Yosdany Jacob Carmenates, better known as Jacob Forever, is a popular Cuban singer of genres such as ballads, reggaeton, and other urban styles. He was born in Camaguey on December 21, 1981.
His beginnings in the music world showcased his restless personality on stage and his desire to innovate and succeed. He started by dancing on roller skates for a company where he imitated the style of groups like the Backstreet Boys and N'Sync. He traveled with this dance company to Spain, where he stayed for a year. Upon his return, he founded Made in Cuba.
In 2005, he became a member of the group Gente d'Zona. With them, he recorded "Lo mejor que suena ahora vol II" and gained national and international popularity with several tracks that reached the top of the charts.
After eight years of success, several albums (Lo mejor que suena ahora, Full), collaborations with prominent artists such as Orishas, La Charanga Habanera, El Micha, among others, and a Premio Lucas, Jacob and Alexander Delgado (founders of Gente d'Zona) announced their separation. Gente d'Zona would continue with Randy (former singer of La Charanga Habanera), while Jacob would embark on his solo career that same year, 2013, alongside El Dany, a former member of the group DpuntoD, and Nando Pro. Together, they founded Los Inmortales. Más duro and Son muchas cosas are the first two albums of this reggaeton group, one of the most followed and successful in Cuba.
In 2015, Jacob made a significant leap to fame with his single "Hasta Que Se Seque el Malecón," featured on his album El Inmortal. The song, which has garnered almost 78 million views on YouTube, established him as one of the leading figures of the urban genre on the island and introduced him to audiences worldwide.
The music video, featuring a 90s aesthetic and showcasing stunning aerial views of the northern coast of Havana, including the Morro Lighthouse, the architecture of the area, and the famous Malecón, received a warm reception from the audience. It premiered on November 8, 2015, on Jacob Forever's YouTube channel and was created by Cuban audiovisual director Freddy Loons. Forever later remixed the song with the renowned Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Farruko.
This success was followed by La Dura, also from 2015, and the 2017 remix of Súbeme la Radio, featuring Enrique Iglesias and Descemer Bueno. The single achieved 4 Platinum Discs, a certification given for surpassing 200,000 copies sold, at least in the United States. The song La Dura was censored in 2016 by Cuban television because the music video shows the protagonist receiving a car as a gift, which officials deemed "speculative" and "ostentatious."
Among his collaborations with other artists in the industry is the remix of "No debí dejarte sola" featuring Descemer Bueno and El Micha (2020). In August 2020, he released "Pa mi gente," which includes the single "Dile," presented as a gift for his 39th birthday, and its music video has nearly 14 million views on YouTube. This same album, featuring 15 tracks and brimming with collaborations, includes "Papelacera" alongside El Taiger and "Amor" with Álvaro Torres, among others.
Jacob lives in Miami with his wife Diliamne Jouve, better known as La Dura, with whom he has a daughter named Saisha. Additionally, the singer has two other children from previous relationships.
