Bad Bunny’s emphatic decade-long success has shattered chart records. For too long, Spanish-language music was pushed to the margins, but no longer – smashing through the glass ceiling, Bad Bunny has grappled with global appeal, up-turning age-old expectations on what a Spanish-language artist could achieve. Dubbed the King of Latin Trap, his sound – culminating in 2023 record ‘Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana’ – has constructed a potent crossover appeal. On ‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ however he “recommits” to Puerto Rico – translating as ‘I should have taken more photos’, the results are a brave and bold audio pictograph not only of Puerto Rico, but of the diaspora itself, with all its pan-generational variants and complexities.
The record kick-starts with ‘NUEVAYoL’, looping Fania-era samples with trap beats, EDM electronics, and reggaeton flourishes. It’s pure, distilled Bad Bunny, but it’s also a reflection of his roots – the old skool family party flavours, the rave aspects, merging around Puerto Rican lineages. The highlights come thick and fast – a frenetic yet also coherent record, this is one of Bad Bunny’s most finessed documents yet.
Early moments like ‘VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR’ and the RaiNao indebted ‘PERFuMITO NUEVO’ are instance ear-worms, spotlighting Bad Bunny’s melodic flair. A hard-hitter, there’s also a soft side to his work – the sultry ‘EL CLuB’ for example or the neat guitar flourishes on ‘TURiSTA’.
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Potent and personal, ‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ pays homage to Puerto Rico while inviting strangers along for the ride. Hemming in his crossover impulses, it stays true to his foundational aspects – ‘PIToRRO DE COCO’ is a real whirlwind ride, while the crunching bass tones that permeate ‘EoO’ offer sheer reggaeton bedlam.
Boasting 17-tracks and a full hour of music, ‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ is a love letter to his heritage that boasts some of Bad Bunny’s most definitive moments. A generational voice within the diaspora, this project finds the star bringing it all back home – closing with the joyous effervescence of ‘LA MuDANZ’, it could well be 2025’s first true blockbuster.
8/10
Words: Robin Murray
