Bad Bunny has given Puerto Rico a 'new influence' on the world stage, proud fans say
Share and Follow

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — During the first week of Bad Bunny’s historic residency, fans sported outfits inspired by Puerto Rican folkloric culture, including straw hats known as “la pava” and traditional “jíbaro” attire, reflective of rural Puerto Ricans who worked on farms until the 19th century.

The fashion choice is a statement. It’s consistent with the theme of his 30-show concert series: “No me quiero ir de aquí,” which translates to “I do not want to leave here.”

The concerts bring to life the songs on Bad Bunny’s sixth studio album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” or “I Should Have Taken More Photos,” which the artist has dubbed as his “most Puerto Rican” album yet.

Bad Bunny fans.
People hold a Puerto Rican flag outside the Coliseo de Puerto Rico on July 11.Ricardo Arduengo / AFP – Getty Images

On it, Bad Bunny sings of his need to stay in Puerto Rico and cherish its people and history. Most of the lyrics speak to Puerto Rico’s political realities and cultural legacy.

And for Puerto Ricans in the U.S. territory as well as those who live on the U.S. mainland, the focus on their beloved Caribbean archipelago is everything.

“It feels like we’re home,” Ivy Torres told NBC News. She and her spouse, Alexis, are among the more than 600,000 people who are expected to visit Puerto Rico this summer to see the show — which is the first formal residency any singer has ever done at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot, the biggest indoor entertainment arena on the island, seating over 18,000 people.

Venue of Bad Bunny's residency.
Bad Bunny in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 11.Alejandro Granadillo / AP

“It’s a great way to reconnect with your family, friends and everything we left behind,” Alexis said.

The couple moved to Ohio from Puerto Rico a decade ago during the height of the economic crisis on the island. “It was hard,” Ivy said. “We didn’t want to leave our family and friends, but we had to.”

Bad Bunny sings about this sentiment in his song “Lo que le pasó a Hawaii” (“What happened to Hawaii”). The song addresses fears around the erosion of Puerto Rican identity amid an influx of wealthy people from the mainland who have moved there following the passage of tax breaks, as well as a recent rise in short-term rentals that limit affordable housing opportunities for local residents.

Bad Bunny.
Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 11.Ricardo Arduengo / AFP – Getty Images

Born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Bad Bunny reached global success singing in Spanish, popularizing Puerto Rican slang across the world and putting a spotlight on the plight of Puerto Rican people.

‘He does his music for Puerto Rico’

That’s why for Puerto Rico resident Verónica González, it “means everything having a star like Benito singing for us,” she told NBC News. “He does his music for Puerto Rico, and he thinks about us.”

The album and residency effectively take fans on an emotional journey that fuses contemporary genres like reggaeton and dembow with traditional rhythms such as bomba y plena and 1970s salsa music.

Inside a restaurant in Old San Juan, Puerto Rican artist and painter Joabel Ortiz has been showing an art exhibit dedicated to Bad Bunny and his latest album.

Concert attendees.
Fans attend the first show of Bad Bunny’s 30-date concert residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 11.Alejandro Granadillo / AP

Ortiz mixes traditional symbols of Puerto Rican culture like “la pava” with images of the superstar — highlighting the through line that connects a present-day cultural phenomenon like Bad Bunny to the roots of Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rican officials estimate Bad Bunny’s residency will have an economic impact of more than $186 million, generating more than 3,600 jobs and resulting in more than 35,000 hotel night bookings.

But to his fans, it’s Bad Bunny’s focus on the people and the essence of what it is to be Puerto Rican that resonates the most.

“We got a new influence to the world,” Ortiz told NBC News. “That new influence is about our culture, about the ideas we got in the island, and how we do everything, how we speak, how we love, how we remember who we are.”

Daniel Rodriguez, José Díaz-Balart and Leslie Ignacio reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Nicole Acevedo from New York.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Slain woman's ex-husband is charged with murdering her and husband

Former Husband Faces Enhanced Murder Charges

Charges against a cardiovascular surgeon, previously married to a woman found dead…
Bill Maher is mocked by Wanda Sykes on stage at 2026 Golden Globes

Wanda Sykes Roasts Bill Maher at 2026 Golden Globes – A Night of Laughter and Controversy

Bill Maher, known for his role as the host of HBO’s Real…
JSO: Investigation underway after in-custody death reported at local hospital

JSO Launches Investigation Following In-Custody Death at Jacksonville Hospital

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has reported that an inmate passed away, and…
Minnesota sues federal government to limit ICE operations

Minnesota Initiates Legal Action Against Federal Government to Restrict ICE Activities

A legal battle has ensued as the FBI excludes state officials from…
Leather-clad Scott Weiner bends to anti-Israel hecklers, calls Gaza ‘genocide’

Scott Weiner, Dressed in Leather, Addresses Anti-Israel Protesters, Labels Situation in Gaza as ‘Genocide

California state Senator Scott Wiener found himself bowing to pressure from a…
Golden Globes 2026 worst dressed: Snoop Dogg leads the list

Fashion Faux Pas: Snoop Dogg Tops the 2026 Golden Globes Worst Dressed List

The 2026 Golden Globe Awards have officially kicked off, drawing a constellation…
New video shows minutes leading up to deadly Minneapolis ICE shooting

Unveiled Footage: Critical Moments Before Fatal Minneapolis ICE Shooting Captured on Video

Newly released video footage surfaced on Saturday, capturing the moments leading up…
Driver appears to ram U-Haul truck through crowd during Iran protest in Los Angeles

U-Haul Truck Allegedly Driven into Crowd at Los Angeles Iran Protest

A tense scene unfolded in Los Angeles as a U-Haul truck reportedly…