The File: Bad Bunny

Language barriers, gender norms, the sheer boringness of quarantine—none of it stands a chance against Bad Bunny, the artist remaking pop in his own wild image.

- By Gary Suarez

FEW MUSICIANS HUSTLED harder in these dire covid times than Bad Bunny: The Puerto Rican artist released three albums last year, including the first-ever Spanish-language album to top “The Billboard 200,” El Último Tour del Mundo. His rise is only surprising if you haven’t been watching closely. Since breaking into the American mainstream as a guest on Cardi B’s 2018 bilingual boogaloo, “I Like It,” Bad Bunny’s prolific energy and fashion sense have transformed him into an unconventional and unpredictable icon with an upcoming big-screen debut opposite Brad Pitt.

HIS EARLY YEARS

Born March 10, 1994, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio grew up in Vega Baja, a town on Puerto Rico’s North Coast. The son of a teacher and a truck driver, he shared his parents’ love for merengue and salsa as well as for the homegrown sounds of reggaeton. He went from singing in a church choir to posting his own beats and rhymes on a SoundCloud page, drawing interest from would-be collaborators and producers hoping to connect with the then–supermarket bagger. They included Noah Assad, who became his manager and—after persuading Benito to quit his day job—made him the marquee artist of his Rimas Entertainment imprint.

HIS FAVORITE HOOKAH FLAVOR Mint

HE FLOUTS GENDER NORMS