Bad Bunny's Never-ending Activism
Bad Bunny's Never-ending Activism
By Leslie Hernandez
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, was born on March 10th, 1994, in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. He was raised in a lower-middle-class household in Vega Baja, having experienced intense strife from an early age. Having been a part of his local Catholic church choir until his teens, music was always of major interest to the singer. Outside of the choir, he was occasionally found creating beats and free-styling as well. Martínez Ocasio was a part of the audiovisual communications program at the University of Puerto Rico’s Arecibo campus, and he funded his studies by working as a bag boy at an Econo supermarket.
Although he had distracted himself with music since his youth, Martínez Ocasio’s music did not get very far beyond the confines of his town until 2016, when his song, “Diles,” went viral. This blowup facilitated his worldwide musical takeover, where he was able to release one successful song after another, going on to collaborate with other established artists across the world. Over the next few years, Martínez Ocasio solidified himself as a worldwide superstar, releasing award-winning albums that captivated the general public. With his newfound fame, Martínez Ocasio was not only able to produce successful music collaborations but he was able to venture into personal projects that once felt like dreams. Yet, this fame and glory did not make him forget his humble beginnings.
While Martínez Ocasio was enjoying his success and fame, he still was affected by the injustices faced by everyday Puerto Ricans. This fueled his activism to advocate for himself and his fellow Puerto Ricans. Although he is not exclusive to his activism, his advocacy has been tied to his music for some time.
One of Martínez Ocasio’s first blend of activism and music came about in 2018 on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. It was his first-ever US performance on national television, and he utilized it to shed light on the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the lackluster response from the US government. At the beginning of his performance, flashes of videos taken while the hurricane ravaged Puerto Rico were played. The star then performed “Estamos Bien,” one of his most popular songs at the time, while videos of the island and its inhabitants played behind him. This performance not only highlighted the island’s resilience but also the problems they still faced after being devastated by the hurricane and borderline abandoned by the government.
Beyond his pride for Puerto Rico, Martínez Ocasio also works hard to reflect his connection to the queer community, advocating for them through speech and song. He has staunchly defended LGBTQ+ rights, and his public exploration of his gender-fluid presentation has allowed the younger generation to fearlessly explore their own presentations. When Martínez Ocasio returned to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to promote his new album, “YHLQMDLG,” he wore a shirt that read, “Mataron a Alexa, no a un hombre con falda,” referencing the horrific murder of a trans woman named Alexa Negrón. The shirt resolutely critiqued how the initial police report described the victim as “a man in a skirt,” calling out the authorities for their transparent transphobia. During his performance of “Ignorantes” with fellow artist Sech, Martínez Ocasio completely revealed the shirt and drew emphasis to it. As he grew into his newfound fame, Martínez Ocasio began to openly explore his own gender presentation through clothes and other typically “feminine” things to convey that clothes and colors do not have to be exclusive to a specific gender. In Puerto Rico, where LGBTQ+ communities endure pervasive institutional discrimination and physical violence, Martínez Ocasio’s gender expression creates a crucial social influence.
Heavily intertwined with his support for the LGBTQ+, Martínez Ocasio has also utilized his music to shed light on issues faced by women, not only in Puerto Rico but worldwide. The music video of his song “Solo de Mi” features an abuse victim as the main character, as she is seen freeing herself from her toxic and abusive relationship, advocating for the freedom and security of women. Another instance of this is seen in his music video for “Yo Perreo Sola,” a song about women having power and pride over their sexuality and perception. In the video, he plays all of the female roles, dressing as a woman and sexualizing himself in the way women are often depicted in these types of music videos, thereby criticizing the industry and advocating for female self-pride. Similarly, his song “Andrea” is about the harassment, shame, and violence women face on a daily. The woman alluded to, Andrea, is an independent woman who is aiming for something more than what her home has to offer. Although she is autonomous and strong, she, too, longs for someone to understand her and faces constant obstacles in her search for happiness. Resonating with women around the world, these songs have been employed by women as hymns of empowerment within a genre that typically oversexualizes them.
One of Martínez Ocasio’s most recent and significant forays into activism was seen in the RIMAS video for his song “El Apagón.” The video, titled “El Apagón - Aquí Vive Gente”, begins as a mere music video for the song, featuring random citizens and flashes of different Puerto Rican icons from Rapper Tego Calderón to Activist Pedro Albizu Campos, a key figure in the Puerto Rico independence movement. The video also includes footage from the 2019 protests in response to Telegramgate, a political scandal involving the then-governor of the island, Ricardo Rosselló. After the 4:33 mark, though, the video shifts to become a documentary, “Aquí Vive Gente,” by independent journalist Bianca Graulau. The documentary addresses the displacement of Puerto Ricans on the island due to colonialism and laws like Act 22—now part of Act 60—which attracts wealthy foreigners to the state by offering tax-related benefits. The film illustrates how ordinary people experience eviction, unmanageable living expenses, and even the perilous impacts of climate change, all stemming from broader colonial histories and policies. Bringing attention to these injustices, the video points out to the world how Puerto Ricans are being treated on their own island, prompting a call to action for his supporters.
Although the music video itself was highly impactful, Martínez Ocasio’s staunch participation in the Telegramgate protests was also vital to his cause. Stemming from a leaked group chat where Ricardo Roselló and his cabinet mocked those who died in Hurricane Maria, using misogynistic and homophobic insults that reflected class bias, the protests occurred during the summer months, drawing in up to a million protestors a day asking for the governor’s resignation. While they were not the sole reason for the protests’ success, the presence of celebrities like Martínez Ocasio helped inspire more to come out and fight, especially young people, leading to Roselló’s eventual resignation.
Unlike many modern celebrities, Martínez Ocasio is highly aware of the magnitude of his platform and how he can use it to improve the circumstances of the Puerto Rican people. Having lived in these same circumstances in his youth, he understands their perspectives and seeks to spread awareness so new generations will never have to experience the struggles of his past. Now, Martínez Ocasio has the chance to help others, from his own family to his fellow Puerto Ricans, and this is evidently not an opportunity he is willing to overlook.
