What Bad Bunny already warned you about Puerto Rico
Rest assured that you’re going to have a great time in Puerto Rico when you come to enjoy Bad Bunny’s residency in his homeland. However, nothing is perfect—not even “P FKN R”—and Bad Bunny himself has already warned you through his lyrics.
That’s why, below, we break down some of the less pleasant situations you might face during your visit to Conejo Malo’s home, reviewing how he himself has addressed them in his songs.
Broadly speaking, these are the main problems you might encounter: to begin with, Bad Bunny’s residency in Puerto Rico takes place right in the middle of hurricane season. In fact, the period of highest activity—that is, when most tropical storms form and threaten to pass near or over Borinquen—occurs between July and September.
In September 2024, Bad Bunny released the song “Una velita,” in which he recalls the devastating effects of Hurricane María, which crossed the island on September 20, 2017. In this track, Benito says:
“¿Cómo llegó este momento? El año pasa volando. Pero este mes siempre se va lento. Pasa serio y amenazando. ‘Tá empezando a llover. Otra ve’ va a pasar. Por ahí viene tormenta. Quizás huracán. ‘Tá empezando a llover. Otra ve’ va a pasar. Por ahí viene tormenta. ¿Quién nos va a salvar? ”
At the infrastructure level, Puerto Rico struggles with two main challenges. The first, without a doubt, is the ongoing failures in the electricity generation and distribution system. The second is the poor condition of the roads, full of potholes and prone to flooding.
In that sense, in “Una velita,” Bad Bunny says:
“Obviamente la luz se va a ir. Sabrá Dios y nunca va a volver. El puente que tardaron en construir, El río creció y lo va a romper ”
He also mentions it in “Estamos bien”, released in June 2018 on the album X100pre:
“La Mercedes en PR cogiendo boquete, eh. Vivo como soñé a los 17, eh. El que no logró na’ es porque no le mete. Dime qué esperas tú, Si alguien puede, eres tú. Aunque pa’ casa no ha llega’o la luz, Gracias a Dios porque tengo salud ”
The issues of blackouts and road conditions are also addressed by the Puerto Rican megastar in “El apagón,” from the album “Un verano sin ti.” In this song, he says:
“Quieren montarse en la ola y no han ido a Rincón. Un besito pa’ abuela en el balcón. Cogiendo to’ los hoyos en la Rubicón. Maldita sea, otro apagón. Vamo’ pa’ los bleacher a prender un blunt, Antes que a Pipo le dé un bofetón ”
What to do if a blackout hits while you’re in Puerto Rico?
Even though blackouts are a frequent reality on the island—and as Bad Bunny sings, sometimes it feels like “it’s never coming back”—there are simple ways to prepare and get through them without ruining your trip.
Always keep a portable battery to charge your phone, a flashlight—ideally rechargeable—and, of course, a candle, as Benito mentions. Many homes and tourist accommodations have generators, but not all do, so ask in advance. It’s a good idea to fill water bottles, keep cash on hand (in case card readers stop working), and charge all your electronic devices before a storm begins. If you’re staying at an Airbnb or a small hotel, check whether they have backup power and in which areas. And if you’re out on the street when the power goes out, don’t panic: most businesses continue to operate until the power returns and everything gets back to normal.
Alfombras de fuego
