On January 3rd, two days before the release of his latest album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Bad Bunny uploaded a self-directed short film highlighting concerns he has for the island he calls home. In the short film by the same name, Bad Bunny broaches on topics of displacement, gentrification, and the general death or overtaking of the Puerto Rican spirit. The film follows a day in an older gentleman’s life as he reminisces on just how much Puerto Rico has changed throughout the years. The signs are small at first. When he leaves his house to get food, there’s music coming from the neighboring houses. This alone is not an uncommon occurrence. However, the typical Reggaton or Puerto Rican stylings have been replaced with American families listening to country or rock music.
Then we get a short but haunting visual, as our protagonist passes by an American family, with the father grilling food outside. The father is listening to country music and staring at our protagonist in utter disgust. It’s this feeling of gentrification. Being pushed out of an environment you once called home. This is not a new topic for Bad Bunny, in fact back in 2022 the Puerto Rican icon released a twenty-minute short film titled El Apagón about the housing displacement crisis happening in Puerto Rico, largely due to wealthy Americans buying up property, forcing locals out of their homes. This short film builds on that premise, imagining a not-so-distant future where Puerto Rico’s culture has been entirely stripped away.
As our protagonist continues walking, we see tourists and foreigners alike. What few actual natives we do see have been pushed to the back. Working under these now Americanized businesses. The most disturbing scene is one where our main character is simply trying to order lunch at a panaderia. However, the American woman working over the register doesn’t understand the food he’s trying to order, doesn’t understand the slang terms for the food, and the entire building, what should be a bustling room of culture and excited conversation has been overtaken by this cold gentrified version of a panaderia. This hits home for me, as a fellow Puerto Rican I visited the island only a few years ago. Some of the best food I found staying in San Juan was from a panaderia. We went to a fairly well-known one amongst the locals, and were informed that it was a particular favorite of Bad Bunny’s. This scene, however exaggerated, is certainly inspired by Bad Bunny’s own experiences and fears. It’s a fear of removing everything that makes our culture special and gutting it into an American vacation spot.
Near the end there’s a touching scene where a nearby car drives by, absolutely blasting a Bad Bunny song, proving to the old man that maybe his beautiful island isn’t totally lost for good. Bad Bunny’s entire album serves as a love letter to Puerto Rico, so it’s only fitting that this short film would introduce it. This is yet another example of the singer bringing awareness to an issue that matters greatly to him, and I can’t wait to see more!
