Nicky Jam Finally Explains Why Donald Trump Confused Him for a Woman at His Rally

On the 10th anniversary of his hit song, “El Perdón,” and as he readies to release new music, reggaetón superstar Nicky Jam spoke with Billboard about quite literally everything.

We chatted with the Puerto Rican star for over an hour, about his new marriage and his love for his new wife; about the story behind “El Perdón;” quitting alcohol; regrouping mentally and preparing new music — due out at the end of the month — that is rooted in happiness.

He also spoke about the infamous, yet hilarious, Donald Trump introduction at a rally in Las Vegas last September, when the President invited Nicky Jam, who at the time announced he was endorsing Trump, to the stage saying,  “Do you know Nicky? She’s hot!”

“You want to know why he said, ‘She’s hot?’” Nicky Jam asked over a brunch of arepas at his restaurant, La Industria, in Miami. “I’ll tell you. I haven’t told this story to anyone.”

Before turning to Trump-Gate, Nicky Jam spoke at length about the history of “El Perdón,” the breakout hit he recorded with Enrique Iglesias, which when released in 2015, spent 30 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart.

“Don’t give that song to anyone. That song is mine!” Nicky Jam recalls Iglesias telling him about the romantic track, which was also released in a bilingual version.

Nicky Jam also spoke about his new record deal with Virgin. And yes, he did get into the details of the Trump faux pas.

Turns out when Nicky Jam went to meet the now-President for the first time at the rally, he allowed his wife to go inside first. “Obviously, I let my wife go first, and when he saw her he said, ‘Wow, she’s beautiful!’” recalls Nicky Jam. “It’s flattering to have the president tell my wife that she’s hot. But when I met him, in his mind she was Nicky Jam.”

“So that’s when he said, ‘Latin superstar Nicky Jam, she’s hot.’ I’m sure when I went onstage he thought, ‘Oh my God.’ Because, what does he know about Nicky Jam? He doesn’t listen to reggaetón.”

Of course, the faulty intro was the tip of the iceberg. Nicky Jam was criticized for endorsing Trump, and just a few days, he rescinded his endorsement after a comedian referred to Puerto Rico as a floating island of garbage at another Trump rally.

“I can’t support your campaign because I have to support my country,” said Nicky Jam. “I learned my lesson.”  However, he admits, the onslaught of negativity online was jarring. “Had this happened when I was in my twenties, I’d have gone crazy!” he says.

The one good thing?

“Trump called and apologized” for the “hot” comment. “He said, I never call nobody, but you’re a standup guy.”

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