In creating and releasing his latest album, “Debi Tirar Más Fotos,” which translates to “I Should’ve Taken More Pictures,” Benito Antonio Martinez, more popularly known as ‘Bad Bunny,’ drew inspiration from multiple aspects of Puerto Rican culture. This album sends a message to the world about Puerto Rico’s colonization and socioeconomic issues while also highlighting the island’s beauty and rich history.
As he stated in an interview with The New York Times, Bad Bunny describes a central message of the album, which is about the importance of not just taking more pictures but cherishing the people you want to take pictures with. While many interpret this to apply to the artist’s personal life, others seem to believe that it also revolves around preserving the history and culture of the island of Puerto Rico in the face of its ongoing gentrification, due to its history of colonization from the United States. Bad Bunny employs a plethora of colloquial and musical references about the island throughout the album that resonate with Puerto Ricans everywhere.
When listening to the album, one can spot different references to spots around the island, from Santurce, a popular and urban area in the municipality of San Juan, to the municipalities of Morovis and Bayamon, as well as “Maya,” a colloquial name for the municipality of Mayagüez. He also mentions “El Pozo de Jacinto,” an open sea cave in the municipality of Isabela that is popularly known for its local legend. In the first track of the album, “NUEVAYol,” Bad Bunny references “la Casa de Toñitas,” a Caribbean social club located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that has become an important spot for Puerto Ricans living in New York.
In addition to local references, many musical references are made in the album, with the first example being in the first track, where El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico’s “Un Verano en Nueva York” plays in the beginning seconds of the song. Bad Bunny also samples Héctor & Tito’s, a popular reggaeton duo from the late 90s to the early 2000s, song “Tra-Tra” in EeO. He also uses salsa and plena in songs like “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” and “CAFé CON RON.”
However, one of the most important tracks of the album, which exemplifies the anti-colonial rhetoric on the island and serves as a warning message, is “LO QUE LE PASO A HAWAII.” This song has a truly important message where Bad Bunny parallels the negative effects tourism and gentrification have had on Hawaii and what may potentially affect Puerto Rico and its inhabitants if they don’t take action. More so, he talks about the Puerto Rican diaspora that has taken place due to gentrification caused by tax breaks given to foreigners who decide to buy property on the island. In the song, Bad Bunny employs powerful sounds, such as that of a rooster typically heard on the island, and of the coqui, a tree frog that has become synonymous with Puerto Rico. More importantly, at the end of the track, he samples an instrumental of the “Revolutionary Hymn of Puerto Rico,” written by Lola Rodríguez de Tió in 1867 and later adapted in 1952. In anticipation of the album, Bad Bunny released a short film with the same name as the album, highlighting these issues.
This album holds a special place in Puerto Ricans’ hearts, not just for its message but for its references and influences that help increase visibility for the island. Not only is this album a love letter to Puerto Rico, but it is also a message to the rest of the world saying, “We are here and we are not going anywhere.”
Stream “Debi Tirar Más Fotos” now!
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