Benito Antonia Martinez Ocasio, a Puerto Rican rapper better known by his stage name Bad Bunny, recently released his album YHLQMDLG. His longest and most impressive album yet, this newest album is stunning critics and fans alike. According to the music review site Pitchfork, Bad Bunny stands out for his ability to create music that both “pays homage to reggaetón’s past and future.”
YHLQMDLG stands for “Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana” which translates to “I do whatever I want,” a fitting title for the general tone of this album. In an interview with Billboard, Bad Bunny said, “When I make music, my vision goes beyond the numbers… I do whatever I want, and it’s based on feelings.”
The beast of an album has a whopping 20 tracks, his longest album by far. My favorite song on the album is the opening track “Si Veo a Tu Mama.” It’s underlying beat reminds me somewhat of a cute tune you’d hear in the background of some cute game like Animal Crossing but mixed with a clearly Puerto Rican beat and pretty morose Spanish lyrics. The music video for the song adds to the story, depicting a scene of a man contemplating suicide at a party when a little boy comes up to him and introduces him to Bad Bunny’s music.
One notable moment from when the album came out is Bad Bunny’s appearance on The Tonight Show where he performed his song “Ignorantes” while wearing a skirt, nail polish, and a shirt reading “Mataron a Alexa, no a un hombre con falda” meaning “They killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt.” The shirt is a reference to Alexa Negrón Luciano, a transgender woman who was murdered in Puerto Rico in February.
Although he’s only had a relatively short career, he has already distinguished himself as revolutionary in the reggaetón and urbano genre. Not only does his music focus on innovative sounds but unique storytelling as well.
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