A few weeks ago, it was leaked that Bad Bunny had accepted an invitation by NPR Music to participate in their worldwide famous series, Tiny Desk. Since then, we haven’t stopped thinking about it — finally, to start the week off on the right foot, the thirty-minute-long concert is out! 
Brick by brick, Bad Bunny has built his reputation as one of the most important artists of this generation. He’s broken numerous records and won several awards, he’s one of the most streamed artists in the world, and he’s used to breaking the internet — just a few weeks ago, he rose global temperatures after starring in a steamy Calvin Klein ad. But more important than that is that as a singer and artist, he’s used his voice to protest Puerto Rico’s gentrification and century-long colonisation, has taken to the streets (and cancelled sold-out shows) to join his brothers and sisters in solidarity when revolting against the government, and made an incredibly sentimental yet political LP that’s been dominating the charts since it came out in January, titled Debí tirar más fotos.
In August, he’ll be doing a two-month long residence at Puerto Rico’s Coliseo. To celebrate his country, his people, and his culture, he divided the shows into two: half of them are just for Puerto Ricans (you needed an ID to buy the tickets), and then the rest of the world, which goes on to show his commitment to fighting for his folk and land. In the Tiny Desk concert, addressing his audience in Spanish and raising his voice against colonisation, Benito takes the opportunity to raise awareness of the issues they’re facing while also presenting some of the album’s songs, from Pitorro de coco to Lo que le pasó a Hawaii and La mudanza. It’s touching yet fun, political yet spiritual. Here are five key takeaways that we found important to highlight.
1. Music is community
This one might seem obvious, but it isn’t always like that. In an industry dominated by ego and monetary success, Bad Bunny’s Tiny Desk is an embrace to community and family. Of course, his music speaks of his communities – family, friends, Puerto Ricans, and people under colonised political regimes –, but also helps bring us together and fight the oppressor. The way he encourages the musicians that join him (Luis Sanz, Fabiola Méndez, Emanuel Santana, Julito Gastón, Krystal Santana, Luis Amed Irizzarry, and Jay Anthony) to show off while also praising their talent is also testament to that.
2. His deep voice is the best
Many criticise Benito for not being an exceptional singer — and they might be right. It’s no secret that he isn’t the most gifted vocalist (you have Adele for that), but it doesn’t matter; his music goes way beyond his voice — it’s about the lyrics, the spirit, the message, the attitude, the vibe, the live presentation, the showmanship. However, his Tiny Desk concert proves that his deep voice, especially when he starts singing Lo que le pasó a Hawaii or when he sings “Te dieron un beso a las 12 y no fui yo quien te lo di / Hace un año que yo estuve ahí, hace un año que yo estuve ahí” in Pitorro de coco, is when he sounds best — and should try it more often. 
3. There are still nice people in The White House
Ok, stay with me on this one. When speaking to the audience, Benito tells the anecdote that nobody wanted to rent a space for him and his bandmates to rehearse in Washington DC (did that really happen?). So, they just rehearsed in front of The White House (that’s ballsy!). And then, someone from there came out to ask what was going on but ended up chatting with Bad Bunny very nicely and even said he admired Puerto Ricans because, after being colonised for over a century, they keep their traditions alive, they speak Spanish, and resist to be invaded and erased. So cheers to that.
4. He is naturally funny and charismatic
Despite being a global superstar, Benito comes across as shy — less so when he feels comfortable and speaks Spanish though. In this intimate environment, and with an audience that had many Puerto Ricans in it, Bad Bunny acted very naturally and showed us how funny he is. The way he tells anecdotes, relates to the musicians of the band, and even struggles to find a way to describe La mudanza – “I don’t want to call it a song, what should we name it? […] It’s not a movie because it’s real. It’s a word that doesn’t exist. So, the next thing we’ll perform is a word that still doesn’t exist” – is just endearing and funny. 
5. He’s from P fucking R
Benito has been insisting on linking himself to his place of origin from the start. But it was in 2020’s life-changing album Yo hago lo que me da la gana that he put that into music, especially in the track P FKN R. Since then, he’s insisted on sending that message across everything he’s done. Debí tirar más fotos is the epitome of that, a seminal work that solidifies his love for Puerto Rico; it’s a love letter to his land. He wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to show how much he loves his land, refusing to let outsiders tear it apart like they’ve done in the past years.