Bad Bunny

Amanda Vilanova

I had the pleasure of being in Puerto Rico on the 5th of January, the eve of Three Kings Day when Bad Bunny released his latest album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (the title means, ‘I should have taken more photos’). It has been the talk of the island and much of the world since. It wasn’t the music that hit me first, it was the short film released with it. The film opens with an older man, played by legendary Puerto Rican actor Jacobo Morales, unearthing a time capsule. He speaks to his friend Concho, an animated version of the Puerto Rican crested toad, about how he should have taken more pictures of the island as it once was. Later, the man enters an old-school bakery in his town, is spoken to entirely in English, and is charged $30 for a sandwich and a quesito (a traditional Puerto Rican pastry).

The film is timely. It comments on the growing gentrification of the island and the impact of Tax Act 22. The act offers a 100% tax exemption on all interest, dividends, and long-term capital gain to American investors who move to the island. More Puerto Ricans are moving out while ‘investors’ are moving in. My mother and I were touched by the film. Many Puerto Ricans have long held the notion that they must leave their homeland to prosper. Most leave to find better salaries and more diverse work opportunities. It is a slap in the face for others to capitalize on what one has built, loved and, for those in the diaspora, misses so dearly.

Then we moved onto the music. I was surprised by the album’s variety. It pleases reggaetón purists and old-school salseros alike. Its first radio release, ‘BAILE INoLVIDABLE’, is a song in the style of Héctor Lavoe, a Puerto Rican salsa singer considered one of the most innovative in the genre’s history. Though eternally resistant to reggaetón, my mother danced to it in our living room, giving the rapper credit for his cracking salsa track. Bad Bunny’s ode to Boricua rhythms doesn’t stop there. The party song ‘NUEVAYoL’ samples the classic ‘Un Verano en Nueva York’ by El Gran Combo, the legendary salsa orchestra founded in 1962. He then sings alongside Los Pleneros de la Cresta, making ‘CAFé CON RON’ a showcase for plena music. As I listen to it now, far away from home, London’s grey skies disappear and I, in shorts and a tank top, am marching to my best friend’s front door to take them out for a good parranda. The reggaetón tracks are infectious too and many feature local rising stars in the urban music scene. My personal favourite, ‘VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR’, is an ode to late-night clubbing where the bass thumps hard while hips swing and grind.

Three songs on the album embody the island’s current moment. The title track is upbeat yet nostalgic. Its opening lines tell us how the singer is enjoying all the things those who leave the island miss. It brought tears to my eyes. Though it is a breakup song, it captures how so many who’ve moved feel every time we leave our homeland. We should have taken more pictures. We should have kissed and hugged our loved ones more. ‘LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAII’ spells out undeniable parallels between Puerto Rico and Hawaii’s relationship with the USA, warning us of what can happen when our colonizer assumes control unopposed. The closing track, ‘LA MuDANZA’, alludes to locals’ constant fight to keep hold of the island’s priceless resources. The chorus sings out: ‘De aquí nadie me saca, de aquí yo no me muevo, dile que esta es mi casa. Donde nació mi abuelo.’ (No one will remove me from this place, I am not moving, tell them this is my house. Where my grandfather was born). It is an uplifting war cry; much needed when the current governor has stated President Trump deserves a statue built in his honour even though the man’s whims directly impact the island’s ability to flourish.

Ten days after the album’s release, Bad Bunny announced a three-week residency in Puerto Rico’s largest arena, El Choliseo. The residency, whose name translates to ‘I don’t want to leave this place’, is the first of its kind on the island with initial performances exclusively for locals, and VIP packages that include hotel stays for subsequent performances. More than 400,000 tickets were sold in the first four hours. The event is predicted to bring thousands in revenue to the island.

‘Mientras uno está vivo, uno debe amar lo más que pueda’ (While one is alive, one must love as much as one can) Morales says to Concho in the short film. This album is an act of love for the place Bad Bunny is from. His international recognition has grown steadily over the years. He has used his moment in the spotlight to celebrate Puerto Rico’s musical traditions, champion local artists, and reflect on the island’s socio-political situation with his characteristic humour. From the album’s art and Concho’s character to the music itself, he has merged the traditional and commercial beautifully. I will be listening to the album on repeat as a reminder that my homeland is worth fighting for, from whatever corner in the world I find myself in. I invite you to listen and see what it provokes in you.

Short Film:

Album on Spotify:

Watch the animations as you listen to the album, they are an absolute pleasure.

Amanda Vilanova

Amanda Vilanova is a Puerto Rican writer, actor and translator based in London.