Bad Bunny Tour 2022 Is Here. Get to Know the Singer
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Bad Bunny arrived on the reggaeton scene in 2016. Since then, he's been playing the field like a star, hitting home run after home run.
In 2020, he was the most streamed artist in the world and his "El Último Tour Del Mundo" tour sold out in record time. Even before the first Bad Bunny tour of 2022 began, the singer announced a second tour for the same year — again selling out stadiums as if he were giving out free bitcoin to attendees.
Are you ready to see Bad Bunny live? Here's everything you need to know about Bad Bunny and the man behind the music.
1. His Real Name Is Somewhat Surprising
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Only diehard fans know what Bad Bunny's real name is. And he has quite of few of them.
Despite his unusual stage name, Bad Bunny actually has a very common name: Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. If you're not familiar with Latin America, Martínez is his last name, from his dad, and Ocasio is his second last name, from his mom.
Benito Antonio sounds more like the kind of kid who is quiet and very into dinosaurs more than an international music star. But we kind of like this contrast between his public and private persona.
2. He Is Not Just Puerto Rican
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Most people think of Bad Bunny as a Puerto Rican artist, which makes sense given that he was born and raised on the island, and that it continues to be his primary place of residency.
Few people know, however, that his dad, Tito Martínez, hails from the Dominican Republic. His cultural background brings together two of the best islands in the Caribbean.
3. He Has a Very High Net Worth
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What is Bad Bunny's net worth? While exact numbers are hard to come by, it is estimated that he boasts about $18 million.
This net worth makes him one of the richest reggaeton singers.
4. Before Fame, He Was a Regular Person
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Some famous singers like Miley Cyrus grow up around fame and money, getting prime access to opportunities.
And while this doesn't negate their talent and hard work, it's even more impressive when someone rises from a regular childhood to worldwide fame. Bad Bunny's father was a truck driver, and his mother, Lysaurie Ocasio, worked as a school teacher.
The family had humble means and lived in Vega Baja, a small city in Puerto Rico. Considering this, his $18 million net worth is very admirable.
5. He Has No Formal Training
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Because his family didn't have too much disposable income, Martínez never had formal singing lessons.
He loved singing since he was a kid and would often sit out on the balcony and put on "concerts" for the neighborhood. He also sang in his church's choir on Sundays.
The lack of formal training may have actually helped him, since one of the things that make him stand out is his unusual voice and signature slurring of words on purpose, which a teacher may have discouraged.
6. His First Job Wasn't Glamorous
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When he was discovered and signed onto a record label, Martínez was working as a bagger at a supermarket chain called Supermercados Econo.
He was also enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo, taking courses on audiovisual communication.
7. He Is Actually Self-Made
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Ever since Forbes had the mind-boggling idea to label Kiley Jenner a "self-made" billionaire, the world has been wary of the label.
But unlike the Jenner heiress who is the opposite of self-made, Martínez actually earns this title. Despite not having money or formal training, he began writing his own songs when he was 14.
He did this for about five years. Then, in 2013, he started recording the songs and posting them on SoundCloud. It took another three years before DJ Luian heard his songs and decided to sign him onto Hear this Music record label.
See that, Forbes? That's what self-made means.
8. He Was Only 22 When He Rose to Fame
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Born on March 10, 1994, Bad Bunny was only 22 when DJ Luian signed him on in 2016.
While he was very young, he'd been working toward this moment for eight years, so it was definitely well deserved.
9. 'Soy Peor' Was His First Hit
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The same year he was welcomed to Hear this Music, he released his first hit single, a trap song called "Soy Peor."
While not his most famous song, it was the first one that made people start paying attention to his name.
10. Daddy Yankee Was One of His Favorite Singers
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Bad Bunny has often claimed Daddy Yankee was one of his inspirations when growing up.
Other artists who he admires include Jennifer Lopez, Hector Lavoe, Tego Calderon and Mark Anthony.
That's very heartwarming considering he has now collaborated with Daddy Yankee on songs like "La Santa" and "Vuelve" and performed alongside Jennifer Lopez (as well as Shakira and J Balvin) at the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
11. He Has Collaborated With Some of the Biggest Names in the Industry
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We've already mentioned Daddy Yankee and Jennifer Lopez, but those aren't the only two artists he's collaborated with. In fact, it seems like he's teamed up with just about everyone who is anyone.
One of his main collaborators is J Balvin, another artist who has changed and expanded reggaeton. He's also worked with Becky G, Cardy B, Selena Gomez, Drake, Ricky Martin, Maluma, Anuel AA, Enrique Iglesias, Karol G, Farruko, Ozuna, and Marc Anthony — to name a few.
12. 'Bad Bunny' Wasn't His Original Stage Name
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Before choosing one of the most eye-catching stage names in the history of stage names, Martínez called himself "El Apto," which means "The Fit" in English.
Thankfully, he changed it at one point, because that simply doesn't have the same ring to it.
13. A Bad Costume Is the Inspiration for His Stage Name
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But how exactly did a name as random as "Bad Bunny" come about? The inspiration came from a childhood picture in which he was forced to wear a bunny costume.
In the picture, he is angry and obviously displeased to have to be a bunny. But, like Batman, he took the name of that which he feared and hated the most, becoming a bunny, a bad one at that, for life.
14. He's an Open Advocate for Trans Rights
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Also like Batman, Bad Bunny fights for those who are in need of justice. He has openly advocated for trans rights, and spoken out against violence against trans people.
To understand how big of a deal this is, you have to consider that he comes from a very machista (sexist) society and works in a music genre notorious for its sexism. He is definitely going against the norm both in Puerto Rico and reggaeton, which takes some guts when you're a relative newcomer.
15. In 2017, He Had the Most Watched Song on YouTube
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In 2017, only a year after he was "discovered," Bad Bunny released "Te Boté (Remix)" with Ozuna y Nicky Jam.
The song quickly became the most watched song on YouTube, holding on to the title for four months. It also hit number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
Perhaps most importantly, the song, whose title translates to "I Threw You Away," inspired millions of heartbroken people to dump their toxic ex for good. Particularly with Bad Bunny's lyrics: "Life is a cycle, and all that is useless I don't recycle."
Seriously, Bad Bunny is like a lyrical and non-moody Batman.
16. His Music Isn't Just Reggaeton
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Though Bad Bunny is usually labeled as a reggaeton artist, he is actually a fairly eclectic artist and is considered one of the pioneers of Latin trap.
He often incorporates different genres into his songs, with beats and sounds from bachata, merengue, salsa as well as punk and synth-pop showing up now and then.
17. And His Favorite Genre Isn't What You'd Expect
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Despite being known for his reggaeton and trap music, he claims neither genre is his favorite to listen to.
Instead, merengue holds the top spot in his heart.
18. He Has a Tattoo of the Puerto Rican Flag
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In case anyone doubts whether he has pride in his nationality, Bad Bunny tattooed the Puerto Rican flag on his calf.
The flag is just one of his many tattoos, though probably the most interesting one.
19. His Height Is Average
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For some reason, Google reveals that many people want to know Bad Bunny's height.
We don't fully understand why, but for the curious among you, he is 5-foot-11, so he's not short, but he's not tall either.
20. He Was the First Latin Artist to Appear on the Cover of 'Rolling Stone'
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In June 2020, Bad Bunny made history by being the first Latin artist to grace the coveted cover of Rolling Stone.
And while we're a little baffled that it took the magazine this long to feature someone from Latin America, we also think the story is pretty cool.
Since it was written during quarantine, the cover photo was actually shot by Martínez' girlfriend, Gabriela Berlingeri, who was quarantining with him. It was the first cover photo to be shot on an iPhone, as well as the first to be taken by a Latina. (Rolling Stone, how are you this behind?)
21. He Does Not Like Italian Food
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Nobody is perfect. Not even Bad Bunny.
Though we admire the Puerto Rican artist, he does have one big flaw we simply can't ignore: He doesn't like Italian food.
We guess talent doesn't guarantee good culinary taste.
22. He Also Has a (Small) Acting Career
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Did you know that Bad Bunny also has acting credits?
He portrays "Kitty" Paez in the final season of "Narcos: Mexico." His character is based on a real-life kingpin named Everardo Arturo Paez, whose alias was "El Kitty."
23. He Claims Fashion Is His Vice
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Bad Bunny told Rolling Stone that he isn't "a person who has vices." Contrary to the general idea of artists diving deep into the world of addiction and vice, he says he is health-conscious.
Instead, he claims his true vice is buying too many clothes and glasses.
24. He's Also a Car Enthusiast
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Besides clothes and glasses, Bad Bunny has a notorious collection of luxury sports cars.
The collection began with a Lamborghini Urus (worth around $218,000) and includes a Buggati Chiron 110 (worth $3.3 million) and a Ferrari Testarossa (worth about $130,000).
25. His Parents Never Thought He'd Be a Singer
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Despite his obvious talent for music from an early age, his parents had no aspirations that he'd become an international superstar. Instead, his mom wanted him to be an engineer, a safe and sensible career choice. On the other hand, his dad wanted him to pursue a career as a professional baseball player.
We assume both are happy he didn't listen to either of them.
26. He Has Two Younger Brothers
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Bad Bunny has two younger brothers, Bernie and Bysael, born in 1997 and 2002 respectively.
Bernie helps his older brother while on tour and made a cameo appearance in the video for "Yo Visto Así."
Bysael is living out their father's dreams by pursuing a career as a professional baseball player.
27. He's a Big Wrestling Fan
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Bad Bunny is a man of many interests and talents. One of them is wrestling. A self-professed wrestling fan, the artist has performed at several wrestling events.
He's also participated in WrestleMania matches, teaming up with Damian Priest against the Miz and John Morrison.
28. And He Also Loved Skateboarding
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Bad Bunny has claimed that he was really into skating when he was a teenager. Although it's not known whether he continues to pursue this as a hobby, he has credited skating culture as well as wrestling as inspirations for his fashion.
He paid tribute to his teenage hobby in the "Yo Visto Así" video.
29. There's a Meaning to the Title of His Album 'YHLQMDLG'
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Bad Bunny confused most of his fans when he released an album in 2020 titled "YHLQMDLG."
Rather than a random collection of letters, the title actually stands for "Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana," which translates to "I Do Whatever I Want."
This certainly captures his attitude.
30. His Album 'X 100PRE' Also Has a Meaning
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The title of his debut album, "X 100PRE" (released in 2018) also confused non-Spanish speaking fans.
While it may seem like the robotic name of Elon Musk's next child, Bad Bunny is simply being a Zillenial and using common texting abbreviations. The title stands for "por siempre," which translates to "forever."
The album has songs like "Mia" and "Caro."