SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – During the first week of Bad Bunny’s historic residency, fans wore costumes inspired by Puerto Rican folk culture, including traditional “Givalo” outfits known as “La Pava.”
Fashion choices are a statement. It matches the theme of his 30-show concert series: “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” is translated to “I don’t want to leave here.”
The concert brings to life the song “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” by Bad Bunny, or “I should have taken more photos.”
On top of that, Bad Bunny sings that he needs to stay in Puerto Rico and cherish its people and history. Most of the lyrics speak to Puerto Rico’s political reality and cultural heritage.
And for Puerto Ricans on US territory and those living in the mainland of the US, it’s all about focusing on their beloved Caribbean archipelago.
“We feel like we’re home,” Ivy Torres told NBC News. She and her spouse Alexis are one of the more than 600,000 people who are expected to visit Puerto Rico this summer and watch the show. This is the first formal residency ever to be at Josem Miguel Agrelot in Puerto Rico, the island’s largest indoor entertainment arena, and at Josem Miguel Agrelot in Coliseo de Puerto Rico, an indoor entertainment arena of over 18,000 people.
“It’s a great way to reunite with family, friends and everything we’ve left behind,” Alexis said.
The couple moved from Puerto Rico to Ohio 10 years ago amid the island’s economic crisis. “It was tough,” Ivy said. “We didn’t want to leave our family or friends, but we had to.”
Bad Bunny sings about this emotion in his song “lo que lepasóa hawaii” (“What happened to Hawaii?”). The song addresses the fears of Puerto Rican identity erosion amid the influx of wealthy people from the mainland who moved there after the passing of tax credits and the recent rise in short-term rentals that limit affordable housing opportunities for local residents.
Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio-born Bad Bunny has been a global success in Spanish, popularizing Puerto Rican slang around the world, and spotlighting the lights of Puerto Rican people.
“He’s doing his music for Puerto Rico.”
That’s why, for Puerto Rico resident Veronica Gonzalez, it “means everything stars like Benito are singing for us,” she told NBC News. “He does his music for Puerto Rico and he thinks about us.”
Albums and Residency effectively bring fans to an emotional journey that combines contemporary genres such as reggaeton and denbo with traditional rhythms such as Bonbai Prena and 1970s salsa music.
Within the Old San Juan restaurant, Puerto Rican artist and painter Joe Bel Ortiz is exhibiting an art exhibit dedicated to Bad Bunny and his latest album.
Ortiz mixes traditional symbols of Puerto Rican culture, such as “La Pava” with images of superstars.
Puerto Rican officials estimate that bad bunny residents will have more than $186 million in financial impact, creating more than 3,600 jobs and more than 35,000 hotel night bookings.
But for his fans, it focuses on the essence of bad bunnies being Puerto Ricans who resonate with people the most.
“We’ve had a new impact on the world,” Ortiz told NBC News. “The new impact is about our culture, the ideas we have gained on the island, and how we do it, how we speak, how we love it, and who we are.”
Daniel Rodriguez, Jose Diaz Barato and Leslie Ignacio reported from Nicole Acevedo of San Juan, Puerto Rico and New York.
