In the digital age, where everything is recorded for people to post to the world, photos are incredibly important in shaping our perceptions of what’s around us. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, professionally known as Bad Bunny, harnesses both the deeply personal and the overtly political feelings that comes with photographing history — familial, historical and individual — in his new album, “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS.”
“DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS,” which translates to “I Should’ve Taken More Photos,” hit record shelves and streaming services hard after its Jan. 5 release; according to Chart Tracking, Bad Bunny’s sixth studio album earned 67 million streams in its first three days on Spotify. The single “EL CLúB,” one of the standout songs on his 17-track record, debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Music chart.
The album is Bad Bunny’s most vibrant production yet; taking his usual style of tear-jerking party music and adding a layer of complexity with percussion-heavy reggaeton, traditional Puerto Rican instrumentation and activism-oriented lyricism paid off immensely for his newest outing. The tropical night club energy he usually takes with his music is still present, but for fans willing to dive deeper into the meaning of “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS,” the experience is elevated beyond his previous work.
Bad Bunny is no stranger to embracing Puerto Rican slang and language from his home country; people who speak Spanish may not understand parts of his music without a certain level of cultural literacy. He has discussed this frequently while promoting “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS,” but it is not a new phenomenon for his artistry.
In an interview with the New York Times, Bad Bunny dove into the creative mindset behind his lyrical nuances which make his music linguistically different compared to several Latin artists.
“After ‘Un Verano Sin Ti,’ it was the biggest spot of my career and I came with this totally different album — ‘Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana’ — with a lot of bars and Puerto Rican analogies, and I’m 100 percent sure that people missed the best parts of that album,” Bad Bunny said in the interview. When asked by his interviewer if this is something he feels weird about or needs to “explain” to his listeners, he happily replied by singing “I don’t care.”
Following the path of “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana,” “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS” bears witness to Bad Bunny doubling down on this commitment to his Puerto Rican heritage. He uses Puerto Rican musical elements, such as brass instruments in tandem with reggaeton-dancehall beats, tying this style to critical commentary on the realities of his home country.
Each song tackles different aspects of partisan politics and the battles we all face as humans. “NUEVAYoL,” the opening track of “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS,” tackles Bad Bunny’s own internal struggles with his Puerto Rican identity and relates them to the strive for authenticity in a world bent on modernization. By sampling “Un Verano en Nueva York,” a ‘70s salsa song by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, and combining its beat with his own signature production throughout the track, he perfectly mirrors the lyrics of the song. Without knowing the context of the sample, listeners could easily miss the power of the song and fail to appreciate its true meaning, similarly to how people often miss the meanings of the Puerto Rican slang on “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana.”
Combining the embodied emotional experiences of those in Puerto Rico with the deeply private feelings of love and loss is central to the success of “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS.” On the song “TURiSTA,” Bad Bunny uses the pain the tourism industry inflicts on Puerto Rico as an analogy for his own heartbreak after a failed relationship. “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” showcases Bad Bunny’s experimental step into the music of his childhood: salsa. He sings about a woman he can’t forget, comparing her to an unforgettable dance which seamlessly lines up with the album’s production.
Listening to “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS,” it is obvious Bad Bunny put an insurmountable amount of thought and time into this project. The passion Bad Bunny conveys in his on-stage performances and off-stage interviews is more than just present on “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS” — it is a constant sonic element, thumping on the chests of listeners from its opening track to its closer.
There is so much to love on the album, and with each listen a new aspect of the production or originally misunderstood lyric makes the album dig its way further into any Bad Bunny fan's psyche. A contender for album of the year emerged Jan. 5, less than a week into 2025, and listeners won’t forget about “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOToS” as the year goes on.
Jackson McCoy is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to share your thoughts? Let Jackson know by emailing or tweeting him at jm049122@ohio.edu or @_jackson_mccoy_.
