“La música puede unir a los pueblos de una manera extraordinaria.”… “Music can unite people in an extraordinary way.” – Celia Cruz
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, delivered DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS or “I Should’ve Taken More Photos”. Just the day before ‘Día de los Reyes’, a Puerto Rican Holiday called Three Kings Day, Bad Bunny dropped the 17-track album that holds value to the culture and traditions. The music is more than just something you hear on the radio; it is a timeless piece of art with layers of meaning that reveal themselves beyond the first listen. By analyzing my two favorite songs from the album, I aim to contribute to the ongoing conversation and inspire others to take pride in where they come from.
The album opens with ‘NUEVAYoL’, slang for ‘New York’. Track 1 is seen to be inspired by the salsa classic “Un Verano en Nueva York” by Andy Montañez. This track starts with an introduction that includes sounds of reggaetón and salsa genres, then transitions quickly into a more modern sound. This track has themes of being proud to be Puerto Rican, life in New York, and the struggles that come with living away from home – including the feelings of nostalgia. My favorite quote from the opening song is “Un shot de cañita en casa de Toñita y PR se siente cerquita”, or in other words “A shot of rum at Toñita’s house and Puerto Rico feels so close”. Bad Bunny illustrates the similarities between his two homes through this symbolism. In NUEVAYoL, he also emphasizes the resilience of Puerto Rican identity and the importance of community in preserving heritage.
‘DtMF’, or ‘I should’ve taken more photos’ is Track 16 which is an emotional yet beautiful story filled with images of memories and regretting not savoring them more. Yet it is also filled with a message to appreciate the past but to continue to move forward. “Disfrutando de todas esas cosas que extrañan los que se van. Disfrutando de noche de esas que ya no se dan” or “Enjoying all those things missed by those who leave. Enjoying nights like the ones we don’t have anymore” perfectly summarizes the message of this lyrical story of how we should be enjoying each other and every opportunity presented to us for we never know when these days will be our last.
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS is a love letter to all the Hispanic children who grew up waking up to the sound of their parents blasting Spanish music at 7 am on Saturdays while cleaning the house. Those nostalgic songs, often filled with the same rich rhythms and heartfelt lyrics, became the soundtrack of their childhood. Now, Bad Bunny has gifted those same children—who have grown up and are creating their own homes—a soundtrack to listen to on Saturdays. With each song, he bridges generations, blending modern genres with the classic sounds that once filled childhood homes. And this is how we ensure traditions live on. And as a Dominican woman myself, from out with friends or deep cleaning the kitchen, Bad Bunny is not too far behind.