Bad Bunny is conducting a residency in Puerto Rico and then an international tour — but there are no dates scheduled in the states. The Dominican Republic is the first stop after Puerto Rico, followed by other Latin American stops, and then engagements in Asia, Australia, and Europe. The wildly popular Puerto Rican musician, who lives in the states, has not made a public statement of his reasons for avoiding stateside venues, but there are speculations. Bad Bunny’s new tour may be making a point.
Is it political?
Johnny Levanier wrote in Into that President Trump’s actions regarding Puerto Rico might be the issue.
On the other hand, Los 40 USA held out hope that some shows in states will still be announced. “Bad Bunny has become deeply integrated into the American «jet set» culture, regularly attending high-profile events (like the latest Met Gala) and collaborating with influential figures in entertainment, fashion, and business,” the author popited out. “This strong connection to the U.S. entertainment world suggests that he won’t overlook his American fans, especially when considering how crucial they have been to his rise.”
But Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has spoken against statehood for Puerto Rico, with a focus on resentment of the United States. “They want to take away the river and also the beach, they want my neighborhood and grandma to leave. Don’t let go of the flag,” run lyrics in his latest album. “I don’t want them to do with you what happened to Hawaii.”
There is a misconception that statehood destroyed the Kingdom of Hawaii, but the truth is quite different. Commercial interests took over Hawaii and suppressed the native culture and language during the 19th century, against the wishes of the U.S. President at the time. Statehood gave greater power to native Hawaiians in the 20th century. President Clinton officially apologized in 1993 for the part the U.S. government played in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and rightly so. However, the apology was for the events in 1893, not for Hawaii’s admission to the U.S. as a state in 1959. We should not confuse or conflate the two.
However, it is certainly possible that Bad Bunny’s choice not to include U.S. mainland venues in his world tour is based on political concerns. As Mitu put it, “Why would he, as an artist, bring the tour to the country that colonized Puerto Rico?”
Want tickets?
If you live in the continental United States, it makes a lot more sense to catch the tour in Puerto Rico than to head to Japan. When U.S. citizens from the states visit Puerto Rico, they don’t need passports or visa or even a change in currency. It’s just like heading from your home in Kansas to a venue in Colorado.
Take the opportunity to visit the beautiful Isla del Encanto, so you can say you visited before it became a state.
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