By Irene Escudero
Washington, (EFE).- Global music star Bad Bunny once again affirmed his commitment to the Spanish language during a performance for NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series, recorded in Washington D.C.
Speaking almost entirely in Spanish, the Puerto Rican artist made a playful but pointed reference to the White House, just blocks from where the performance took place, in a move that underscored his continued refusal to switch to English even when performing in the US.
For over 18 minutes, Bad Bunny (born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) sang and spoke exclusively in Spanish before joking: “Oh, was I supposed to be speaking English?”
This statement, delivered during a moment of increased language-related political tension, comes as United States President Donald Trump, who is running again for the presidency, signed an executive order on Mar. 1 officially designating English as the national language.
The policy allows federal agencies to limit services to English only and removes obligations to assist non-English speakers, disproportionately affecting nearly 20% of the US population that identifies as Latino.
Music, language, and resistance in the Trump Era
Although Bad Bunny made no direct mention of Trump or the executive order, the timing and content of his performance resonate with the political climate.
As the Trump Era awakened debates around language, immigration, and identity, the artist’s Spanish-only performances, including his Tiny Desk appearance, took on new significance.
The artist is known for never shying away from using his mother tongue on global platforms.
In 2023, he opened the 65th Grammy Awards in Spanish without uttering a word of English, a historic moment for Latin artists.
He also routinely responds in Spanish to English-language media, regardless of the outlet or setting.
Earlier this year, during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Bad Bunny teased the host for his lack of Spanish.
“How many times have I been here? Six? And you still speak the same Spanish as the first day” I’ve improved my English, now it’s your turn,” he said while switching fluidly between both languages.
Culture, identity, and the global rise of Latin music
During the Tiny Desk concert, which garnered nearly 3 million views in under 24 hours, Bad Bunny celebrated Puerto Rican slang and culture.
He used like gufiao (cool), cabrón and veldá (a phonetic rendering of “verdad,” meaning: right?”), interacting with a largely Latino audience.
Describing a moment when a White House staffer approached him during rehearsals outside the presidential residence, he recalled: “They said, ‘I like the song, congrats. Are you from Puerto Rico, right?’… It’s crazy, more than 100 years of colonialism, and you’re still preserving your language, your slang, your culture.”
This performance also included “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAII,” a song denouncing gentrification and exploitation of islands like Hawaii and Puerto Rico, both US territories with complex colonial histories.
Bad Bunny’s defiance is not isolated.
The rise of Latin music, fueled by artists like Karol G, Peso Pluma, Rosalía, and others, has made Spanish the most streamed language on Spotify in 2024, according to the platform’s Loud & Clear report.
The Instituto Cervantes also noted that Spanish-language urban music has become one of the most powerful cultural expressions of linguistic diversity.
In the US, where Spanish is the second-most spoken language, Bad Bunny’s voice resonates beyond music.
For many in the diaspora, his success, and refusal to assimilate linguistically, offer a powerful affirmation of identity. As he proudly proclaims in one of his songs: “Yo soy de P ‘fokin’ R” — “I’m from Puerto Rico, f**king right.” EFE
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