Bad Bunny's DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS

Summary

All of It: Bad Bunny's "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS" – A Deep Dive into Culture and Identity

Podcast: All of It
Host: Alison Stewart
Episode: Bad Bunny's DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Release Date: May 26, 2025

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Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of All of It, host Alison Stewart explores the cultural and political nuances of Bad Bunny's latest album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. Touted as Bad Bunny’s most Puerto Rican album to date, the project delves deep into his roots while addressing pressing contemporary issues faced by Puerto Rico. Stewart engages with NPR culture reporter Isabela Gomez Sarmiento and Dr. Jerrel Melendez Badillo, a history professor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and collaborator on the album, to unpack the album’s significance.

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Bad Bunny’s Evolution as a Global Superstar

[01:46] Isabela Gomez Sarmiento:
Bad Bunny has transitioned from a "breakout trap reggaeton star" to a "full-fledged pop star" and global icon. His previous album, Umberano Sinti, marked a significant leap in his career, establishing him as a prominent figure in Caribbean pop. With DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Bad Bunny consciously reconnects with his Puerto Rican heritage after a period spent in Los Angeles, reflecting both personal growth and political awareness.

Key Insights:

• Transformation from regional artist to global superstar.
• Conscious effort to re-root in Puerto Rican culture and politics.

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Collaborating on Cultural Histories: Dr. Jerrel Melendez Badillo’s Role

[02:17] Alison Stewart:
Stewart highlights that each song on the album is accompanied by a YouTube title card providing historical lessons about Puerto Rico, developed with Dr. Badillo.

[02:33] Dr. Jerrel Melendez Badillo:
Dr. Badillo was approached on December 24th of the previous year to help integrate Puerto Rican history into the album. The project aims to educate listeners, particularly those in marginalized communities, about significant historical events and cultural elements. Bad Bunny wanted to use his platform to amplify Puerto Rico’s history, addressing gaps in public education.

Key Insights:

• Integration of historical education into musical content.
• Focus on marginalized communities’ awareness of their heritage.

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Listener Reaction: Emily's Perspective

[03:57] Emily:
Emily from Inglewood expresses newfound appreciation for Bad Bunny, highlighting the incorporation of traditional Puerto Rican sounds and heartfelt messaging. She shares that the album resonates across generations in her family, praising tracks like “Bonpay Plana” for their emotional depth.

[05:02] Emily:
She describes the album as a "love letter" to Puerto Rico, emphasizing its portrayal of the island and its people as rich in culture and pride, countering stereotypes of disposability and neglect.

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Cross-Generational Impact and Political Context

[05:14] Isabela Gomez Sarmiento:
Isabela notes that DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS is Bad Bunny’s first truly cross-generational album. She shares a personal anecdote about her mother, who previously disliked Bad Bunny’s music but now appreciates his work, reflecting the album’s broad appeal.

[07:41] Alison Stewart:
Stewart inquires about the album’s timing, coinciding with Puerto Rican elections and King's Day.

[07:44] Isabela Gomez Sarmiento:
The album release aligns with significant political events, serving as both a celebration and a call to action. It aims to inspire resilience and unity in addressing Puerto Rico’s challenges.

Key Insights:

• The album serves as a political statement amidst important local events.
• It bridges generational gaps, fostering broader appreciation.

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Deeper into the Music: Cultural and Traditional Influences

[11:36] Carlos:
Carlos from Manhattan, a Puerto Rican native raised in the 90s, shares his admiration for how Bad Bunny amalgamates various Puerto Rican musical genres. He praises the blend of traditional instruments like the cuatro with contemporary sounds, creating a unique and emotionally resonant album.

[13:24] Emily:
She discusses the album’s lead track, “Debit Mas Photos,” highlighting the use of traditional instruments and stripped-back production to convey emotional depth.

[13:36] Isabela Gomez Sarmiento:
Isabela elaborates on the album’s folkloric influences, including panderetas and jibaras, which enrich the musical texture and invoke nostalgia.

Key Insights:

• Fusion of traditional Puerto Rican instruments with modern genres.
• Emotional and nostalgic production techniques enhance cultural storytelling.

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Message to the Youth: Resilience and Hope

[14:09] Emily:
She emphasizes the album as a powerful reminder of Puerto Rico’s cultural richness and resilience, countering negative stereotypes.

[14:15] Isabela Gomez Sarmiento:
Isabela interprets the album as a message of resistance and hope. It encourages young people to stay informed, stand their ground, and maintain hope amidst challenges. The themes of resilience and unity resonate globally, extending beyond the Puerto Rican diaspora.

Key Insights:

• Empowering message of resilience and cultural pride.
• Encourages informed and united action among youth.

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Alison Stewart wraps up the discussion by reiterating the album’s cultural and political significance. She highlights how DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS stands as a multifaceted project that celebrates Puerto Rican heritage while addressing contemporary socio-political issues. Stewart previews the next episode, which will delve into the 1964-65 World’s Fair’s 60th anniversary, featuring exhibits and personal stories.

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Notable Quotes

• Isabela Gomez Sarmiento [01:46]:
  "Bad Bunny has really transformed from a breakout trap reggaeton star on the island in the Latin music world to becoming a full-fledged pop star, a full-fledged global superstar."

• Dr. Jerrel Melendez Badillo [02:33]:
  "Benito wanted to highlight Puerto Rico's history... to use his platform to amplify that history of Puerto Rico."

• Isabela Gomez Sarmiento [05:26]:
  "It's his first truly cross-generational album... first time where she [Isabela’s mother] was like, okay, I get it."

• Emily [08:11]:
  "This is a reminder that the island my ancestors came from is not a floating island of garbage... a love letter not only for the island, but for the beautiful people of Puerto Rico."

• Isabela Gomez Sarmiento [14:15]:
  "It's a message of resistance and of resilience... if we reclaim what's ours, if we stand proudly, we're gonna be okay, but we have to stick together."

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Closing Remarks

All of It delivers an insightful exploration of Bad Bunny's DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, highlighting its cultural depth and political relevance. Through expert analysis and heartfelt listener experiences, the episode underscores the album's role in celebrating Puerto Rican identity and inspiring change. Join us next time as we journey through the memories of the 1964-65 World’s Fair and its lasting impact on culture and society.

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Note: Advertisements and non-content segments have been excluded to focus solely on the episode's substantive discussions.

Transcript

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. One of the defining sounds of a New York summer these days is Bad Bunny. You hear his music in restaurants, bars and car speakers all around the city. You no doubt will hear tracks from his latest album, Debbie Terrar Mas Photos, which in English means I should have taken more photos. Bad Bunny calls the project his most Puerto Rican album ever. You'll hear Bad Bunny reflect on his roots and express pride in his Puerto Rican identity, but he also discusses contemporary issues facing the island, from the mass exodus of Puerto Ricans to the mainland United States to gentrification of the island's neighborhoods around the album's release. I spoke with NPR culture reporter and producer Isabela Gomez Sarmiento and Dr. Jerrel Melendez Badillo, a University of Wisconsin Madison history professor who collaborated with Bad Bunny on the album. A heads up. You'll hear callers in this segment, but since this is an encore broadcast, we won't be taking your calls live today. I began our conversation by asking Isabella about what Debbie Terrarmas Photos says about where Bad Bunny is creatively as an artist today.

[Isabela Gomez Sarmiento]

At this point, I think Bad Bunny has really transformed from a breakout trap reggaeton star on the island in the Latin music world to becoming a full fledged pop star, a full fledged global superstar. I think two albums ago, Umberano Sinti was the really big Caribbean pop project that sort of took his career to a whole new level. So the fact that he's now consciously choosing to go back and really reground himself in Puerto Rico after sort of a stint in LA as the big Puerto Rican rapper. It says a lot about where he is on a personal level and I think on a political level.

[Alison Stewart]

Jerrel each song on the album was released with sort of a title card on YouTube and they offer history lessons about Puerto Rico and you help develop these cards. For example, one talks about the bombing of El Viejo. How did you become involved with the process?

[Jerrel Melendez Badillo]

I was contacted by the Bad Bunny team on December 24th of last year and so they explained what Benito wanted in the record, which I think it's not only a musical production, it's also a cultural project. And so Benito wanted to highlight Puerto Rico's history. And what he told me was that he wanted these histories to be known by people in the projects, people in the class, baras. And so he thought that people in Puerto Rico don't know their history because of the infrastructure and public education system. So he just wanted to use his platform to amplify that history of Puerto Rico.

[Alison Stewart]

So how did you start to decide what would be on the cards? How. How did you decide what they would look like? They're very simple, actually.

[Jerrel Melendez Badillo]

Yeah. So I did not have a clue of what the they would look like. At the end, they asked me to develop 17 different themes in Puerto Rican history. So I gave them 17 topics Benit wanted. He was very adamant that he wanted certain things, like the history of surveillance in Puerto Rico, the history of US Colonialism. He also wanted one of them to be about the history of bomba plena all the way to reggaeton, and the history of extinct animals or animals in danger of extinction, including El Sabo Concho, which is sort of like the icon of the record. So it was. I had a bit of a leeway in what to include, but Benito was also very adamant in the things that he wanted to be included in the project.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take a call.

[Emily]

This is Emily in Inglewood. Hi, Emily. Thanks so much for calling all of it. You're on the air.

[Caller 1]

Hi. I'm so excited to be on the air. I was saying that I have not always been necessarily a big fan of Bad Bunny, maybe a song or two, but I heard this. This record in full, and I am just so proud of what he's produced. The music is just beautiful. I love that he's incorporated traditional Puerto Rican sounds and traditional Puerto Rican instruments, and the messaging is just so heartfelt. I was saying that this is a fan. This is an album that my daughter, who's 12 years old, loves, my mom, who's in her 70s, loves, and we're just so excited about it. We're playing it all the time. And I love Bonpay Plana. And so that he. The fact that he threw that into it and just all those sounds just makes me literally tear up when I hear some of those songs.

[Emily]

Emily, thank you so much for calling. We are discussing Bad Bunny's latest album, the Viterramas Photos, with Isabella Gomez Sarmiento and Dr. Jerrell Melendez Badillo. I just want to get your response to what Emily said.

[Isabela Gomez Sarmiento]

Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, it's interesting. My mom has always disliked Bad Bunny. She's found his music very Vulgar. You know, that traditional, very sexual reggaeton. And this was the first time where she texted me and she was like, okay, I get it.

[Emily]

It's so funny. My feed on YouTube is full of folks who are like, I get it. All these older folks, like, yes, this is for me.

[Isabela Gomez Sarmiento]

Yeah. It's his first truly cross generational album in that way, I think.

[Emily]

Jerrell Bad Bunnies released three singles ahead of the album's release. One was Pittoro de Coco. Can you tell us what that means?

[Jerrel Melendez Badillo]

Coco is basically our version of moonshine. So it's a rum that is made. It's illegal because it cannot be taxed. So it's also very iconic in the countryside. In Puerto Rico, we have it. It's also a very Christmas drink. So I think that, you know, if Umberano Sinti was his summer record, this is his Christmas record where we're going to be celebrating Puerto Rican Christmas throughout the year. And so Pitoro is a very iconic drink during the Christmas time era in Puerto Rico.

[Emily]

Well, let's take a listen. Isabella, you released this album in early January, 2025.

[Alison Stewart]

What's the significance of the timing of the album?

[Isabela Gomez Sarmiento]

It's right after elections in Puerto Rico. I think he's also sort of trying to call to action. It was the same day as King's Day. Kings Day was the sixth.

[Alison Stewart]

That's when we laugh so hard when.

[Isabela Gomez Sarmiento]

He dressed like a king. Yeah. So it is. I think it is a holiday album in that sense, and I think he's really looking forward at the future of Puerto Rico grounded in the celebration of the holiday season. But like you said, it's a call to action to some of the issues the island is facing and will continue to face in the. In the near future.

[Progressive Insurance]

This is a text.

[Emily]

This album, for me, is a reminder that the island my ancestors came from is not a floating island of garbage, that we are not disposable workforce, that we are not victims. This is a reminder that we are people rich in culture, history, and pride. It's truly a love letter not only for the island, but for the beautiful people of Puerto Rico, both on and off the island. That's a really telling statement, Jerrell. This is definitely happening after, oh, gosh, President Trump's meeting, let's say, at Madison Square Garden, where Puerto Rico was the subject of a joke. Was this an important part for Bad Bunny that.

[Jerrel Melendez Badillo]

Absolutely. And as. As Isabella was mentioning, this comes right after the Puerto Rican elections, which were, I think, the most important generations in my lifetime, where we, for the first time, Independence Party get to the second place in the ballot box. Actually, Bad Bunny rallied for the Alianza, which was a coalition between the Pro Independence Party and a Citizens Movement Party, which was a progressive party. So he was very involved in Puerto Rican politics. He actually, I think, referenced the island of Garbage in his media. And so he's very attuned to Puerto Rican reality and Puerto Rican politics. And we also need to remember that although this record is highly political, this is not the first time we've seen Bunny use his platform to talk about femicides, to talk about violence against trans people. And more recently in El Abagong, he had a full flow fledged documentary in the video with Bianca Garala where he talked about displacement and gentrification. So this is not the first time that he's taking a political position, but I think that now it's more acute in this record. And it's a celebration, but also it's a war. It's a call to action. It's a very complex record, politically speaking.

[Emily]

Let's take another call. Let's talk to Carlos in Manhattan. Hi, Carlos, you're on the air.

[Carlos]

Hi, Alison. Thanks for taking my call. So I'm. I'm 40 years old. I was born and raised in Puerto rico in the 90s. I was in high school there. My generation is from. Is very much in a. In a sort of a crossroads politically. My mother, when she was at the University of Puerto Rico, a student in the 70s, she was very much a radical independence, you know, person who ended up getting an FBI file made on her that she was actually able to see when she was older for her kind of, you know, civil disobedience activities. Me, myself, you can probably tell, I don't have an accent. That's because I learned English and Spanish at the same time. You know, my mother went to the States to get a PhD and took me along with her and then went back to Puerto rico in the 90s, in the late 90s, where I went to high school and vegetable rock and roll, it was always, you know, you were at each other's throats. In the 90s, you were either a caco or you were a Roquero, or you were a Salcedo or you were a marenguero. And it was the never the twain shall meet. And one of the things that makes Bad Bunny very special is that he combines all these genres and says Puerto Rico is all of these things. Puerto Rico is more than salsa, bomba, plena. It's everything. It's the American influence. And that the identity can be lost, but still can embrace. Culture from America Sounds from America synthesizers this album has so many synths, but also cuatro, which is the national instrument of Puerto Rico. A sort of guitar with multiple strings. And it's just amazing. I just never heard anything like this. It's hard to talk about because we never get to talk about this. Reggaeton has always had this reputation of being party music, being music for people who want to get it on and get messed up and go out and party. And other artists have tried to bridge that gap, but Bad Bunny has done it with such a plump that I've never heard anything like it before. It's amazing.

[Alison Stewart]

Well put.

[Emily]

Thank you so much for calling in.

[Alison Stewart]

I want to get to some of those genres that he's put together. Let's listen to the album's lead track, Debit Mas Photos, and then we can talk about it on the other side. This is Bad Bunn.

[Jerrel Melendez Badillo]

Kilo.

[Emily]

Playing in that back. In the back of that title track.

[Alison Stewart]

What other musical styles and traditions does.

[Emily]

He use on this album that you wouldn't normally hear on a Latin trap album?

[Isabela Gomez Sarmiento]

Yeah, I mean, there's a lot more folkloric influence on this album than we've heard it before. There's the panderetas, which are like the handheld percussion instruments. There's the Guido, the cuatro. You know, there's a lot of musicajibra influences, which is sort of like campesino countryside music from the mid 20th century. He's really incorporating these very, very traditional sounds and sort, you know, in that song we hear a very kind of stripped back production. But he uses that chorus, which is automatically so nostalgic. Like the call and response with the group. It really, I think, gets a very emotional point across without doing too much with the production.

[Emily]

What message, Isabella, do you think that this album can send to young people?

[Isabela Gomez Sarmiento]

I think Bad Bunny is very intentionally letting young people know that it's important to be informed, but it's also important to stand your ground and that there's hope. I think even though so much of the album is lamenting what has happened to Puerto Rico and what's happened to Hawaii and what's happened to other colonial territories, it's a message of resistance and of resilience, of saying, you know, if we reclaim what's ours, if we stand proudly, we're gonna be okay, but we have to stick together. Which I think, as Jerrell is saying, is why it has resonated with so many people, not just on the island. And off the island, but really around the world outside of the Puerto Rican diaspora. I think that's a message that a lot of people can relate to and can hold onto right now.

[Alison Stewart]

That was my conversation about David Terrara Mas Photos the latest ALB Bad Bunny. My guests were NPR producer and reporter Isabela Gomez Sardiento and Jerrell Melendez Badillo, a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. And that is all of it for this hour. Coming up next, a trip down memory lane to the 196465 World's Fair, which is commemorating its 60th anniversary this year. The Queen's Museum is marking the anniversary with an exhibition full of artifacts from the fair. We'll speak with a museum archivist and hear your World's Fair stories. That's right after the news.

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