Bad Bunny Has Given Puerto Rico A 'new Influence' On The World Stage, Proud Fans Say

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — During nan first week of Bad Bunny’s historical residency, fans sported outfits inspired by Puerto Rican folkloric culture, including straw hats known arsenic “la pava” and accepted “jíbaro” attire, reflective of agrarian Puerto Ricans who worked connected farms until nan 19th century.

The manner prime is simply a statement. It’s accordant pinch nan taxable of his 30-show performance series: “No maine quiero ir de aquí,” which translates to “I do not want to time off here.”

The concerts bring to life nan songs connected Bad Bunny’s sixth workplace album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” aliases “I Should Have Taken More Photos,” which nan creator has dubbed arsenic his “most Puerto Rican” medium yet.

People clasp a Puerto Rican emblem extracurricular nan Coliseo de Puerto Rico connected July 11.Ricardo Arduengo / AFP - Getty Images

On it, Bad Bunny sings of his request to enactment successful Puerto Rico and cherish its group and history. Most of nan lyrics speak to Puerto Rico’s governmental realities and taste legacy.

And for Puerto Ricans successful nan U.S. territory arsenic good arsenic those who unrecorded connected nan U.S. mainland, nan attraction connected their beloved Caribbean archipelago is everything.

“It feels for illustration we’re home,” Ivy Torres told NBC News. She and her spouse, Alexis, are among nan much than 600,000 group who are expected to sojourn Puerto Rico this summertime to spot nan show — which is nan first general residency immoderate vocalist has ever done astatine nan Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot, nan biggest indoor intermezo arena connected nan island, seating complete 18,000 people.

Bad Bunny successful San Juan, Puerto Rico, connected July 11.Alejandro Granadillo / AP

“It’s a awesome measurement to reconnect pinch your family, friends and everything we near behind,” Alexis said.

The mates moved to Ohio from Puerto Rico a decade agone during nan tallness of nan economical situation connected nan island. “It was hard,” Ivy said. “We didn’t want to time off our family and friends, but we had to.”

Bad Bunny sings astir this sentiment successful his opus “Lo que le pasó a Hawaii” (“What happened to Hawaii”). The opus addresses fears astir nan erosion of Puerto Rican personality amid an influx of wealthy group from nan mainland who person moved location following nan transition of taxation breaks, arsenic good arsenic a recent emergence successful short-term rentals that limit affordable lodging opportunities for section residents.

Puerto Rican vocalist Bad Bunny performs successful San Juan, Puerto Rico, connected July 11.Ricardo Arduengo / AFP - Getty Images

Born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Bad Bunny reached world occurrence singing successful Spanish, popularizing Puerto Rican slang crossed nan world and putting a spotlight connected nan plight of Puerto Rican people.

'He does his euphony for Puerto Rico'

That’s why for Puerto Rico resident Verónica González, it “means everything having a prima for illustration Benito singing for us,” she told NBC News. “He does his euphony for Puerto Rico, and he thinks astir us.”

The medium and residency efficaciously return fans connected an affectional travel that fuses modern genres for illustration reggaeton and dembow pinch accepted rhythms specified arsenic bomba y plena and 1970s salsa music.

Inside a edifice successful Old San Juan, Puerto Rican creator and creator Joabel Ortiz has been showing an creation grounds dedicated to Bad Bunny and his latest album.

Fans be nan first show of Bad Bunny's 30-date performance residency astatine nan Coliseo de Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot successful San Juan, Puerto Rico, connected July 11.Alejandro Granadillo / AP

Ortiz mixes accepted symbols of Puerto Rican civilization for illustration “la pava” pinch images of nan superstar — highlighting nan done statement that connects a present-day taste arena for illustration Bad Bunny to nan roots of Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rican officials estimate Bad Bunny’s residency will person an economical effect of much than $186 million, generating much than 3,600 jobs and resulting successful much than 35,000 edifice nighttime bookings.

But to his fans, it’s Bad Bunny’s attraction connected nan group and nan principle of what it is to beryllium Puerto Rican that resonates nan most.

“We sewage a caller power to nan world,” Ortiz told NBC News. “That caller power is astir our culture, astir nan ideas we sewage successful nan island, and really we do everything, really we speak, really we love, really we retrieve who we are.”

Daniel Rodriguez, José Díaz-Balart and Leslie Ignacio reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Nicole Acevedo from New York.