Review: Bad Bunnys Latest Album A Rapheavy Treatise On Fame And An Ode To His ‘real Fans
This is what all artists desire and few achieve: distinction. In the blink of an eye, you can hear Bad Bunny's instantly recognizable baritone from both his dark vocals and stadium-sized raps. There is no doubt that Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio's tapes will be played.
Even more impressively, he decides to reinvent himself by bringing back the sounds of his past and giving them a modern twist, making the popular Puerto Rican musician stand out as always. Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, El Conejo Malo's 22-song fifth solo album (literally, "No one knows what tomorrow will bring") is a neater album than its predecessor, but in some ways no less so. dynamic.
Those waiting for Benito's sunny 2022 album Un Verano Sin Ti, one of the Associated Press' best albums of the year, should prepare for a different listening experience. (And isn't change the motivator of great art?)
The reggaeton offerings on this album are limited (Dembov fans will not be disappointed as they can play "PERRO NEGRO" and "UN PREVIEW" instead of some other songs on the album). A place the musician has already mastered. Fusing Perreo's sounds with rock, bomb and merengue with electronic dance music and hip-hop, "Nadie Sabe" cuts Bad Bunny's appeal down to its core and builds from there.
So much of this album is reminiscent of early Bad Bunny; Latin visuals from his 2018 debut album "X 100PRE" such as "MONACO" and "GRACIAS POR NADA".
Conceptually, much of this album is about the trials and tribulations of newfound fame; the humanity he abandoned in favor of power and wealth. Returning to an earlier format is an attempt at restoration, an act of an artist who plays by his own rules but also finds appeal in returning to a circle of control. According to him, the six-minute long intro followed by the chorus ("Este disco no es pa' ser tocado ni un billón de vista / Es pa' que mis fan reales estén contento") ("This album wasn't meant to be" played and got a billion views / To please my true fans).
Simplifying your approach doesn't mean sacrificing innovation. It is not difficult to find them. "VOU 787" uses the same synthesizer that opens Madonna's "Vogue" (Madge is later name-checked). "BATICANO" is broadcast on the BDSM synth channel, as the genre contains NSFW songs about the Teletubby character Tinky Winky. HIBIKI also explores techno house. Where She Goes is a club from Jersey.
The penultimate track, “ACHO PR,” a play for “muchacho” or “boy” in Puerto Rican slang, is a love letter to his island, his people, and the reggaeton folk who opened the door for him. A reunion of former duo Flow and Arcángel and De La Ghetto.
As always, this album is dominated by one's love for one's island; The record features Boricua's idols, as well as current and future generations of Puerto Rican talent such as Eladio Carrion, Young Micho, Mora, Bryant Myers, Yovngchimi and Luar La Le. .
However, "ACHO PR" does not have the immediate impact of, for example, "El Apagón" in "Un Verano Sin Ti". Bad Bunny has shown himself to be a true connoisseur of party and political songs. a creative personality no stranger to the unwavering resilience of the Puerto Rican people who embrace the arts and find joy in a country rooted in the struggle for survival. Self-determination goes back generations, not just to the American invasion of 1898. But the struggle with Nadi Sabe Lo Ke Wa a Pasar Manyana is more about glory than systemic failure.
Lyrically, Benito certainly focuses on his inner struggle dictated by his Puerto Rican identity, a unique identity that he both exploits and celebrates. But looking inside Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, listening sometimes seems distant.
However, there is plenty to enjoy here. True fans will love it. You will also wonder what will happen next.
