Best of 2021: Bad Bunny’s Top Moments of the Year
Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny had an incredible year in 2021
Photo courtesy of Spotify/Eddie Santiago
Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny had an incredible year in 2021. Not only has he continued to dominate the Latin music market, but he’s also making major headway as a crossover artist in the U.S. He’s literally everywhere, and for the most part, people still aren’t getting tired of him. His creativity and authenticity have kept him interesting, and his commitment to his culture and shattering stereotypes and misplaced ideals, have kept him relevant. Not only is his music topping charts, but he’s successfully using that fame to explore his other interests, including acting and fashion. Keep reading for a refresher on all the amazing moments Bad Bunny had in 2021.wp_*posts
Thirst Trap
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJwDhgHhQZJ/
We know, this is totally shallow, but we’d be remiss not to mention that Benito kicked off the new year by showing off his abs on Instagram, and gaining himself tons of new admirers. The photo of him looking super-fit has garnered more than five million likes on Insta, but perhaps more importantly, it helped us all understand how much work he puts in to meet his goals. One of which was…wp_*posts
WWE Debut
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKwm8J9hvQv/
It didn’t take long for us to learn exactly why Bad Bunny had gotten so fit. He made his WWE debut in February. Initially, it looked like the long-time wrestling fan would just be performing at 2021 Royal Rumble, but later in the event, he made his way into the ring. On February 15, he earned the 24/7 championship. His performance was such a success, that he ended up competing in WrestleMania in April, and we’re positive fans will see him on the WWE stage again in the future.wp_*posts
Adidas Collaboration
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNNtjTPhSKv/
Bad Bunny is a trendsetter, and we’re not just talking about Crocs. He has a style all his own and he’s never afraid to take risks, as long as those risks represent who he is. Athletic wear giant Adidas, who is responsible for helping Kanye West’s create the Yeezy footwear that made him a billionaire, took notice of Bad Bunny’s unique style sensibility. In Spring 2021, they launched their first sneaker collaboration and then a few months later, they launched a Cheetos-inspired apparel collection and after that, a second shoe together. We’re psyched to see what this partnership brings in the future.wp_*posts
“Volví” with Aventura
Yo, none of us could deny how crazy we went when Bad Bunny and bachata icons Aventura announced that they had done a song together. “Volví” is freaking epic, and we know we’re not the only ones who listened to it on repeat for days. Bad Bunny sang and rapped on the bachata track that we still can’t stop dancing to. This song is one for the books and a highlight of the year for sure.
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Acting Debut on Narcos: Mexico
Bad Bunny: movie star? Okay, so he’s only done TV so far, but Benito did make his acting debut in 2021. He appeared in the third and final season of Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico. He played Arturo “Kitty” Paez, a real-life member of the Arellano Félix cartel family. Kitty is a rich kid who had a completely different upbringing than Bad Bunny himself, and he did an incredible job. He was so good, that the series showrunner, Carlo Bernard, told Entertainment Weekly, “Whatever we gave him, he killed,” and explained that his only regret was that he couldn’t give him more to do.wp_*posts
“Maldita Pobreza” at the 2021 Latin Grammys
We all know Bad Bunny does what he wants when it comes to his music. There are seemingly no bounds to his creativity, so when he performed “Maldita Pobreza” at the 2021 Latin Grammys and went full-on rocker, we were caught off guard, but not shocked. The performance was fire, quite literally, considering he ended the song by intentionally setting fire to the entire stage.wp_*posts
Honesty About Speaking English at the AMAs
how bad bunny revolutionized language justice in one interview pic.twitter.com/eMmby4WOxo
— Marty Preciado (@martypreciado) November 22, 2021
When we said Bad Bunny is becoming a crossover artist, we didn’t mean he’s starting to sing in English. Far from it, he unabashedly speaks, sings and raps in Spanish almost exclusively. On the AMAs red carpet, he was completely honest with a reporter who asked him a basic question in English, and explained that he didn’t understand and laughed it off, and we were honestly so proud of him. For a lot of people, it would have been a totally embarrassing moment, but he handled it flawlessly.wp_*posts
Spanish On An American Stage
That same night, Benito accepted the award for Favorite Latin Album, and while he briefly attempted his speech in English, he quickly and with confidence switched to the most Puerto Rican Spanish. He beautifully explained that he’s proud to represent his culture, his language and his island. It was incredible to see Puerto Rico represented on a mainstream, mainland U.S. stage so authentically and lovingly.wp_*posts
Most Streamed Artist on Spotify for 2021
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGztUCBlPR/
In December 2021, Spotify announced that Bad Bunny was its most streamed artist globally, for the second year in row. Interestingly, Bad Bunny didn’t even release a new album this year, but still managed to garner 9.1 billion streams. Taylor Swift came in second and her numbers were nowhere near his. How insane is that?wp_*posts
‘Eeeyyy Macarena!’ Cover for Vogue Magazine
Bad Bunny is ending 2021 having the most fun possible. In early December, he helped Vogue magazine kick off their #VogueMacarena challenge, by appearing in an updated video for the classic Latin song that we all know and love. Surrounded by models donning late nineties and early aughties inspired fashions, he wore a shiny green suit, white loafers, his favorite shades, painted green fingernails and his signature curls, he danced and lip synced to the Los Del Rio song and brought us all straight back to our childhoods.
