An overwhelming sense of euphoria captivates all those who listen to stop and allow the beat to guide them. “El Apagón,” Bad Bunny’s 2022 hit song, blasts at 118 BPM, giving the false impression of it being an upbeat party song. However, the shift within the song turns notes into a narrative. Under the playful tone lies the reality of the modern-day gentrification and colonialism that Latin American countries face. Bad Bunny created a platform where people can dance to a song about a protest without realizing it.
Although “El Apagón” was released three years ago on his album “Un Verano Sin Ti,” it remains deeply relevant today. His upcoming Super Bowl Halftime show performance has received backlash from conservatives, which led to Turning Point USA, a conservative group, announcing an “All-American Halftime show.” However, by taking on the Super Bowl Stage, Bad Bunny reminds viewers that Puerto Rican voices are American voices too. With this renewed attention, it’s worth revisiting how “El Apagón” still applies to the island’s current reality.
“El Apagón” translates to “the Blackout,” referencing the recurring power outages that have hit Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria in 2017. Bad Bunny uses the concept as a metaphor for how Puerto Ricans are left in the dark while their homeland is being sold off.
Act 60, also known as the Puerto Rico Incentives Code, was approved by Puerto Rico’s legislature to attract investors and new residents to the island. It offers tax exemptions for those who relocate, including reduced business taxes and the elimination of most taxes on investment income. According to Dorado Beach Real Estate, these incentives are intended to attract investment, create jobs and boost the island’s economy.
But for many native Puerto Ricans, these benefits come at a cost. Bad Bunny’s music video shares one of these stories. Lauria Mía González, who lived in the same apartment building for 30 years, received an eviction notice to leave in 30 days because a new owner bought the building. This is just one story of many. The upbeat tempo masks the deep anger felt by Puerto Rican natives. “Que se vayan ellos!” (“They should leave”) is repeated constantly to call attention to the influx of wealthy newcomers contributing to gentrification and displacement, forcing longtime residents out of their neighborhoods.
Where the music video could have a typical dance performance, Bad Bunny instead collaborated with Puerto Rican journalist Bianca Graulau to amplify the voices of Puerto Ricans living this reality. Rather than relying on visuals to entertain, he used his platform to document a crisis. Choosing not to dominate the video with his own image signals that this is bigger than him—it’s about his people.
This is where the shift occurs, turning into a political commentary. “El Apagón” isn’t just about Puerto Rico’s gentrification; it’s about the responsibility of artists in moments of crisis. Bad Bunny demonstrates that artists can and should take political stances, especially when their cultural identity and community are being threatened. By blending reggaeton, a genre historically dismissed as unserious or ghetto, with political commentary, it is reshaping and redefining what pop music can do and stand for.
I see the echoes of Bad Bunny’s message in my own predominantly Hispanic community. I’ve watched neighborhoods where families built their lives, become overcrowded with businesses and are being sold for profit. This ties into the issue of cultural erasure in the name of profit. For this reason, it is vital for someone like Bad Bunny, one of the most-streamed artists globally, to use his influence to shine a light on these issues.
More conservative listeners sometimes argue that music should remain “apolitical,” that music shouldn’t carry an agenda and only be listened to. But Bad Bunny proves that’s not the only purpose of music. His music can have catchy lyrics and stand for a cause. In fact, the combination drives the message home, especially with an audience that isn’t all Spanish-speaking. Listeners can learn the lyrics, which opens up conversations and allows diverse opinions to be expressed with new perspectives from different cultures taken into account.
Artists with global influence shouldn’t shy away from their responsibility to their community. Artists like Bad Bunny remind us that silence is complicity. If music has the power to unite people across continents, it can also demand change.
