Bad Bunny's new album issues bold political statement on Puerto Rico: ‘I don’t want it to be Hawaii'

Bad Bunny's newly released album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos (DTMF), is not just a love letter to Puerto Rico but also a daring political statement.

Published on: Jan 8, 2025, 14:48:35 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny's newly released album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos (DTMF), is not just a love letter to Puerto Rico but also a daring political statement. With this project, the worldwide superstar, whose true name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is returning to his musical and ideological roots.

Bold Bunny has never avoided discussing politics and DBTMF is his most candid album to date and offers a sobering analysis of Puerto Rico's complicated relationship with the US. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

The album addresses important socio-political challenges that Puerto Ricans deal with on a regular basis while weaving together an array of the island's musical genres, including reggaeton, dembow, plena, and salsa.

Puerto Rico and controversy during election campaign

The album comes after Puerto Rico hit headlines during the 2024 presidential election campaign of Donald Trump. In his rally in New York, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe denounced Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage,” drawing huge criticism from Boricuas.

In the presidential race, Bad Bunny supported Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. In an interview with The New York Times, he spoke about his album, saying: “It wasn't funny” and stressed that it is devoted to protecting Puerto Rico's culture and identity.

Also Read: Puerto Rican Archbishop fumes over Tony Hinchcliffe's racist remarks, seeks apology from Trump: ‘Humour has it limits'

Inspiration behind Bad Bunny's album

Interestingly, Bold Bunny has never avoided discussing politics and DBTMF is his most candid album to date and offers a sobering analysis of Puerto Rico's complicated relationship with the US. His concerns about Puerto Rico becoming a state like Hawaii, a contentious topic that has generated discussion among Puerto Ricans for generations, are expressed in one track.

“They want to take away the river and also the beach, they want my neighborhood and grandma to leave. Don't let go of the flag... I don't want them to do with you what happened to Hawaii,” he sings, highlighting fears among Puerto Ricans.

The lyrics of his song also emphasises the fights against colonial legacy and cultural erosion.

Bad Bunny discussed the album's motivation and his wish to rediscover Puerto Rico's soul during an interview with TIME. He expressed disappointment at the surge of visitors who enjoy the island's natural beauty without addressing its structural problems.

“Tourists come here 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,” the singer said.

However, in contrast to Bad Bunny's wish, the majority of Puerto Ricans voted in favor of statehood in a nonbinding referendum.

The United States annexed both Puerto Rico and Hawaii in 1898. After becoming a state in 1959, Hawaii witnessed industrialization and rapid growth in tourism but at the cost of its cultural autonomy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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