Bad Bunny's Biography
In less than 10 years, Bad Bunny built a stellar career, starting from obscure tracks on SoundCloud to releasing multiple successful albums, collaborating with global superstars, and winning a Grammy. Since 2020, he's been the most streamed artist on Spotify three times.The rapper is proud of his Puerto Rican heritage. He raps not only in English but also in Spanish.
Early Years
Bad Bunny's real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio. He was born on March 10, 1994, in Puerto Rico. He later got two younger brothers, Bysael and Bernie. The family wasn't wealthy: his father, Tito Martinez, was a truck driver, while his mother, Luisa, was an English teacher who retired early. At home, she often played salsa and various Spanish ballads, so Benito was immersed in music from a young age.His early years were fairly peaceful, without any street fights or bad influences. He mostly spent time at home with his family.On Sundays and Saturdays, when it was time to clean the house, when I heard those records, I knew I would have to at least mop the floor or something
From a young age, he aspired to be a singer. He attended church weekly with his mother. Eventually, he was invited to sing in the local choir, which he did until 2007. At 13, he left the group as he developed an interest in a different kind of music. His idols became Puerto Rican rappers Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderon, and Vico C.
However, when he performed Juanes' "Mala Gente" at a middle school talent show, everyone realized that music would be a significant part of his life. Despite being shy, in high school, he often entertained his friends with spontaneous freestyle rap. That's when he began using the pseudonym Bad Bunny.
Besides music, as a teenager, Benito loved skateboarding and enjoyed watching wrestling matches.
First Steps
In 2014, Bad Bunny began uploading his songs to the DJ platform SoundCloud on a friend's recommendation. Unexpectedly, one of his tracks, "Diles," went viral: tens of thousands of users shared it, and in a short time, over a million people had listened to it.After the success of "Diles", renowned DJ Luian reached out to the musician, signing him to his label, Hear This Music. This move allowed Ocasio to collaborate with other talented Latin American artists. Working together, the rapper made it to the top 10 of the Hot Latin Songs chart. Especially popular was his single "Soy Peor."
Rise to Stardom
In 2018, Bad Bunny collaborated with Cardi B and J Balvin on the track "I Like It". The musician showcased his rapping skills in both Spanish and English. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In July of the same year, Benito performed a verse from "I Like It" at the Tomorrowland festival.
The following year, he recorded "La Noche de Anoche" with artist Rosalía. His single "Yonaguni" made it to the top-10 of the US Billboard Hot 100. By December, it was clear that Benito was the most-streamed artist on Spotify for the second consecutive year. He repeated this record in 2022.
Wrestling
Bad Bunny never wanted to limit himself to music and actively explored other fields. For instance, he's been interested in wrestling since childhood. He involved wrestlers in his work: for example, Ric Flair, considered the greatest wrestler of all time, appeared in his 2017 music video "Chambea," and Stone Cold Steve Austin joined him two years later for "¿Quién Tu Eres?"
Other Achievements
Bad Bunny has experience in acting. In 2021, he appeared in the action comedy "Bullet Train" starring Brad Pitt and in the Netflix series "Narcos: Mexico".Additionally, there were reports that Bad Bunny would join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, taking on the role of Peter Parker's partner, a wrestler named El Muerto. The release was set for January 2024 but later disappeared from the company's premiere schedule. In September 2023, the musician admitted he's no longer involved in the film's production.
Bad Bunny also criticized the decision to close schools on the island, for which he received a "Humanitarian Award" nomination. In 2019, the musician joined Ricky Martin in protests demanding the resignation of Ricardo Rosselló, then governor of Puerto Rico.
Bad Bunny's Personal Life
In 2017, Benito started dating jewelry designer Gabriela Berlingeri. They met at a restaurant where the musician was having lunch with his family. Gabriela supported Bad Bunny in everything, even participating in the recording of the single "Te Guste" with Jennifer Lopez.The musician kept his relationship with Gabriela a secret until 2020. "People don't know how much she emotionally supported me when I needed it the most," he shared.
Since February 2023, Bad Bunny has been spotted more frequently with model and influencer Kendall Jenner. First, the couple went on a double date with Justin and Hailey Bieber, then they were seen at the Oscar after-party. Witnesses claimed they saw the model and the singer kissing in a private Los Angeles club.
Bad Bunny Now
In early 2023, Rolling Stone published a list of the 25 most stylish celebrities, including Bad Bunny. He partnered with Adidas to promote the Adidas Forum Low sneakers and even designed his own, paying tribute to skateboarders.In February, he released a music video for "Ojitos Lindos", and a few months later, two tracks - "Where She Goes" and a collaborative hit with Grupo Frontera, "Un x100to".
In April, Ocasio performed at Coachella, setting a festival record – he became the first Latin American solo headline act in its history. After that, he declared 2023 as his year for physical and mental health and even promised to reduce his presence on social media.A person that approaches me to greet me, tell me something or just get to know me, will always receive my attention and respect. Those who come to put a f***ing phone in my face I will consider it for what it is, disrespectful and will treat that person the same way.
In May 2023, the rapper returned to the WWE ring, competing against wrestler Damian Priest.
Fun Facts
- In 2020, photos of the rapper appeared on the cover of Playboy. He became the second man in history to grace the magazine's cover, after its founder, Hugh Hefner.
- Since childhood, Benito dreamed of owning a luxury Lamborghini Urus. Once he started earning enough, he immediately bought the car.