When J Balvin Was (Almost) Kidnapped: 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About The Reggaeton Icon
The Colombian artist has become a reference in the urban genre
Who hasn’t given their all with a J Balvin song? The Colombian icon has become a clear reference in urban music, taking his songs to all territories and conquering an increasingly wide audience.
But just when we think we already know everything about an artist, there is always some data that surprises us and defines them, not only on a professional level, but also personally. At LOS40, we have compiled 10 facts that you may not know about J Balvin and that bring us even closer to José.
1. His obsession with sneakers: he has a collection of more than 300 sneakers. It’s one of his great passions.
2. First musical love: rock. Although now everyone knows him as a reference in urban music, José began delving into his musical tastes through rock and bands like Nirvana and Metallica. In fact, he had a rock band.
4. Made In Medellín, his other project: if there’s one thing the Colombian artist has made clear, it’s that mental health is one of his major concerns. That’s why he decided to start a project about it and launched the Made In Medellín podcast, where he delves into some aspects of caring for our minds.
5. Almost kidnapped: in 2011, he went to the United States to learn English. According to his parents, the person who hosted him tried to kidnap him: «The lady hid his passport when he was supposed to come back, practically kidnapped him, and even wouldn’t let us talk to him on the phone. They told him that his parents had abandoned him and when we called Colombia, they told us they had warned us.»
6. He left studies for music: José was studying International Relations at EAFIT University, but his love for music made him reconsider this stage as a student and he ended up dropping out.
9. Daddy Yankee, his biggest inspiration: the Puerto Rican was an idol for Balvin. So much so that he confessed to copying his style, as well as his «flow» and the way he moved on stage.
10. He has a model sister: her name is Carolina and she is 30 years old.
11. His favorite designer is Jerry Lorenzo.
12. He was a very restless student: «Jose used to interrupt classes a lot because he was someone very restless, for example, if someone was teaching, he would start making sounds with a pencil, humming songs, and then he would interrupt, so we had to call his attention regularly,» revealed his teacher Gabriel Saavedra.
Did you know all these facts about the Colombian?