Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—better known as Bad Bunny—is back, and he's got something special. His new album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos (I Should Have Taken More Photos), isn't just another hit—it’s a journey. Known for reshaping the sound of Latin music, Bad Bunny goes deep this time, diving into Afro-Latin rhythms with a fresh, undeniable energy. And what better time to talk about it than Black History Month?
Afro-Latinx Rhythms in Debí Tirar Mas Fotos
Afro-Caribbean beats—reggaetón, plena, salsa—aren’t just influences in Latin music; they are its foundation. From the earliest days of the transatlantic slave trade, African rhythms crossed the ocean, blending with Indigenous and European sounds to create something entirely new. Enslaved musicians carried their traditions in their bones, their drums speaking a language of resistance, celebration, and survival. This fusion became the heartbeat of Latin American music.
Over time, these rhythms didn’t just shape the music—they shaped identities. They became the pulse of Latinx culture, a sound that carries history, movement, and pride. And today, artists like Bad Bunny are keeping that pulse alive, reminding the world that Latin music's roots run deep—black, bold, and unstoppable.
Reggaeton is a very popular music style all over the world originating from Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Popularized in the late 1980s and early 1990s, mostly in Panama and Puerto Rico, reggaeton is a melding of different music styles - Jamaican dancehall and reggae en Español (in Spanish). A bold, relentless rhythm pulses like a heartbeat, its fierce cadence surging forward, unstoppable.
On Debí Tirar Más Fotos, tracks like "NUEVAYoL" and "EOo" prove that Bad Bunny isn’t just making music—he’s honouring a legacy. He takes the raw pulse of classic dembow and reggaetón, reshaping them with his own unmistakable style. But beneath the modern sound, the heartbeat of Afro-Caribbean music is loud and clear.
Puerto Rico’s bomba and plena—two of the island’s most powerful Afro-Caribbean traditions—are at the core of this legacy. These aren’t just music styles; they’re living, breathing expressions of history, struggle, and pride. Bomba is deeply interactive, where drums, dance, and call-and-response singing create a dynamic conversation between performers. Plena, often called "the newspaper of the people," emerged in the early 1900s as Afro-Puerto Ricans turned their daily realities into song—telling stories of their triumphs and challenges.
Bad Bunny brings this tradition into the present with "Café con Ron," featuring plena group Los Pleneros de la Cresta. With driving drum rhythms and rich storytelling, both bomba and plena remain the soul of Puerto Rican identity, shaping not just the island’s culture but the entire sound of modern Latin music. And through artists like Bad Bunny, that rhythm keeps moving forward—bold, unapologetic, and deeply rooted.
Salsa is another Afro-Caribbean sound that pulses with history. Born in the vibrant Afro-Latinx neighbourhoods of New York City in the 1960s and '70s, it was shaped by Puerto Rican and Cuban musicians who carried the rhythms of their homelands into a new world. A fusion of Cuban son, mambo, jazz, and African beats, salsa became more than music—it became a lifeline. For Latin American immigrants in the U.S., it was a symbol of resilience, strength, and pride.
Legends like Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, and Willie Colón transformed salsa into a global force, their voices and rhythms defining an era. Today, Bad Bunny picks up that torch in Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Tracks like "BAILE INoLVIDABLE" and "LA MuDANZA" stand out as some of the album’s most celebrated songs—not just because they sound fresh, but because they carry something deeper. In a world where reggaetón dominates Latin music, Bad Bunny’s choice to embrace salsa is bold and unexpected.
This isn’t just nostalgia or a tribute—it’s an act of recognition. By bringing salsa to a new generation, he highlights the unshakable influence of Black Latinx artists, whose rhythms have shaped music across the globe. Through his beats, his voice, and his vision, Bad Bunny ensures that the legacy of Afro-Caribbean music keeps moving forward, one powerful step at a time.
“De Aqui Nadie Me Saca”: Latinx Music as a Form of Political Resistance
"Quieren quitarme el río y también la playa
(They want to take my river and the beach too)
Quieren el barrio mío y que abuelita se vaya
(They want my neighborhood and grandma to leave)
No, no suelte' la bandera ni olvide' el lelolai
(No, don't let go of the flag nor forget the lelolai)
Que no quiero que hagan contigo lo que le pasó a Hawáii"
('Cause I don't want them to do to you what happened to Hawaii)
LO QUE PASÓ A HAWAii
A standout track on Debí Tirar Más Fotos is "LO QUE PASÓ A HAWAii" (What Happened in Hawaii). The track has struck a chord with many because it sheds light on an ongoing struggle: the loss of land, identity, and autonomy in the face of outside control.
But what does this have to do with Hawaii?
Both Puerto Rico and Hawaii have been colonized by Spain and the United States and continue to experience the effects of U.S. colonialism today as it is an ongoing process. The U.S. has long exploited their natural resources for economic gain, and both islands have been heavily impacted by tourism-driven development, which has displaced many Indigenous and Native residents from their homes. By linking these two struggles, Bad Bunny isn’t just making music—he’s making a statement. "Lo Que Pasó en Hawaii" is a call to awareness, a reminder that colonialism doesn’t just exist in history books—it’s still shaping lives, displacing people, and threatening cultural survival.
Gentrification in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico’s history is a long tale of control, exploitation, and resilience. From Spanish colonization to becoming a U.S. territory, outside forces have always put profit before Puerto Rican well-being. This legacy of economic and political control has paved the way for the island’s biggest challenge today: gentrification.
The situation is dire. In 2022, the average family income was just $38,000 a year, with most working-age adults earning even less—under $30,000. Meanwhile, unemployment hovers around 9%, and more than 40% of Puerto Ricans live in poverty. Yet, despite these struggles, housing prices have skyrocketed. In San Juan, the capital, the average home was listed for over $900,000 in early 2024.
For generations, Puerto Rico’s economy has been designed to benefit outsiders, not the people who call it home. Today, wealthy investors—many from the U.S.—buy up land, businesses, and entire neighbourhoods, claiming they’re boosting the economy. But instead of helping, they drive up costs, displacing locals and erasing communities. Puerto Ricans are being pushed out of their own homes, not because they want to leave, but because they simply can’t afford to stay.
"Aquí nadie quiso irse,
(No one here wanted to leave,)
y quien se fue, sueña con volver."
(and those who left dream of returning)
LO QUE PASÓ A HAWAii
Beyond the economic toll, gentrification is a cultural crisis. The island’s rich traditions, language, and way of life are being packaged and sold for tourist dollars. What was once authentic Puerto Rican culture is now a commodity—a brand, rather than a living identity. In the face of this, artists like Bad Bunny use their platforms to amplify the voices of those fighting to hold onto their homes, their histories, and their futures. Because at its core, this isn’t just about real estate—it’s about the right to exist, to belong, and to thrive in the place that has always been theirs.
Debí Tirar Más Fotos: Where Music Meets Activism
Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos isn’t just an album—it’s a celebration of Afro-Latinx music and culture. From the infectious reggaetón beats to the deep-rooted rhythms of bomba, plena, and salsa, the album pays tribute to the African influences that shaped Latin music as we know it. But Benito didn’t stop at the music. He took his vision even further with a short film of the same name, created with legendary filmmaker Jacobo Morales. Bad Bunny not only co-wrote the film but also starred in it, bringing the album’s themes—memory, nostalgia, and the complexities of life in Puerto Rico—to the screen in a powerful way.
More than just a collection of hits, this album (and its film) serves as a reminder—not just during Black History Month, but all year long—of the deep impact of Afro-Latinx culture in music worldwide.
Looking to explore the Canadian Latinx music scene?
Explore Fuego Fuego Music Festival in Montreal! A two-day festival where Latin artists from all over the world represent their country and genre. Organizations like Toronto Latinos promote Latinx events in Toronto! You can get involved in cultural, music and food events. Visit Barrio - Toronto’s Source For Latin News And Events for more information!
Dorothy Sierra-Gutierrez
Social Issues Researcher at Future Black Female
Brock University
Undergraduate Sociology (Honours) Co-op
Concentration in Criminology
Double Minors in French Studies and Women and Gender Studies
References
Africa Business. (2024, July 30). Latin and African music: A cultural exchange across the Atlantic. Africa Business. https://africabusiness.com/2024/07/30/latin-and-african-music-a-cultural-exchange-across-the-atlantic/
Bad Bunny. (2020). Lo que le pasó a Hawaii [Song lyrics]. Genius. https://genius.com/Bad-bunny-lo-que-le-paso-a-hawaii-lyrics
López, R. (2020, March 3). Gentrification in Puerto Rico: The impact on displacement and local livelihoods. Harvard Review of Latin America. https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/gentrification-in-puerto-rico-the-impact-on-displacement-and-local-livelihoods/
Pérez, C. (2025, January 10). Lo que le pasó a Hawaii: El significado detrás de la canción de protesta de Bad Bunny. El País. https://elpais.com/us/entretenimiento/2025-01-10/lo-que-le-paso-a-hawaii-el-significado-detras-de-la-cancion-de-protesta-de-bad-bunny.html
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