Vida Escante

by Evan C. GutierrezNicky Jam is not hurting for recordings with his name on them. In fact, he holds the record for reggaeton artist with the most guest spots to his credit, a title formerly held by superstar Daddy Yankee. Having appeared with artists like Rakim y Ken-Y, Daddy Yankee, Big Boy and Don Chezina, and on a number of compilations with hits like "En la Cama" and "Me Voy Pa'l Party," Nicky Jam knows the industry, and audiences certainly knows him. However, 2004 proved to be the year when that was no longer enough. The release of his debut record Vida Escante for the notorious Pina Records marked the next step on Jam's path towards reggaeton stardom. Hitting number four on Billboard's tropical charts is certainly not a bad place to start. Jam, born Nick Rivera Caminero and hailing from Barrio Obrero, keeps his credits list in the Puerto Rican family, including producers Eliel and Nelly, and guest artists like Rakim y Ken-Y, Don Chezina and Taina, to name only a few. The upside of using all the usual suspects is that Pina Records releases are consistent in theme and quality. The downside is that they tend to lack variety. Fans of the Pina reggaeton sound will love Vida Escante. For listeners looking for something different, look elsewhere.