After originally being released in Latin American countries in Nov. 2018, the Netflix Original series “Nicky Jam: El Ganador” made it to the US on April 21, 2020. Consisting of 13 episodes, the authorized bio-series tells the long and difficult journey of Latin pop star Nicky Jam and how he became who he is today.

The series starts off describing the story of the successful self-made Latino star, Nicky Jam. It begins with his childhood in Boston, to his move to the island of Puerto Rico, and then his rise to fame and fortune in Colombia. The show highlights Jam’s rough encounters, life within the streets, drug abuse throughout his teenage years and the gruesome events he experienced with his mother as she raised him.

When I first listened to Nicky Jam, I didn’t know much about him except that his music was very moving and emotional following along with a good beat behind each song. I never knew that back in 1995, he was apart of the group Los Cangris which consisted of him and the infamous Daddy Yankee. This show was an eyeopener for me and featured not only Nicky Jam playing as himself but also a younger version of him that showcases his troubles and what it was like living in the streets as a gangster and dealing with substance abuse. The actor who magnificently portrayed the role of teenage Nicky Jam was Puerto Rican actor and singer Darkiel.

The journey to sobering up and finding his own path began when Jam and Yankee ended their friendship and took their separate ways to discover their own sound and rise to fame. Both of their careers took very different paths, with Jam finding himself and reuniting his family while also sobering up in Medellin, Colombia. The authenticity and emotional roller coaster that the show illustrates what Jam’s life was before fame is astonishing. It made me see Nicky Jam as an actual person whose past shaped who he is today and how he’s one of the most humble and inspiring Latino artists there is.

His story demonstrates that no matter where you come from, if you work hard and look towards building your future, then anything is possible. The obstacles that helped to make Nicky Jam, who is he today, means that even if you believe you’ve hit rock bottom, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel, and hard work and dedication will get you to a better place in life. As a fan of Nicky Jam and finally see him more than just a singer, I would give this show a ten out of ten because of the high-end quality of the show, the message behind it, and the superb acting. If you have Netflix, I highly recommend giving this show a watch.