Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio is something of an enigma. Known to the world as the swaggeringly confident Bad Bunny, to his friends and peers he is still just Benito – a 27 year old musician passionate about wrestling with pastimes like playing video games and watching basketball. The artist is humble with a quiet and thoughtful demeanour, juxtaposed heavily with his flamboyant outward appearance and confident interpretations of reggaeton which have earned him the title of Spotify’s most played artist of the year – twice.
Sleeveless shirt, sheer vest, trousers, leather scarf (worn in pants), Burberry. Bracelets, rings, earrings, nose ring, Talent’s own.
“Honestly, I’m grateful for the awards and the recognition but nothing I do is with the intention of breaking records, getting nominations or being #1,” he shares when asked about his impressive resume. “Again, I’m extremely grateful, I don’t want it to come off as if I’m not. I’m just doing what I’m most passionate about – creating music.” Bad Bunny digresses: “To answer your question though, in my eyes my greatest achievement is being able to reach so many people and inspire them through my music and art.”
A Puerto Rican native, Bad Bunny has shared how his culture and upbringing have “influenced everything.” Some of his songs are decidedly reggaeton, like his collaboration with Rosalia, “La Noche de Anoche”. Meanwhile, other tracks are coloured with influences from trap, hip-hop, rock en español and just about everything in between. But the pulsing undercurrent of all his songs lie in the addictive beats and melodies that loop in your head on repeat, ranging from smooth and laidback to dark and moody. And they are always unmistakably “Bad Bunny”. “My culture influences everything. I’m proud of where I come from and I always try not to lose the Latino essences of who I am.”
Top, shirt, sheet hoodie, Givenchy. Sunglasses, Arnette Earring, Austin James Smith. Nose ring, Talents' own.
Jacket, trousers, Gucci. Earring, bracelet, nose ring, Talent's own.
In 2016, before his ascent to stardom, the musician was bagging groceries in a supermarket in Puerto Rico. After releasing a song on Soundcloud, he caught the attention of DJ Luían and was instantly signed. A meteoric rise to fame followed. By 2017 he was nominated for his first Latin Grammy award. In 2019 he first broke into Billboard’s top 200 with his collaborative album with J Balvin, “Oasis”. By 2020, he became the only Spanish-language album to hit #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 with “El Último Tour del Mundo”. He’s now won four Latin Grammys, and bagged an American Grammy in 2021. He also made his acting debut in Narcos and competed in the WWE, becoming the youngest champion ever when he was just 26.
How does he stay grounded with his shiny new accolades and a fanbase of millions? He surrounds himself with those who know Benito first and Bad Bunny second. “I try to always have both of my brothers – if not at least one of them – with me. My friends from childhood and teenage years are also by my side and work with me. I think that it’s important to always have people around you who really know you as a person and not just as an artist.”
After a pause, Bad Bunny continues. “Staying true to myself is just who I’ve always been. I’ve always had that instilled in me that no matter what I end up doing in my future I will do it being who I am and not what someone else tells me I have to be.” This strong sense of self is evident across Bad Bunny’s fashion and style, where he subverts traditional Puerto Rican norms of masculinity. The star is often seen in a pair of his signature, cooler-than-you shades and sporting some form of press-on nails and hair accessories. He most recently fronted Jacquemus’ “Le Splash” campaign where he dons a fuchsia dress, white heels and beaded hair charms. “There are no boundaries for me, I love putting outfits together and accessorising,” he remarks. The artist has collaborated with Crocs, creating a glow-in-the-dark pair that sold out almost instantly. His ongoing collaboration with adidas incited a similar reaction from fans. “I have a lot of ideas and collaborations I would like to work on in the future. I’m just getting into the fashion industry and there’s so much to explore.”
Vest, trousers, slides, Versace. Sunglasses, Arenette. Ear cruff, Austin James Smith. Bracelets, earrings, nose ring, Talent's own.
Sweater, shorts, Loewe. Pearl necklace, Diciembre / Veintinueve. Earrings nose ring, Talent's own.
Bad Bunny’s eclectic style shines through his music videos, which are incredible works of art in their own right. “I’m a very visual person. The inspiration comes from so many different places”. Each video that Bad Bunny creates tells a story – he’s starring as a video game character in “Hablamos Mañana”, then he’s skateboarding down streets in “Yo Visto Así”. Bad Bunny sees art and inspiration everywhere – whether that be in the artists that he looks up to or within the walls of his bathroom. “There’s a video concept that I thought of while I was taking a shower. I can’t explain what inspired me but this happens often – I can be doing something and all of a sudden I’m like wow, I have this amazing idea and it would work for this concept.”
The artist uses craft to send powerful messages. His music video for “Yo Perreo Sola” (I twerk alone), saw him in two different drag outfits, with vocals by Puerto Rican singer Nesi. The song details a woman who desires to dance alone, and safely, in a club. In “La Difícil”, the music video follows a model who is subject to objectification at her job while trying to care for her younger sister. Bad Bunny unapologetically stands up for what he believes in – on The Tonight Show, he wore a skirt and a t-shirt with the words “They killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt”, to shine a light on transphobic violence. Meanwhile, he quietly gives back to the community in his own ways, donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to nonprofits in Puerto Rico. “I don’t promote this for the exact reason that these causes are close to my heart”, he explains. “I do want to inspire people that if you can give then you should – and I don’t just mean financially, you can give your time to help others do it. The more people out there giving and helping others the better then chances of making a change in this world”.
Vest, jeans, bracelets, Roberto Cavalli. Earrings, rings, nose ring, Talent's own.
Jacket, ZEGNA. Scuba top, swim shorts, Tom Ford. Rain boots, Bottega Veneta. Necklace, earrings, nose ring, Talent's own.
As for his highly anticipated upcoming album, the artist’s response is coy. “All I can say is that I’m working on it and it’s not comparable to what I’ve put out.” Bad Bunny’s focus is on growing and pushing himself. His album YHLQMDLG is an acronym for Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana – Spanish for “I Do Whatever I Want”. Whether it’s rocking his glittering nails, performing in a skirt or speaking up for what he believes in, Bad Bunny does what he wants – and he does it for himself.
Photographer: Arnaldo Anaya-Lucca @ Defacto Inc.
Stylist: Grant Woolhead @ Explosure NY
Hair & make-up: Franck Izquierdo
Digital Tech: Norman Gerhard Nelson
Fashion Assistant: Trevor McMullan
Casting Director: ML McCarthy @ Urban Production
Casting Production: Tracey Thomas Production Assistant: Ira Slavin
Editor
Carina Fischer
