Question 1

Does Nicky Jam write his own songs?

Accepted Answer

Yes. He is credited as a writer on every track of Fénix (2017), and his listed occupations are singer, songwriter and record producer. Reggaeton credits are collective by habit, so his name usually sits in a block that takes in the producer and any guest artist: "El Amante" is credited to him, his manager Juan Diego Medina and Cristhian Mena "Saga WhiteBlack", who also produced it, while the album version of "El Perdón" adds Enrique Iglesias. The single credit for "El Perdón" lists him with Lil' Eddie, and Iglesias told Billboard that although he usually writes or co-writes what he sings, he did not provide songwriting on that track, which began as a Nicky Jam solo song. The writing has been recognized in its own right as well, with a nomination for Songwriter of the Year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards (2016). His documented credits are fullest from Fénix onward, which is also the point at which he rebuilt the catalog.

Question 2

Who writes with him most often?

Accepted Answer

Juan Diego Medina, the manager who backed his comeback in Medellín, is a co-writer on every track of Fénix. Cristhian Mena, who works as Saga WhiteBlack, is on most of them, including "El Amante", "Hasta el Amanecer", "Si Tú la Ves", "Tu Hombre" with Daddy Yankee and both language versions of "El Perdón". Johnattan Ballesteros, Urbani Mota and Jorge Luis Romero recur across the same album.

Question 3

Who produces his music?

Accepted Answer

Saga WhiteBlack is the closest thing he has to a house producer and handled more of Fénix than anyone else. The rest of that album was split among Yhoan Manuel Jiménez Londoño, Johnattan Gaviria, Urbani Mota, Jorge Luis Romero, Egbert Rosa Cintron, Rvssian, Jowan, Supa Dups, Pedro Reynoso, Banx & Ranx, Carlos "Maffio" Peralta, Carlos Paucar and Jorge Fonseca.

Question 4

Why do reggaeton songs list so many writers?

Accepted Answer

The producer is normally a writer too, and every featured artist brings their own names into the credit. "Amor Prohibido" on Fénix adds Sean Paul and Konshens, "Superhéroe" adds J Balvin and his co-writers, and "Por el Momento" adds Plan B. Take the guests and the producers out and the constant across the album is Nicky Jam with Juan Diego Medina.

Question 5

Did he keep writing during the years his career collapsed?

Accepted Answer

He never stopped releasing music, though almost none of it landed. Between 2005 and 2009 he turned up on productions by Don Omar, R.K.M. & Ken-Y, Álex Gárgolas, DJ Joe and Yaga & Mackie, put out The Black Carpet in 2007, and released "Mucho Más" with Wolfine in 2009. Drug addiction kept him away from recording for long stretches, and the hotel lounge work he took in that period is where he learned to sing rather than only rap.

Question 6

How did his writing change after Medellín?

Accepted Answer

He has said his compositions were heavily influenced by the romantic and melancholy lyrics of Colombian vallenato set against Puerto Rican rhythm, and he names Silvestre Dangond and Carlos Vives among the artists who shaped that. The shift is audible in the songs: sung vocals and romantic lyrics took over from the fast, hard-hitting dembow of his early records.

Question 7

Did Enrique Iglesias write "El Perdón"?

Accepted Answer

It began as a Nicky Jam solo track. Iglesias came in after the two spoke and agreed to re-record it as a duet, and he told Billboard that he usually writes or co-writes the songs he sings but did not provide songwriting here. The Fénix track listing does place him among the writers of both the Spanish version and the English "Forgiveness".

Question 8

How much of Fénix carries his name?

Accepted Answer

All of it, on paper. He appears in the writing credit of every track, including his first English-language songs "Without You" and "I Can't Forget You" and the remixes that close the record. The album also took its cover from a mural of him painted in Medellín by a collective without his knowledge, which he adopted after they tagged him on Instagram.

Question 9

Who are his regular collaborators on record?

Accepted Answer

Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Ozuna, Plan B and Anuel AA recur most. Fénix alone features Plan B, Sean Paul, Konshens, J Balvin, Wisin, El Alfa, Cosculluela, Daddy Yankee, Messiah, MineK, Arcángel, Valentino, Enrique Iglesias and Kid Ink, and Íntimo brought in Anuel AA, Darell, Rauw Alejandro, Sech, Ozuna and J Balvin.

Question 10

Has his songwriting been recognized by awards?

Accepted Answer

He was nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards (2016). "El Perdón" won Best Urban Performance at the Latin Grammy Awards (2015), "El Amante" was nominated for Best Urban Song at the Latin Grammy Awards (2017), and Fénix was nominated for Album of the Year at the Latin Grammy Awards (2017).