boy and Pusho. The following year, he released the EP “Eyez on Me” and collaborated with artists like Natti Natasha, Ozuna, Yandel, and Karol G.
In 2019, Jhayco achieved great success with the release of his hit single “No Me Conoce,” which earned triple platinum certification in Spain and 20 platinum in the US. His debut studio album, “Famouz,” released in May, achieved triple platinum certification from the RIAA and reached the 164th position on the US Billboard 200 chart.
The talented artist continued to impress in 2020 with the release of a special edition of his first studio album, titled “Famouz Reloaded,” featuring unreleased songs. He also teased his second album, “Timelezz,” with the single “Dime a ve.” Jhayco received several awards and nominations for his outstanding work in the music industry, including ASCAP awards, Tú Música Urbano Awards, and nominations for Billboard Latin Music Awards, Premios Juventud, Lo Nuestro Awards, and the Latin Grammys.
In collaboration with Bad Bunny, Jhayco released the chart-topping hit “Dakiti,” which reached number one on the Billboard Global 200 and number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. He further collaborated with Jay Wheeler and Myke Towers on the remix “La Curiosidad” and appeared on Yandel’s album “Quien Contra Mí 2” with the song “Ponme al día.”
Continuing his successful journey into 2021, Jhayco participated in Los Legendarios’ production of the song “Fiel” with Wisin, which achieved global success on the Spotify music platform, reaching number 9. He also performed “Dakiti” with Bad Bunny at the Grammy Awards ceremony and received a nomination at the IHeartRadio Music Awards for “Dakiti” in the Latin Pop / Reggaeton Song of the Year category.
Jhayco’s career continues to soar, and he remains a prominent figure in the music industry, captivating audiences with his unique talent and captivating performances.