Bad Bunny, Good Intentions
From bagging groceries at a local store in Puerto Rico, to becoming the world’s biggest 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 prominent figures in music history. Don’t believe me? Bad Bunny has won two Latin Grammy Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, an MTV Music Video Award, and two American Music Awards, 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? For the most part, Bad Bunny owes a large part of his success to his musical prowess, however, he owes an even larger part to his influence on social issues around the world.
Consider other well-known artists; how often do they explicitly communicate deeper messages of vulnerability, transparency, and gender fluidity in their music? Not very often, right. Well, Bad Bunny does all this and more. Having grown up as a self-proclaimed outsider, Bad Bunny knows what it’s like to face these issues, especially in a culture where men are taught to behave a certain way. Knowing that most young people look up to celebrities as their role-models, Bad Bunny uses his platform to advocate for social issues and confront the norms embedded in Latinx culture surrounding gender, sexuality, and fashion. For example, 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. In doing so, Bad Bunny not only raised awareness about transphobia but several other issues (like the ones mentioned above) as well! As an artist, this is what makes him unique, and as a person, this is what makes him relatable.
Now you must be asking yourself, “What does any of this have to do with him being successful?” To put it simply, as global connectivity becomes more prevalent, generational differences play a bigger and more critical role in setting societal behavior. With Gen Z, we are experiencing an increase in individual expression, the abandoning of stereotypes, and mobilization for any given issue. For instance, one study showed that a majority of Gen Z’ers believe individuals shouldn’t feel pressure to conform to traditional gender roles or behaviors. Bad Bunny does this by steering clear of toxic masculinity and promoting inclusivity for all. Bad Bunny’s persona echoes Gen Z’s search for truth and individuality, hence why he is so appealing across the world.
Bibliography
- “List of Awards and Nominations Received by Bad Bunny.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Feb. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Bad_Bunny.
- “The Trends That Shaped Streaming in 2020.” Spotify, 1 Dec. 2020, newsroom.spotify.com/2020–12–01/the-trends-that-shaped-streaming-in-2020/#:~:text=Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, one streamed album as well.
- Francis, Tracy, and Fernanda Hoefel. “‘True Gen’: Generation Z and Its Implications for Companies.” McKinsey & Company, McKinsey & Company, 16 Dec. 2020, www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies#.
- Kniemisto. “Social Causes That Gen Z Cares About-and Why You Should Care, Too.” Marketo Marketing Blog — Best Practices and Thought Leadership, Marketo, 1 Mar. 2019, blog.marketo.com/2019/03/social-causes-that-gen-z-cares-about-and-why-you-should-care-too.html.
