photo credit: Malak Chahboub
Benito Antonio MartÍnez Ocasio, more popularly known as Bad Bunny, is a very successful Puerto Rican singer and rapper.
Bad Bunny has hit an all-time high with his newest album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”, which translates to “I should’ve taken more photos”. His album highlights the importance of spending quality time with family and loved ones. Bad Bunny recently performed some of the songs from that album at the 2026 SuperBowl Halftime Performance.
People seem to think that just because his songs are in a different language, the message of the songs aren’t universal, but this couldn’t be more inaccurate. My personal favorite track of the album is called “Nuevayol”. He represents New York and the many immigrants who helped build community in a city that promotes diversity. This track shines light on the never-ending summer nights of New York and embraces all cultures like Mexico, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and every other place a certain type of people seem to be afraid of.
He shares the Puerto Rican slang adaptation of New York (Nuevayol), to include the vocal inflections that can be heard in a Spanish-speaking conversation and also makes references to Frida Kahlo and Big Pun as a tribute to the very important people in Hispanic culture. The lyrics referenced translate to “selling CD’s like Frida Kahlo paintings” and “A heavy flow, Big Pun”.
After this album’s release in 2025, his music video for “Nuevayol” caused heavy criticism because it shared his opinion as an American citizen to speak about the recent immigration enforcement. More recently released songs, like this music video, address the harsh words that the current president said about immigrant families. The constant attacks on families who are just trying to get by and have a good time with others shouldn’t be looked at as aggressive individuals. Just like what was broadcasted at Bad Bunny’s Halftime performance, “THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE”. Many of his tracks are love songs; they can make listeners cry and want to dance at the same time.The third track on his album is called “Baile Inolvidable”, which translates to “Unforgettable Dance”, remembering the good times with a special someone, and their unforgettable dances together. The devotion and passion of the beat of the song falls within the salsa romántica dance style.
In many Hispanic cultures, dancing is like a love language; it’s very passionate and intimate. It holds a type of soul listeners feel only through the loud music. He resides in the memories of them together, and how he thought they’d grow old with one another. It’s one of those Spanish songs that is a sad story but listeners can’t help but dance to irresistible instrumentals. This could relate to anyone, yes, even a non-spanish speaking person, it’s up to the person to dance or sit in the words that resonate.
On the topic of resonating, Bad Bunny’s most beloved song on this album, as well as an impactful song, is “DtMF” which stands for the title of the album,”Debí Tirar Más Fotos”. It wasn’t until he performed that track at the Superbowl Halftime that I got very emotional. My father is proudly from the Dominican Republic and moved to New York, where I was then born. My Dominican culture became so important to me: the food, the music, the people, the dialect and the ability to love someone like you’ve known them for your entire life. You will never understand the importance of community until you’ve been a part of another’s, and it feels like family.
Before his Super Bowl performance, Bad Bunny was only seen by some as a “Spanish-only-Non-American Artist”, or when I publicly heard a grown man say he (Bad Bunny) was “trying to make America start speaking Spanish”.
American citizens should know that Puerto Rico is part of America, American citizens should know that America has no official language and American citizens should know what the Statue of Liberty stands for.
It also seems that many American citizens need to re-learn the Pledge of Allegiance. If someone out there forgets the true meaning of America, recite the words “for Liberty and Justice for all”. That “for all” tends to be forgotten quite often. To be American, means to embody the meaning of unity and opportunity.
His performance was to unite every single person, whether that’s for the love of music, the love of community, the love of dancing or just love in general. People would have to go out of their way to have a miserable time while watching an upbeat performance.
If they only care about the fact that it’s in Spanish and they can’t understand, they should do what they’ve done with everything else they’re unfamiliar with and look it up. The internet came out years ago, use it. One doesn’t have to care about the lyrics either, just dance to the beat.
It’s all just meant to be fun. Have fun, be with the people you love, eat good flavoured food and in the wise words of Bad Bunny, “tomar más fotos.”
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