Bad Bunny has embodied the motto of YHLQMDLG (yo hago lo que me da la gana or, for you monolinguals, "I do whatever the hell I want") through his actions and music. He has won three Grammys and 11 Latin Grammys. Last year, his fifth album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, claimed the title of "most-streamed album in a single day" on Spotify upon its release in October after having headlined Coachella a few months earlier — the first Spanish-language artist to do so.
Despite all the milestones, longtime fans have been left wondering: Is Bad Bunny in his sellout era?
Some fans say the old Benito is not the same as the new one. He has changed in his ways, lyrics, and actions; frankly, he is not the artist many fell in love with years ago.
His Fractured Friendship With J Balvin
Bad Bunny's apparent diss toward J Balvin on the track "Thunder y Lightning" off Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana is perplexing. In it, he raps, "Ustede' me han visto, siempre ando con los mismo'/ Mientras ustedes son amigos de to' el mundo como Balvin." ("You've seen me, I always walk with the same people/While you are friends with everyone like Balvin.")To jog your memory, Balvin and Bad Bunny's first collaboration on the 2017 track "Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola." Yes, Bad Bunny's fame also stemmed from hits like "Diles," "Soy Peor," and "Caile" during his trap Bunny era, contributing to the rise of Latin trap, but he was introduced to a wider audience once Balvin came into the picture.
The pair's joint album, Oasis, was nominated for "Best Urban Music Album" and "Album of the Year" at the 2020 Latin Grammy Awards and won a Billboard Award for "Top Latin Album" that same year. In fact, Bad Bunny's first Latin Grammy nomination was for "Best Urban Fusion/Performance" with "Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola." His first Grammy nomination was for "Record of the Year with "I Like It," his collaboration with Cardi B and J Balvin.
Bad Bunny and Balvin performed on the biggest stages, including Coachella and the MTV Video Music Awards in 2019. Both were guests during Jennifer Lopez and Shakira's Super Bowl Halftime show in 2020, repping that #LatinoGang. All were significant milestones for Latin artists on a global scale.
Still, despite the diss, J Balvin remains supportive of Bad Bunny, saying, "I think he's an excellent artist. The person I know is a great person. We supported each other mutually; we made history, and we also created a new story within music."
The Legal Drama With His Ex
If you are remotely familiar with Bad Bunny's music, you've likely heard the breathy tag "Bad Bunny, baby" at the beginning of some of his tracks. The voice behind it belongs to Bad Bunny's ex-girlfriend, Carliz de la Cruz Hernández.In March 2023, de la Cruz filed a lawsuit in a Puerto Rico court, alleging that Bad Bunny used her voice without her consent. She claimed damages for intellectual property infringement and copyright violation. Some songs featuring her voice include 2017's "Pa Ti" and 2022's "Dos Mil 16," as well as various promotional initiatives such as concerts, television appearances, and social media content. She is seeking $40 million in damages.
In 2022, on the eve of the release of Un Verano Sin Ti, de la Cruz was allegedly offered $2,000 for the recording of the "Bad Bunny, baby" by a representative of Benito, but she declined. The album's track "Dos Mil 16" was released with her voice despite her refusal to clear its use. Considering Bad Bunny, one of the most streamed artists in the world, earns money every time a song featuring her voice recording is played, the offer of $2,000 seems like a joke.
The Least Wanted Tour
When Bad Bunny announced his Most Wanted Tour, many fans eagerly registered for the ticket sale. However, upon being taken off the queue and seeing the ticket prices, reactions ranged from surprise to disbelief and even laughter. Some even joked on TikTok about Bad Bunny needing help paying his rent due to the exorbitant prices. The high prices also led to poor ticket sales in some cities. (As of press time, tickets are still available for all three nights at the Kaseya Center, with prices starting at $152 plus fees for a "limited view" seat.)Bad Bunny has been on tour nonstop for the past five years, and it's reaching a point where fans' bank accounts can't keep up. Tickets priced at $500-plus for one artist and a few special guests seem excessive, especially when music festivals offer similar lineups for comparable prices. (To be fair, Bad Bunny isn't the only act today that commands an eye-watering ticket cost for the privilege of seeing them perform live.)
The rapper also incurred the ire of PETA, who criticized Benito for using horses during performance. "@Bad Bunny, why did you think it was a good idea to expose a horse to the noise, lights, fog, and screams of thousands of people? The horse looks stressed and clearly DOESN'T WANT TO BE THERE. Please do not include animals in your shows. They want to live in peace and not be used for your spectacle," the organization wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
It's a fascinating juncture in Bad Bunny's career. As his career continues to ascend, accusations of "selling out" become inevitable. Fans often feel that their beloved artist was at his best before the world took notice.
However, amidst the whirlwind of success, Bad Bunny can always steer certain aspects of his career, such as nurturing the bond with the people and fans who have been his pillars of support from the very beginning.
Bad Bunny. 8 p.m. Friday, May 24, through Sunday, May 26, 2024, at the Kaseya Center, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-777-1000; kaseyacenter.com. Tickets cost $151.95 to $901.95 via ticketmaster.com.
