H P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance

Díaz (Manufacturing Celebrity) and Rivera-Rideau (Remixing Reggaeton), creators of the Bad Bunny Syllabus, an initiative that explores how Bad Bunny has drawn attention to Puerto Rican history and resistance, team up for a smart, meticulous analysis of how the rapper has used his platform to advocate for the island. Since breaking out in 2016 via Soundcloud, Bad Bunny has used his music to protest government corruption and economic crises, as well as draw attention to the devastation of Hurricane Maria and broader issues like the territory’s history of colonial rule. The authors analyze overt critiques in songs like “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii,” which condemns the “ongoing effects of US imperialism” by invoking Hawaii as a cautionary tale, more subtle references (including to Vuelve Candy B, “the most famous Puerto Rican [race] horse,” on his 2023 album Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana), and celebrations of Latin music genres like salsa and reggaeton. Though the authors draw ample context from interviews with the rapper’s collaborators and contemporaries, they take care to situate his contributions within a long tradition of Puerto Rican resistance that uses “everyday” art and music to both celebrate identity and critique society. The result is an insightful consideration of the rapper’s significance and the many ways art can serve as protest. (Jan.)