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Reggaeton singer Jhayco arrested on drug possession charges, reports say
Reggaeton singer-songwriter Jhayco has been arrested in Florida after allegedly being found in possession of drugs, according to reports.
The Latin urban star, born Jesús Manuel Nieves Cortés, was arrested in Miami early Tuesday morning, Aug. 12, and charged with cocaine possession and cannabis possession of 20 grams or less after being pulled over by police during a traffic stop, according to Rolling Stone, Variety and NBC 6 South Florida.
Before his arrest, Jhayco, 32, was reportedly driving at 5 mph and took over a minute to resume driving after coming to a complete stop, per Rolling Stone and NBC 6.
When police approached the singer's car, a deputy reportedly observed a "strong odor of cannabis" coming from the vehicle, and that Jhayco had "white powder" on his pants and nose, Rolling Stone and NBC 6 report. He was allegedly unable to provide the police with a driver's license during the stop.
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Authorities subsequently found two pouches of suspected cannabis with approximately seven grams each in Jhayco's car, per NBC 6. Additionally, police discovered that the Grammy-nominated singer had "clear baggies with suspect powder cocaine," totaling about two grams, in his pockets, according to Rolling Stone and NBC 6.
USA TODAY has reached out to the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office and representatives for Jhayco for comment.
Following the incident, Jhayco was booked at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, according to Variety. His bond was set at $3,000, the outlet reported alongside Rolling Stone and NBC 6.
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Jhayco, formerly known as Jhay Cortez, started pursuing music in his teens after taking inspiration from the Puerto Rican-bred genre reggaeton and one of its leading artists, Don Omar, according to the singer's biography on the official Universal Music Latino website.
After writing songs for the likes of Tito El Bambino, Zion & Lennox, Ozuna and Nicky Jam, Jhayco launched his solo career with the release of his 2019 debut album "Famouz." The album featured the J Balvin and Bad Bunny collaboration, "No Me Conoce," which peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Latin Airplay chart and was later certified diamond for sales of over 5 million.
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Jhayco and Bad Bunny have teamed up over the years for additional hits, including 2022's "Tarot." The EDM-inflected reggaeton banger, featured on Bad Bunny's record-selling "Un Verano Sin Ti" album, helped earn Jhayco a Grammy nomination for album of the year in 2023.
Jhayco's latest album, "Le Clique: Vida Rockstar (X)," was released in September 2024. The hit record has since been certified double platinum.
