...Distinto a los demás

...Distinto a los demás is the debut extended play by American reggaeton singer Nicky Jam.^[1] Released in 1995,^[2] he was 14 years old when he recorded the album.^[3][4]

...Distinto a los demás
EP by Nicky Jam
Released	1995
Recorded	1994–1995
Genre	Reggaeton
Length	26:08
Label	F&K Records
Nicky Jam chronology
...Distinto a los demás (1995) Haciendo Escante (2001)

Background and history

Nicky Jam was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts to a Dominican mother and Puerto Rican father.^[5][6] While in Massachusetts, he developed an affinity for hip-hop, specifically East Coast acts Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch and LL Cool J.^[7] When Nicky Jam was ten years old, his family moved to the Río Hondo suburb of San Juan, Puerto Rico.^[7][8]

Nicky Jam initially experienced culture shock upon moving to Puerto Rico, having never spoken Spanish before arriving to the island.^[6][9] Despite the difficult start, he quickly made friends in his neighborhood and after spending time in the streets as a middle schooler, was inspired to pursue a musical career.^[6] He also used Caribbean hip-hop and reggaeton as a way to help him polish his Spanish-language skills.^[7] He originally went by the moniker "Nick MC", but changed it to Nicky Jam after a neighborhood homeless man gave him the unsolicited comment, "You ain't Nick MC, you're Nicky Jam".^[7]

While working at the Pueblo Xtra discount grocery store at age eleven, he passed time by rapping about the items he was bagging, which impressed a customer who invited him to record with a local indie label.^[8][7] He subsequently signed a contract without reading it and received no advance money for his recordings.^[7] He recorded and released ...Distinto a los demás in 1995 at age thirteen.^[2][6][3] He endured a difficult breakup with his girlfriend shortly after the EP's release and the emotional pain of the experience led him to try cocaine for the first time at age fifteen.^[3] Nicky Jam reflected on the experience by saying: "[I thought], 'why am I going to take care of myself? My dad didn't handle his drug problems. My mom did drugs too, so why not me?' I mean, I had drugs all around me, and the foundation of everything is your home. It's your family."^[3]

Track listing

1. "Distinto A Los Demás (Feat. Baby Gringo)"
2. "El Corazón Me Duele (Feat. Baby Doc)"
3. "Mi Estilo Predomino"
4. "Si Te Metes Conmigo"
5. "Música, Estilo & Motivación"
6. "Compton Styles From Puerto Rico"
7. "Gotta Get It (Feat. Fresh J)"
8. "Sigo Potente"