What’s Good Y'all! While my lane is typically R&B, remember how I said I love to step out of my comfort zone from time to time? Well here we are, I really wanted to listen to more music in other languages this year, I may not speak the language but I can still vibe out! I also wanted to be in more of a space of embracing the uncomfortable to get comfortable. With that being said, we are diving into Bad Bunny’s latest and 8th studio album. WOW eight albums, it seems like Bad Bunny just came on the scene yesterday. I want to be honest here, I have never listened to a Bad Bunny album. Everytime I have heard of him it has been through social media or headlines on social media. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio aka Bad Bunny is also known as the 'King of Latin Trap'. He is heavily credited with bringing Spanish rap more mainstream, worldwide actually. From 2020-2022, He became the first non-English language artist to be Spotify's most streamed artist of the year. He also holds the most-streamed album on Spotify with his album 'Un Verano Sin Ti' (2022). Now we are eight albums in and I am just getting into Bad Bunny and I’m slightly disappointed in myself for taking this long.

The album begins in New York with the song entitled ‘NUEVAYoL’, I love the heavy influence of salsa within this song, only to discover that ‘Un Verano en Nueva York’ by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and Andy Montañez, one of the hits of Puerto Rican salsa from the 70s, which managed to expand with hits to the United States and cities like New York, was sampled for this track! This song just makes me want to moooooovvveeee! The second song takes us to Miami, the second home away from home for Puerto Ricans lol. With ‘VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR’ you’re getting ready for one last ride because back home we go! Which is why I really love the third track ‘BAILE INoLVIDABLE’. It’s like Bad Bunny knows he’s far away from home but he goes to the places that feel the closest to it, NYC and Miami; but only to finally be back where he belongs, Puerto Rico. And while this song is about Salsa and not forgetting a cultural dance, I can't help but think it's an undercover love letter to Puerto Rico. 'TURiSTA' was another track that seemed like a subliminal love letter to Puerto Rico. While the track sounds like it could be about a love loss, the lyrics also seem like Bad Bunny has a tough time every time he’s gone from home, he comes back feeling like a tourist and like so much has changed. Which leads me to track 14 'LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii', Bad Bunny not only educates you about Hawaii, in case you didn't know, but he also gives a future warning to other islands, and it don't get any realer than that.
‘DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS’ has easily become one of my favorite albums already this year. While this album is dedicated to Puerto Rico, his home, I truly feel like this album translates deeply to all Caribbean nations. This album is about cherishing memories, reclaiming your space and being proud of who you are and where you come from. I think this album resonates so deeply for me because at this time I feel like many of the rights and history our people worked so hard for in this country are being stripped away. It feels like across the diaspora, we all feel like we are losing our culture. With this album Bad Bunny continues to prove why he’s more than just an artist and he honestly reminds me of our Ancestors who also incorporated empowerment and liberation within their music.
Accompanying the album was also a short film:
Bad Bunny not only brings awareness to political issues such as gentrification and redlining with this album but he draws a story of what happens when you don’t protect, cherish and realize what you have right in front of you, it can all just be taken away and maybe you’ll have photos but if you don’t you damn sure will wish you had taken more.
I honestly have so much more about this album, how practically the entire album was recorded in Puerto Rico, how the album highlighted and portrayed Puerto Rican talent/artists HEAVY, how Bad Bunny played with various sounds within the Latin diaspora to expand his sound. I mean seriously, I didn’t get the hype before but now…NOW I GET IT! If you have yet to listen to 'DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS', please do yourself a HUGE FAVOR and as far as I know I’m only seeing your dates for Puerto Rico, anyone trynna take a trip? Lol
Also check out another black creator who dissected the album as well, I love her perspective and what she highlights!
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