Kimberly Marti - Music as Political Expression in Puerto Rico: Bad Bunny’s Art as a Symbol of Resistance

For decades, artists and their music have been intertwined with politics, with many using their songs to address issues close to their hearts. They then become an anthem of resistance and a symbol of change. Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny is no stranger to speaking his mind and advocating for his political beliefs. Bad Bunny rose to fame in 2016 with his hit single ‘Diles.’ Since then, he has had several top charting albums and received three Grammy Awards. Born and raised in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, the artist has been vocal about government corruption on his island. 

In 2019, he was a vital part of the ‘Ricky Renuncia Movement’ that urged Governor Ricardo Rosselló to resign, which he did in July of the same year. His resignation came after chat messages were leaked where the disgraced governor made not only homophobic, sexist, and misogynistic remarks but also included “decisions to withhold serious aid from Puerto Ricans affected by hurricanes Irma and Maria, making fun of victims instead” (Bossi, 2019). Three years later, he released ‘El Apagón,’ which translates to ‘The Blackout,’ discussing the rolling blackouts Puerto Rico experienced due to electrical grid failures that remained unfixed due to LUMA Energy’s inaction. It also addresses the displacement of native Puerto Ricans due to US colonists. The video for the song was a documentary discussing these issues. However, two years later, the fight was nowhere near over with the election for governor. The leading parties were the New Progressive Party (PNP) and the Puerto Rican Independent Party (PIP). PNP advocates for statehood, while POP advocates for Puerto to become independent from the United States. After purchasing several billboards throughout the island, the artist clarified his sentiments, expressing his fear of the future if the PNP were to win another term. Bad Bunny used one of the most influential tools at his disposal: his music. 

Music, film, and art are essential parts of popular culture. These various facets of popular culture influence social movements and are catalysts for protests because “protestors take popular culture as a resource on which to draw [inspiration]” (Kuryel, 2021, p. 78).  Bad Bunny’s music is a prime example of popular culture at the intersection of social movement, explicitly looking at performance as a form of protest. Diana Taylor, a performance studies and Spanish professor at New York University, states that performance “creates a space to talk about the pain and trauma that may be associated with social struggles” (Proust, 2024). Bad Bunny did just that when he released  ‘Una Velita,’ which translates to ‘A Candle’ in English, less than a month away from elections in Puerto Rico. It is a space for Puerto Ricans to acknowledge the pain and suffering they went through during Hurricane Maria and the thousands of people they laid to rest. The chorus of the song eerily states, “Por ahí viene tormenta, ¿quién nos va a salvar ?” (“A storm is coming, who is going to save us?”), echoing the sentiment that who will be if the government is not there for them? 

The song became an anthem at several protests across the island. In the days leading up to and on the day of the election, voters posted videos on popular social media platforms such as TikTok filling out their ballet with the song in the background. On November 4, 2024, the eve of the election, he performed the song for the first time to a large crowd in Puerto Rico, pleading with them to think about their futures and the future of their island. 

It is not a secret that former President Donald Trump has dehumanized Puerto Ricans and framed them as being worthless and lazy. After Hurricane María, the former president threw paper towels into crowds seeking supplies and tweeted that they “want everything to be done for them” (“Puerto Ricans are not ‘lazy,’” 2018). With a candidate having such disparaging remarks about a community in need, it was no surprise that at Trump’s October 27th rally at Madison Square Garden, a comedian by the name of Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Much of the rhetoric and imagery used during the election has been around building stereotypes about minority communities, especially the Latino community. 

Cultural theory and political activist Stuart Hall coined the term encompassing the negative imagery and stereotypes associated with minority communities as a regime of representation. It is the “whole repertoire of imagery and visual effects through which ‘difference’ is represented at any one historical moment” (Hall, 1997, p. 232)—in response to the image that comedian Hinchcliffe painted, Bad Bunny responded with a new repertoire of imagery that shows what it means to be Puerto Rican. The artist uploaded an eight-minute video to Instagram with the caption containing a single English word: garbage. The video shows Puerto Rico’s beautiful landscape and the natives' strength and resilience. Puerto Ricans are champions, athletes, astronauts, Olympians, politicians, and more. Rather than being defined by negative stereotypes, we are presented with images of Monica Puig winning the first gold medal for Puerto Rico, Míriam Colón receiving the National Medal of Arts, and Sonia Sotomayor sworn in as the first Latina on the Supreme Court. 

Despite the election resulting in Puerto Rico enduring another term with the New Progressive Party, it does not diminish the impact of Bad Bunny’s music. ‘Una Velita will remain a symbol of resistance and perseverance among the natives, a message that they will not be silenced and that the future of their island is bright. It is also an example of how media can be used as an instrument for political protests and a way to combat negative representations. 

Reference List 

Bossi, A. (2019, December 26). “How Bad Bunny Influenced Puerto Rico’s 2019 Movement, 

“Ricky Renuncia.”” Forbes, www.forbes.com/sites/andreabossi/2019/12/26/how-bad-bunny-influenced-puerto-ricos-2019-movement-ricky-renuncia/.

Hall, S. (1997, April 1). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices (1st 

ed., pp. 225-249). Sage Publications & Open University.

Kuryel, A. (2021, December 30). Breaking Down Joker: Violence, Loneliness, Tragedy

(1st ed., pp. 78-89). Routledge.

Proust, V. (2024, October 16). Social Movements and Popular Culture. Annenberg School for 

Communication, University of Pennsylvania. 

https://canvas.upenn.edu/courses/1788301/files/folder/slides?preview=139506904

Puerto Ricans aren’t “lazy” and will remember Trump’s bad  hurricane response, writes father 

of Lin-Manuel Miranda. (2018, April 7). New York Daily News. https://www.nydailynews.com/2017/09/30/puerto-ricans-arent-lazy-and-will-remember-trumps-bad-hurricane-response-writes-father-of-lin-manuel-miranda/