Bad Bunny explores new sounds in ‘El Último Tour del Mundo’

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Rimas

In Bad Bunny’s album “El Último Tour del Mundo,” he is authentic to himself. The license plate featured on the album cover reads, “YHLQMDLG,” an abbreviation of the Spanish phrase that translates to, “I do whatever I want.”

Karina Escobedo, Reporterr

Many musicians express themselves in their music, and they are able to have a huge influence on their audience and to connect with their fans on a meaningful basis. Bad Buddy is one of these beloved musicians and is popular in the Latin American community. 

Despite the setbacks of 2020, Bad Bunny had an overwhelming amount of success that year. Bad Bunny’s first album released in 2020, “YHLQMDLG,” has automatic hits including the song “La Difícil,” which made it in Barack Obama’s list of his top songs of the year. Despite the overwhelming success of his previous album, Bad Bunny decided to change things up and incorporate different sounds in his music. Bad Bunny’s album titled “El Último Tour del Mundo” or “The Last World Tour” is the reggaeton singer’s third consecutive album released in late 2020 that encompasses his exploration in different musical styles.

Bad Bunny sings about a variety of different topics in his album including romance, depression, his legacy and goals. His authenticity is contagious and makes the listener feel in control of life despite the chaos of the present world. 

“El Último Tour del Mundo” has a total of 16 tracks, only three of which are collaborations with other musicians. The cover of the album depicts a cargo truck with a cowboy boot stamped on top of its hood. In the reddish background, there is a dark cloud hanging on top of the truck which generates an apocalyptic feeling. The license plate is named after his last album, “YHLQMDLG,” which is an abbreviation of a Spanish phrase that translates to, “I do whatever I want.” Bad Bunny does exactly this and is comfortable in his own skin while doing so. Bad Bunny’s childhood influences such as professional wrestling, skateboarding, pop ballads, soul, rock and other Latin genres (salsa, merengue and bachata) make appearances throughout the album. 

The album starts off with “El Mundo Es Mío” which describes Bad Bunny’s frustrations toward others’ one-sided opinions of him while also saying he’s going to do whatever he wants because “the world is his.” Bad Bunny sticks to his usual style, Latin trap, but he doesn’t shy away from upbeat pop rhythms in his other songs.

His 11th track “Dakiti” transports the listeners to a sunny beach. The song isn’t the traditional reggaeton style that one might expect to hear from Bad Bunny’s album, but nevertheless Bad Bunny keeps the listener captivated and entertained. 

Bad Bunny is no stranger to singing about the professional wrestling idols of his childhood, but he has never dedicated an entire song to one. His 9th track is named after the American professional wrestler Booker T and pays homage to the legend. He also goes on to say in the song that the rapper is in his prime right now, and just like his idol, he will one day become a trailblazer. 

Young or old, all ages can enjoy and appreciate what Bad Bunny does in the album. He lets the listeners dream and reminisce about old times. He also talks about topics that are taboo in the Latin community. For example, in the song “Sorry Papi” Bad Bunny is accompanied by the American singer, Abra, and they sing about women’s independence and individualism. 

Bad Bunny has recently been criticized by many in the Latin community for his thoughts on gender violence and his unusual dressing choices. In the song “Yo Visto Así” Bad Bunny sings about how clothes are a form of expression for many and how dressing differently shouldn’t be looked down upon. Although Bad Bunny sticks to alternative rock in this song and is very vocal in his opinions, he does make room for those that don’t understand. He explains that as a kid his mother dressed him, but now that he’s older he dresses himself. Everyone was once a kid and can understand the amount of pressure but also freedom that comes with getting older. 

Bad Bunny finishes his album with a song sung by a group that comes from the Puerto Rican town he grew up in. Bad Bunny is humble about his working-class origins and remembers where he comes from. It’s important to stay firmly rooted and like Bad Bunny have a little fun while at it because like he says “everything comes to an end.” But in the meantime be a kind and giving person because that’s the real legacy a person can leave behind.