Yo soy de P fuckin’ R.
“LA MuDANZA,” Track 17 on Debí Tirar Más Fotos
Benito Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, is one of the decade’s highly acclaimed artists. His trademark mix of reggeatón, Latin Trap, dembow and pop into a singular sound has generated billions of streams, catapulting him beyond Latin Pop radio to international superstardom. But amid all this success, where is Benito’s voice? Though I have sincerely loved experiencing Bad Bunny’s recent records — Un Verano Sin Ti (2022) and nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana (2023) — there has been a lingering sense of commerciality in many of his melodies. It is as if his sound was designed as a one-size-fits-all: for the club and the car, for the best and the worst days. If Bad Bunny’s discography exists as a soundtrack for everyone in this way, it also bears the risk of serving no one in particular, of being unintentional. While Bad Bunny’s 2022-2023 efforts are by no means poor additions to his discography, the Bad Bunny attainments have come at the expense of authenticity to Benito’s identity.
That is, until now. Debí Tirar Más Fotos [I Should Have Taken More Photos] (2025) is transportive; it is designed to share everything that makes up Benito Martínez, from his beginnings to his present. A love letter to his culture, people and home, Debí Tirar Más Fotos does not dilute Benito’s artistic upbringing in the name of international commercial appeal. Complete with traditional Puerto Rican Folk, salsa and Boricua slang, this record is a testament to the vibrant diversity and yet, univocality, of Puerto Rican (PR) culture and rhythm. The first track wastes no time in declaring exactly this: “NUEVAYoL” blends the distinctly PR sound of dembow and salsa into Bad Bunny’s characteristically infectious pop appeal, thus preserving international appeal while foregrounding Benito’s cultural roots.
Like many Bad Bunny albums, this record is heavily melancholic. Songs like “BAILE INoLVIDABLE,” “KETU TeCRÉ,” “TURiSTA,” “DtMF” and “KLOuFRENS” speak volumes on heartbreak and loss. Among these tear-jerkers, “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” stands out as a timeless, lyrically traditional song of sorrow. Deep vocals echo, “I thought I was going to get old with you,” while resonant synths hold up the back. When the track picks up, it evolves into a danceable salsa ode to lost love, one that originally taught him to dance. “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” is a masterclass in Benito’s specialty cookery: it balances live instruments that blare a joyous melody and lyrics that shatter the listener’s heart.
Whether the lyrical mood is somber or not, Benito keeps the beat moving and bumping. Tracks like “PERFuMITO NUEVO” and “EL CLúB” carry the album to the clubs. The euphoric vocals from Puerto Rican artist RaiNao give a full-bodied feel to the former, and the rich tones of deep house bass perfectly blend with Afro-Peurto Rican Plena on the latter. These artistic choices illustrate Benito’s pure intentionality in showcasing Puerto Rico, allowing the audience to step into another corner of Benito’s home with each track.
Of course, Benito’s exposition of home would not be complete without old-school reggeatón tracks in his mix. “VeLDÁ,” “EoO” and “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR” deliver a raunchy and unpolished perreo sound that — despite the transnational ubiquity the genre now enjoys — originated in PR. Benito even acknowledges this heritage in “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR:” “Aquí nací yo y el reguetón” [“I was born here and so was reggeatón”]. This line underscores the album’s emphasis on the expression and power of embracing music’s cultural fingerprint.
I was born here and so was reggeatón.
Translated from “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR,” Track 2 on Debí Tirar Más Fotos
But this is not only Benito’s nostalgic love letter to PR, this is a homecoming. As such, the 2025 album vividly takes on the role of activism and rebelión through some of the album’s most notable tracks. “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” urges protection for Puerto Rico’s sovereignty amidst the colonialist domination of the United States, citing Hawaii as an example of this cruel historical pattern. With the captivating sound of a folk instrument called el güiro, Benito tells one of his most somber stories yet, pleading with the people of PR to “No suelte’ la bandera” [“Never let go of the flag”].
“CAFé CON RON” and “LA MuDANZA” pan out to be the anthemic tracks of this record. “CAFé CON RON” illustrates a vibrant party that invites Puerto Ricans to “come off their balconies” to celebrate PR and its culture. Collaborating with Los Pleneros de la Cresta, a folk group native to Puerto Rico, the track builds energetic rhythms, heavy percussion and plenty of plena to get the whole neighborhood Bailando [dancing]. “LA MuDANZA” caps off the album with peak sonic energy. The track begins with a spoken word biographical narration of Benito’s parents and his own subsequent birth, then transitions into an energetic salsa that lyrically reaffirms the album’s message: Benito’s commitment to his sound, heritage and above all, Puerto Rico. The song ends with the most powerful lines in the record: “Yo soy de P fuckin’ R” [“I am from P fuckin’ R”].
I began this review still uncertain: “Where is Benito?” In getting to know the album’s heart, I have found my answer: he’s been here all along. Behind the perceived glamour of Bad Bunny, there has always been Benito; the Bad Bunny tracks are equally Benito’s. Benito and Bad Bunny are not two separate identities, they are one, and this album illuminates the complexity of a musical persona in a way that is unique to Benito and his story. Activism, culture, reggeatón, familia, Puerto Rico: these are the pillars of Bad Bunny’s essence in prior records. With Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, get to experience how these facets became instrumental in Benito’s life, and why they continue to be. This record is intentionally dedicated and rich for some but made for all. It’s for Puerto Rico and the world; it’s Benito and Bad Bunny.
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