Puerto Rican artist Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio —aka Bad Bunny— dropped his 5th studio album on Might 6, and it’s already 2022’s most streamed album. Its identify, Un Verano Sin Ti, interprets to “A Summer season With out You,” and the vibe recollects a languid seaside day and its afterparty: There are songs about dancing, consuming, hooking up, and misplaced love.
After which there’s “El Apagón,” or The Blackout, the place Unhealthy Bunny trades verses about why he loves his house with searing assaults on its political leaders and mainlander gentrifiers: “Maldita sea, otro apagón. Vamo’ pa’ lo’ bleacher a prender un blunt antes que a Pipo le dé un bofetón.” Rattling it, some other blackout. Let’s pass to the bleachers and remove darkness from a blunt, ahead of I give Pipo a slap.
“Pipo” is a nickname for the island’s current governor, Pedro Pierluisi. He’s a former coal lobbyist working an island that reports widespread energy blackouts. Ultimate yr Pierluisi promised citizens that there could be fewer power disruptions at some point… after which in early April, a fire broke out at the Costa Sur energy plant, plunging hundreds of thousands into darkness. Faculties needed to close down, and the in depth care heart of a clinical heart in Mayagüez temporarily lost power.
Each citizens and companies are bored stiff with the ability outages. Ultimate month, 4 main firms sued LUMA, the island’s energy authority, for $310 million worth of damages. Indignant citizens rallied outdoor of LUMA’s place of job in San Juan and threw bags of food that had spoiled inside of their fridges. All advised, April’s outage price Puerto Rico’s financial system as much as $500 million, consistent with El Nuevo Dia.
Pipo isn’t the one individual taken to job in “El Apagón.” On the finish of the music, Unhealthy Bunny’s spouse Gabriela Berlingeri is featured making a song “Yo no me quiero ir de aquí, no me quiero ir de aquí, que se vayan ellos,” or “I don’t need to go away, I don’t need to pass, they must go away” —they, possibly, relating to new island citizens together with mainland American citizens, social media influencers, and “crypto colonizers” who’ve made many natives really feel unwelcome in their very own houses.
G/O Media would possibly get a fee
Save $70
Apple AirPods Max
Enjoy Subsequent-Stage Sound
Spatial audio with dynamic head monitoring supplies theater-like sound that surrounds you
Different songs within the album, like “Andrea,” additionally maintain the tug of struggle between loving the island, its other people, and its tradition, however working out the truth of getting to reside there. “Quiere quedarse en PR, no irse pa’ ningún estado pero todo se ha complicado,” Unhealthy Bunny sings: “She desires to stick in PR, and no longer pass off to a couple state, however the whole thing has gotten sophisticated.”
In spite of the proceedings, the lyrics of “El Apagón” additionally remind listeners that “Puerto Rico está bien cabrón,” or “Puerto Rico is fucking superb.” The music balances the thrill of being from the island with the rigors of dwelling with displacement, unreliable politicians, and common energy outages —and reminds listeners that they’re price combating for.
That’s a particularly essential message within the mild of recent protests. Ultimate yr, environmentalists and citizens in well-liked seaside the town Rincón protested at a apartment web site to prevent construction of a pool that bring to an end seaside get entry to and threatened endangered turtles that lay their eggs within reach. Previous this yr, beachgoers have been accosted by wealthy homeowners and a birthday party protest used to be arranged through local Puerto Ricans. A month later, some other protest birthday party referred to as “Ghetto Beach” used to be held in Dorado. Other folks danced, sunbathed, and chanted “yo soy Boricua, pa que tu lo sepas” / “I’m Puerto Rican, simply so you understand.”
Just like the protest events, Unhealthy Bunny’s “El Apagón” offers listeners rays of sunshine amid the island’s literal and socio-economic darkness. Issues don’t seem to be best, however a minimum of Puerto Rico está bien cabrón.
