Puerto Rican artist Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, known by his stage name Bad Bunny, is paying homage to his homeland in his sixth studio album released on Jan. 5 “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” which translates to “I should have taken more photos.”
With a history of primarily reggaeton-focused albums, Ocasio went in a fresh direction with “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” in what he considers a “dream.” This album invites listeners to connect and identify with their roots and truly reflect on what matters most to them in the same way it did for him.
Rich with pride, emotion and traditional Puerto Rican styles of music, such as salsa, plena, jíbara and more, this album brings Puerto Rico into the spotlight, celebrating the culture and shining light on the challenges the island and Puerto Ricans are facing. Prior to the album, Ocasio released a short film with the same title following an elderly resident of Puerto Rico and his friend Concho, an animated sapo concho, as they reflect over and navigate the gentrification the island is facing.
Right off the bat in the first track titled “NEUVAYoL,” listeners are hit with a sample many Hispanics and Latinos are familiar with: “Un Verano en Nueva York” by Andy Montañez and El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. This sample has brought a wave of nostalgia and surprise for many listeners as this 1975 salsa classic has now been mixed with dembow and reggaeton, creating a collision of Caribbean culture.
This song encapsulates the nuyorican — a person of Puerto Rican descent who lives in or is from New York — summer experience. This song speaks to a struggle many Puerto Ricans, Latin and Hispanic people may face in the States of not feeling connected to one’s culture because of distance, especially in a diverse place like New York. Yet it highlights the significance of those areas that keep you rooted. Through the familiar sample and the resonating lyrics, this opening track does a swell job of reeling in and keeping people hooked for what’s to come.
Ocasio has said his third track “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” is his personal favorite of the album. This six-minute track is the longest on the album and is the epitome of classic salsa as it features a live salsa band. Trumpets, piano, congas and more, create an incentive to get up and dance, but are paired with melancholic lyrics of Ocasio thinking back on a relationship he once thought would last forever.
In this, he struggles with moving on and forgetting this person, which is reflected in the chorus “No, no te puedo olvidar / No, no te puedo borrar / Tú me enseñaste a querer /Me enseñaste a bailar,” which translates to “No I can’t forget you / No I can’t erase you / You taught me how to love / You taught me how to dance.” The heartfelt and longing lyrics of cherishing the one you love being paired with the lively salsa make this song an “unforgettable dance.”
Love and heartbreak are recurring themes in the album. Jumping ahead to track 11 is “TURiSTA,” the first song featured in the short film. Ocasio takes a softer approach with vocals and a guitar to reflect how he was treated in a past relationship. In the lyrics “En mi vida fuiste turista / Tú sólo viste lo mejor de mí y no lo que yo sufría,” Ocasio said this person in his life served as a tourist, as they were around for a short time, only saw the best of him and ignored how he was suffering. Later on he sings “Que lleva así, lleva así mucho tiempo / Que lleva así, lleva así muchos año,’” saying it’s been like this for a long time. Though he’s speaking of a relationship, the lyrics can be said about the island of Puerto Rico itself. This song speaks to the tourists who come to the island for a good time and only look for the beauty and fun, not noticing the many ways in which the island and people are struggling due to tourism and how it’s been an ongoing issue.
Arguably the saddest song and the most eye-opening for those outside the island or culture is track 14, “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii.” In this slow yet urgent song, Ocasio brings up the harsh reality many on the island are facing: gentrification.
In the lyrics “Se oye al jíbaro llorando, otro más que se marchó / No quería irse pa’ Orlando, pero el corrupto lo echó,” he sings sorrowfully of a local farmer pushed out of the island by the U.S. government and U.S. businesses taking the land, forcing him to move to Orlando, Florida, a trend among Puerto Ricans today. He speaks on how those coming into Puerto Rico are taking up the island’s natural beauty and the neighborhoods.
He compares the situation heavily to Hawaii and how it was once its own until it became a state, something Ocasio fears for Puerto Rico. He touches on the history of Puerto Rico as well, and not wanting the island to lose touch with its culture, such as waving the flag and listening to its cultural music in the lyrics “No, no suelte’ la bandera ni olvide’ el lelolai / Que no quiero que hagan contigo lo que le pasó a Hawái.” This track serves as a call for help, seemingly to those of younger generations of Puerto Rican heritage, to protect not only the island but the culture through means of repetitive lyrics and the building instrumental and natural island sounds.
Track 16, the abbreviated album title is “DtMF.” This is a fitting song to capture the essence of wanting to connect with, remember and appreciate the little things and people who matter to you. This is something Ocasio aimed to make listeners realize throughout the entire album, and did so in a nostalgic way in this track by having people come together to sing the chorus and laugh and make jokes at the end, making it seem like you are surrounded by your own loved ones.
If the rest of the album didn’t give it away, the final track “LA MuDANZA” is Ocasio’s final attempt at shouting “I am Puerto Rican and I’m proud!” Before jumping into an exciting, energetic and overall fun mix of Puerto Rican instrumental to get you dancing, Ocasio narrates the story of how his parents met and gives his appreciation to all they did. After this, he moves onto his next verse, highlighting his own success and then saying “Aquí mataron gente por sacar la bandera / Por eso es que ahora yo la llevo donde quiera, cabrón.” Here he speaks on his Puerto Rican pride, mentioning how he proudly waves the flag in honor of Puerto Rican history where people were killed for waving it.
In his final verse, “De aquí nadie me saca, de aquí yo no me muevo / Dile que esta es mi casa donde nació mi abuelo / Yo soy de P f—–’ R,” Ocasio shares how despite his fame, he will forever and always remain in Puerto Rico, where his grandfather was born, and will forever and proudly be Puerto Rican. Through the lyrics, and the abundance of Puerto Rican pride heard through the upbeat and happy sounds, this final track solidifies his love for the island, his culture and himself, and encourages others to do the same.
Through this album and actions following its release, such as a residency tour in Puerto Rico, Ocasio has made it clear this album is for Puerto Rico and what the island, its culture and its people mean to him.
