Bad Bunny's DtMF Speaks What the Media Won't About Puerto Rico

Bad Bunny’s latest studio album, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” (DtMF), released on January 5, 2025, is both a homage to Puerto Rico and a bold statement on the island’s cultural and political struggles. From the sounds of bomba and plena to the sharp lyrics about gentrification and displacement, DtMF is a reminder of what it means to use art to spark critical conversations and drive social change.

Bad Bunny’s Political Activism

Bad Bunny’s journey as a political advocate can be traced back to the 2019 protests in Puerto Rico, which demanded the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló following leaked chats exposing corruption and derogatory comments. Bad Bunny joined thousands of Puerto Ricans in the streets, using his voice to denounce a system that had, in his words, “taught people to stay quiet.” His social media posts during this time encouraged people to protest, amplifying the movement that led to Rosselló’s resignation.

Since then, Bad Bunny has been consistent with his advocacy for political engagement. In 2024, as Puerto Rico prepared for a critical election, he spoke out against voter apathy, urging young people to register and vote. His comments came after data revealed that 75% of newly eligible voters under 21 hadn’t registered. Bad Bunny has also been critical of the laws and policies that increase inequality in Puerto Rico.

He’s been outspoken against Acts 20 and 22 (now combined into Act 60), which offer tax incentives for wealthy U.S. citizens to move to Puerto Rico. While marketed as a way to boost the island’s economy, these laws have contributed to gentrification, rising housing costs, and the displacement of local communities. Bad Bunny has also used his platform to address global social issues. He has been supporting LGBTQ+ rights, often challenging gender norms through his fashion and performances, speaking up against gender violence, and raising awareness about environmental issues for years.

DtMF: Bad Bunny's Love Letter to Puerto Rico

Bad Bunny’s music is often a platform for his activism, combining catchy beats with sharp social commentary. In 2018, his song “Estamos Bien” became an anthem for resilience after Hurricane Maria, calling attention to the U.S. government’s neglect in the disaster’s aftermath. In 2022, the music video for his song “El Apagón,” transitioned into an 18-minute documentary exploring Puerto Rico’s power grid failures, gentrification, and colonial legacy.

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DtMF is Bad Bunny's most Puerto Rican and politically charged album to date, featuring traditional island sounds and contemporary urban beats. In this album, Bad Bunny plays with a variety of genres, including salsa, plena, bomba, and música típica as a way to highlight the island’s musical heritage and dive deep into his own identity with impressive emotional vulnerability. He also teamed up with local artists and students from Escuela Libre de Música San Juan, making space for some of Puerto Rico’s emerging talent to shine.

In an interview with Time Magazine, he shared, “This is an album of Puerto Rican music, and a completely different vibe from what any other artist has done. I found what my roots are: the sound that represents me.” In songs like "LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii," he draws parallels between Puerto Rico and Hawaii, warning against the dangers of cultural erosion and over-tourism. He sings:

“Quieren quitarme el río y también la playa

Quieren el barrio mío y que abuelita se vaya

No, no suelte' la bandera ni olvide' el lelolai

Que no quiero que hagan contigo lo que le pasó a Hawái”

This translates to:

"They want to take away the river and also the beach,

They want my neighborhood and grandma to leave

No, don't let go of the flag and don’t forget the lelolai

I don't want them to do with you what happened to Hawaii"

With these lyrics, he highlights fears among Puerto Ricans about losing their cultural identity as a result of Act 60, which has prompted an influx of rich Americans seeking to take advantage of tax incentives. Between 2021 and 2022, about 27,000 people moved from the U.S. mainland to Puerto Rico, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

In “TURiSTA,” he critiques tourism in Puerto Rico through a relationship analogy. In the same Time Magazine interview, he explained, “Tourists come here [to Puerto Rico] to enjoy the beautiful places, and then they leave and they don't have to deal with the problems that Puerto Ricans have to deal with day-to-day. Translating that analogy to a romance, there are also people who arrive to share [memories with you] and only see the best part of you [...] and they leave. They couldn't see that part of each one of us: the defects, the trauma, the worries, the pains, the wounds of the past. It's like they were a tourist in your life.”

Alongside the album, Bad Bunny released a short film with the same name and it’s a visual companion to the album, touching on themes of cultural identity, memory, and the importance of preserving Puerto Rican heritage in the face of modernization and outside influences. Like the album, the short film is a moving call to action, urging audiences to value and protect their cultural roots while acknowledging the inevitability of change.

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Latino Artists as Catalysts for Social Change

Bad Bunny isn’t alone in using art as a tool for change. Latino artists across the board have always been at the forefront of activism, from the Mexican muralists of the early 20th century to today’s artists and movements, such as Teresa Margolles, who confronts themes of violence and identity within the context of drug-related crimes and political corruption in Mexico.

Social media and digital platforms have amplified these efforts, allowing artists to reach more people and add more fuel to movements that affect Latine communities. While artists play a big role due to their massive platforms, the role of audiences can’t be understated when it comes to amplifying their messages and, more importantly, taking action to drive progress and change.

The lack of mainstream coverage on many of the issues that Bad Bunny is highlighting in DtMF proves how important it is to have alternative platforms for raising awareness and inspiring action. As artists continue to use their artistic expression for social change, audiences are reminded that art isn’t only a medium to share and consume stories, but a powerful tool to shape them.