Imagine sitting on the beach, piña colada in hand, coconuts on the ground, and loud music playing in the background. You can feel the palm tree breeze hit your sunglasses and the sun slowly tanning your skin. Now, unless you live on an island or go to Puerto Rico right now, you cannot understand that feeling, the relaxation and energetic vibe of a vacation. What would you think if I told you an album can make you feel like that? An album can invigorate you; if you close your eyes, you can feel a mojito in your hand. Bad Bunny’s new album, DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS, is his best album yet; it brings Puerto Rico to the listener and blasts your troubles out of sight with each beat drop. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Background
You may think: His songs are in Spanish, how can I truly enjoy and listen to his music? Well, the answer is that his music overcomes languages; you don’t need to understand every word to enjoy the upbeat rhythm and lengthy belts. Bad Bunny created his album so that each listener would find a song they liked. There’s a ballad, salsa, reggaeton, a story, and a lesson within his album.
NUEVAYoL
It is a well-known fact that most modern artists reuse and remix past songs; we see this with Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake, to name a few. Bad Bunny uses a Latino grandfather’s favorite song, “Un Verano en Nueva York” by El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico. He begins the song with a burst of trumpets and voices from the past, drops the beat, and changes it to a more lively, modern salsa song. Bad Bunny plays with the past and uses it to inspire his ode to Puerto Rico — how sentimental! If you ever need to get on a Latin grandmother/grandfather’s good side, show them the beginning of Bad Bunny’s song “NUEVAYoL.” You’re welcome.
Turista
Now, if you are into a Taylor Swift ballad, a belting song about a dear ex or past loved one, this song is for you. “TURiSTA” is Bad Bunny’s ballad, a frustration with an ex that never truly understood him. The lyrics aren’t as important as his voice, though he is predominately known as a rapper; Bad Bunny disregards this limitation and sings the entire song. And I need to let it be known his voice is better than you’d think! Bad Bunny delivered a heart-wrenching song, describing an ex as a tourist in his life, one that never truly knew him. It’s a song to keep for a long night.
EoO
We heard salsa and ballads; I understand if you’re not into that. I have something just for you! “EoO“ is Bad Bunny’s song that brings the club to you. If you need motivation to run, hit the gym, walk to class, or want to feel something, this song will wake you up. There are barely any lyrics in this song; it has a beat and some rap lines, but the song makes you feel like moving, and Bad Bunny’s classic reggaeton adlibs are the cherry on top.
DtMF
Finally, the title song. “DtMF,” an acronym for DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS, is the second to last song on the album. This one tells a story where we are said to live in the moment but always wish we told someone how we felt or hugged our dad tighter before saying goodbye or kissing a loved one just for a second longer. He reminds us that we need to take more photos to help us remember as we grow up and our memories start to fade. Bad Bunny — Benito — sings us a lesson: never stop taking photos of memories you never want to forget. And isn’t that just beautiful?
Concluding Thoughts
Even if Bad Bunny is not part of your daily song cycle, add a song, try out a new genre of music, and experience something new. Why not? In one album, Bad Bunny uses ’70s Puerto Rican salsa, meshing reggaeton, and modern ballads to express his love for PR in every musical form possible. If we learned anything together on this discographical journey, it’s to take more photos. Let’s remember every moment worth remembering!