J Balvin Wants to Set an Example for His 18-Month-Old Son Rio By Uplifting the Latinx Community

"When you have a son, you want your kid to be better and not commit the same mistakes we did," the Colombian star, who's partnering with Miller Lite to give away 10,000 beers, tells PEOPLE

J. Balvin attends the Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2022/2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 20, 2022 in Paris, France.
J Balvin. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

For J Balvin, providing support for the Latinx community is of the utmost importance.

Speaking to PEOPLE about his work to uplift the Latinx community with Miller Lite, the Colombian star opened up about why his continuous efforts mean the world to him.

"I really relate to people who need help. Growing up as an artist, I wanted help and didn't have that help," Balvin, 37, tells PEOPLE. "I didn't know what was in the next corner. I had no one to guide me."

That motivation also came from wanting to set an example for his son 18-month-old son, whom he shares with model Valentina Ferrer.

"When you have a son, you want your kid to be better and not commit the same mistakes we did. We want people to help them and give them the chance that they might not have had," the "Mi Gente" singer says.

"You can talk a lot, but you've got to lead by example," he adds. "I do it because I really enjoy it, but if I give that example to my son, it'll be beautiful. Because actions speak by themselves. That really is key in life."

J Balvin Miller Lite
J Balvin. Miller Lite

In the new campaign, Miller Lite and Balvin are picking up the tab for fans and are supporting Latinx business owners through their work with Accion Opportunity Fund, which provides financial support for small business owners across the country.

Beginning on March 1, Miller Lite and Balvin will be giving away up to 10,000 beers per week, with a chance to win other prizes through www.millerlite.com/jbalvin.

Miller Lite is also bringing back the Balvin-inspired limited-edition pints and will donate a portion of the proceeds to the fund. The donation can help provide funding for up to 50 Latinx business owners across the country.

"The past years have been really tough, and we really want to focus on helping these small businesses to grow up and give them the chance to be profitable and have a happy business," he says.

Aside from his philanthropic work, the Colores singer has been spending time with his son — and teaching him how to swim!

"I'm really having fun teaching my son how to swim," says Balvin, who says he took a break from social media to "connect with my kid."

RELATED VIDEO: J Balvin Hugs and Poses for Selfie with Pope Francis During Entertainment Summit in the Vatican

He adds, "I think it's beautiful, and that's basically what we're doing right now."

And though he's been hard at work in studio, the star has no plans to drop a project in the near future. He will, however, be back on stage at festivals in the summer.

Earlier this month, he launched his first-ever J Balvin Futurum: A VR Concert Experience in Meta Horizon World where viewers saw Balvin perform some of his greatest hits in VR.

"You really can feel the amazing vibe of being in the metaverse with different concept. It's really beautiful, because it's like the future," he says. "It's robotic arms hugging me around the stage and everything is just so different. Those are the things that I want to always do to elevate our sound, our culture around the world."

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