“YHLQMDLG” is the perfect reflection of Bad Bunny
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, or as fans know him, Bad Bunny, released his sophomore album on Feb. 29. WikiCommons
During an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” Bad Bunny revealed the cover for his album. The album cover gave off major “Stranger Things” vibes with a kid on a bike, a third eye and a flying car in the back, but the album is far from a 1980s music theme.
He brings old school reggaeton to life in “YHLQMDLG,” including a feature with the genre giant Daddy Yankee. The album delivers Latin trap with a variety of moods, whether it’s post-breakup heartbreak, soon to be summer anthems or the heartfelt thank you at the end of the 20-song album.
“YHLQMDLG” is an acronym for “Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana.” It means “I do whatever I want,” which is precisely what Bad Bunny did with this album and has done his entire musical career. Bad Bunny has made a name for himself in the American music industry without making music in English.
“X 100Pre,” his previous album, gave us a heartbroken “Conejo Malo” with a blend of pop and rock. But “YHLQMDLG” provides us with a mixture of lyrics. From “Pero Ya No,” a song about getting over someone, to “Yo Perreo Sola,” a song about a woman who prefers to dance alone. “Safaera” is a for sure summer anthem. It features reggaeton veterans Nengo Flow and Jowell y Randy and an eight beat change that brings back the 2000s rhythm. Safaera has proven to be the song for perreo as the #Safaerachallenge has gone viral on social media.
Bad Bunny excels at being different. He gets his nails done, something that within the Latin community is looked down on. He pushes boundaries and tries to defy the toxic masculinity within Hispanic culture through his gender fluidity.
At his performance on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” he wore a skirt and a t-shirt that read, “They killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt” in an attempt to raise awareness and pay tribute to a transwoman who was killed in his native Puerto Rico. In his music, he freely talks about his feelings and mental health, something that is common for Latin men to suppress.
In the last song, “<3,” Bad Bunny drops a bomb. “And in nine months I’ll come back and drop another, to retire peacefully like Miguel Cotto,” he raps. In a heartfelt song, Bad Bunny explains the toll fame has taken on him and gives thanks to everyone who has believed in him, including his fans.
Bad Bunny gives us an array of songs in “YHLQMDLG” that he made without thinking of others. Instead, he focused on doing what he wanted and being happy with his music. “YHLQMDLG” brings out his identity. It is clear Bad Bunny does as he pleases when he recently performed on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” March 3 in a Charizard onesie.