Bad Bunny, Good Intentions
From bagging groceries at a local store in Puerto Rico to becoming the world’s most prominent Latin trap and reggaeton artist, Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, otherwise known as Bad Bunny, is on track to establishing himself as one of the most distinguished figures in music history. Don’t believe me? Bad Bunny has won two Latin Grammy Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, two American Music Awards, and six Premios Lo Nuestro, among other accolades. Still don’t believe me? In 2020, Bad Bunny was Spotify’s most-streamed artist with 8.3 billion streams, and his YHLQMDLG was the most-streamed album with 3.3 billion streams, surpassing the likes of Drake and Juice WRLD (two of the most streamed artists in the United States). So how is it that Bad Bunny, a Spanish-speaking artist, was able to achieve such things in an English-speaking country?
To put it simply, as global connectivity becomes more prevalent, generational differences play a bigger and more critical role in influencing societal behavior. With Generation Z, we are seeing an increase in individual expression, the abandoning of stereotypes, and mobilization for any given issue. Bad Bunny’s persona echoes Generation Z’s defining characteristics, hence why he is able to appeal to a larger audience, outside of his home country. Through the messages he spreads in his music and the aesthetic he associates with those messages, he is able to resonate with people who may not speak the same language but share the same ideas. Although some may argue that Bad Bunny’s approach towards redefining gender, sexuality, and fashion norms fails to translate well to older generations, I believe this approach is necessary because it encourages inclusivity for all. For Generation Z, Bad Bunny is a paradigm that gives new meanings to old ideas. For future generations, Bad Bunny will be recognized as the trendsetter who began this movement.
When it comes to shining a spotlight on how these social issues affect marginalized groups, nobody does it like Bad Bunny, and this is why people like him. In other words, consider other well-known male artists; how often do they explicitly communicate deeper messages about gender, sexuality, and fashion in their music? Not very often, right. Well, Bad Bunny does all this and more. A prime example of this is his music video for “Yo Perreo Sola” (I Twerk Alone). In the video, Bad Bunny quite literally becomes a female, the dancers are male, and the spectators are female. By embodying womanhood, he demands that people see men and women as equals in the sense that they deserve the same amount of respect. The role reversal is also incredibly powerful because not only does it reinforce this idea, but it also highlights the idea that traditional gender norms should be reconsidered. Not to mention, the title implies that the speaker is a female, emphasizing the idea of woman empowerment. Some people may watch the video and think it to be a complete joke, but the lengths that Bad Bunny went to in the video should be an indicator of how serious these issues are. It just goes to show how most people don’t care about a given issue unless it’s advocated for by a celebrity. Even then, how do we know that the celebrity genuinely cares?
Actually, Bad Bunny grew up as a self-proclaimed outsider so he knows what it’s like to face these issues, especially in a culture where men and women are taught to behave a certain way. Knowing that most young people look up to celebrities as their role-models, as he once did, Bad Bunny uses his platform to confront gender, sexuality, and fashion norms in order to show these young people that it’s okay to be different. Bad Bunny is no stranger to wearing skirts, long earrings, big rings, or most notably, painting his nails. He gets a lot of hate for this but he also makes it very clear that he doesn’t care, as seen in his song “Yo Visto Asi” (I Dress Like This). In the lyrics he states, “I dress like this, I’m not going to change/If you don’t like it, you don’t have to look… I never let hate decide/My value isn’t based on how I dress”. This song is directed towards one group of people and one group only: the haters. The haters, in this case, are none other than people of older generations who support old-fashioned ideals, which is why they’re offended by the way Bad Bunny dresses. It’s almost as if Bad Bunny is ranting in a conversation without ever letting them speak. This echoes how the majority often suppresses the minority and robs them of their voice. Ultimately, the song is indicative of Bad Bunny’s resolve to put an end to traditional gender roles and expectations.
Naturally, Bad Bunny has haters who don’t necessarily agree with his music or the ideas he promotes. As mentioned, people of older generations believe that men should promote masculinity and women should promote femininity. I suppose you can imagine what these people start to think when men start painting their nails and women start asserting dominance. This conflict between older and newer generations is an inevitable but extremely necessary one; and with nobody to speak up for the minority, newer generations would be stuck in the never-ending cycle of old traditions. In this case, Bad Bunny is that nobody. I’m sure he is aware that his music or ideas don’t resonate with people of older generations. However, I’m also sure that he doesn’t care. Quite frankly, Bad Bunny’s focus is on the newer generations since they’re the ones who are going to continue spreading his messages of inclusivity for years to come. This is why Bad Bunny tailors his message towards them and not the older generations. This is also why we see Bad Bunny going out of his way to make sure that everyone hears his message.
Admittedly, when it comes to raising awareness for these social issues, Bad Bunny is known for “putting on a show”. For some, this may give off the impression that Bad Bunny doesn’t take these issues seriously and is only advocating to gain publicity. For example, in his music video for “Yo Perreo Sola”, was there really a need for him to have fake breasts? How did these fake breasts contribute to the overall meaning of the song? The counterargument starts to make sense until you realize that without these exaggerations no one would pay attention to the issues being presented by Bad Bunny. Bad Bunny’s messages wouldn’t have the same depth if he didn’t paint his nails, if he didn’t “dress like a woman”, or if he didn’t break gender norms. Most people just listen to what their favorite artist has to say in their latest song and go on about their day. Likewise, the artist’s “contribution to society” ends with the lyrics. This isn’t the case for Bad Bunny.
For instance, when was the last time a popular American artist utilized his/her performance on live television to raise awareness for a concurrent social issue? If you can’t think of one that’s okay, because I can’t either. Bad Bunny, on the other hand, a Latin American artist, saw this opportunity and took it. In his performance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” Bad Bunny wore a skirt, and a shirt featuring the words “They killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt” to shed light on the murder of a transgender woman in Puerto Rico. Not only did Bad Bunny break gender norms by wearing a skirt and flaunting feminine characteristics but he also raised awareness for transphobia, a major issue in today’s society. It’s not every day that a Latin American artist gets to perform on a popular American talk show. The fact that Bad Bunny used this opportunity for something greater shows that he truly cares about putting an end to these social issues. As an artist, this is what makes him unique, and as a person, this is what makes him relatable.
In conclusion, Bad Bunny is proof that times are changing. His popularity amongst newer generations is representative of their determination to dismantle old-fashioned ideals. More specifically, their unwillingness to embrace this idea of “men should be men and women should be women”, and their unwillingness to live out the consequences of doing so. What used to be a very prejudiced society towards gender, sexuality, and fashion is now a very inclusive one that promotes those ideas. Bad Bunny was able to transform music from a form of entertainment to a catalyst for change. Who knows, maybe we’ll see other popular male artists do the same because of the impact Bad Bunny has made.
