It’s been 25 years since Ricky Martin topped & the world was never the same again

Just over two months after unleashing an epic hip-shaking Grammy performance of “The Cup of Life” that knocked the earth’s off its axis, Ricky Martin managed to outdo himself by reaching a new zenith in his career.

On May 8th, 1999, exactly 25 years ago, Martin topped the Billboard Hot 100 charts for the first time with his career-defining hit “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”

The track, which dethroned Jennifer Lopez‘s “If You Had My Love,” would go on to spend five weeks at #1 and solidified the so-called “Latin pop explosion” he ignited following his Grammy night assault on the senses.

In addition to reaching the top in more than 20 countries, “Livin’ La Vida Loca” also hit #1 on

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