How Bad Bunny Amplified Puerto Rican Independence Movement

The global superstar's music and activism have brought the cause of Puerto Rican independence to the mainstream.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican reggaeton artist, has emerged as a leading voice for the island's independence movement. Through his music, activism, and public persona, he has brought the cause of Puerto Rican self-determination to a global audience. Experts discuss how Bad Bunny's rise to fame has coincided with and amplified the growing calls for Puerto Rico to break free from its status as a U.S. territory.

Why it matters

Puerto Rico's political status has been a contentious issue for decades, with many on the island seeking full independence or statehood. Bad Bunny's embrace of pro-independence messaging has helped elevate this cause, sparking renewed debate about the island's future and its relationship with the United States.

The details

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has used his massive platform to advocate for Puerto Rican independence through his music, fashion choices, and public statements. He has incorporated Puerto Rican nationalist symbols and slogans into his performances and album artwork, and has been vocal in his support for the island's right to self-determination.

  • Bad Bunny first rose to global fame in the mid-2010s.
  • In 2023, he began teaching a college course on his work and its connection to Puerto Rican history and politics.
  • Bad Bunny's 2022 album 'DTMF' featured extensive pro-independence messaging and imagery.

The players

Bad Bunny

A Puerto Rican reggaeton artist who has become a global superstar and a leading voice for Puerto Rican independence.

Carina Del Valle Schorske

A writer, translator, and wannabe backup dancer who wrote a profile on Bad Bunny for The New York Times Magazine.

Vanessa Díaz

A professor of Chicano/a and Latino/a Studies at Loyola Marymount University who has taught a college course on Bad Bunny and co-created the Bad Bunny Syllabus Project.

Jorell Meléndez-Badillo

A professor of Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and Latin American History at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, who has written about the history visualizers for Bad Bunny's 'DTMF' album.

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What they’re saying

“Bad Bunny has become the global voice of a generation in crisis, and his embrace of Puerto Rican independence has helped bring that cause to the mainstream.”

— Carina Del Valle Schorske, Writer and Translator (The New York Times Magazine)

“Bad Bunny's music and activism have been instrumental in sparking renewed debate about Puerto Rico's political status and its relationship with the United States.”

— Vanessa Díaz, Professor of Chicano/a and Latino/a Studies (Instagram)

“Bad Bunny's rise to fame has coincided with and amplified the growing calls for Puerto Rico to break free from its status as a U.S. territory.”

— Jorell Meléndez-Badillo, Professor of Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and Latin American History (Twitter)

What’s next

Experts predict that Bad Bunny's continued advocacy for Puerto Rican independence will keep the issue in the global spotlight, potentially leading to increased pressure on the U.S. government to address the island's political status.

The takeaway

Bad Bunny's rise to global superstardom has coincided with and amplified the growing calls for Puerto Rican independence, demonstrating the power of popular culture to shape political discourse and drive social change.