San Juan (EFE).- Global music icon Bad Bunny launched his record-breaking 30-show residency “No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí” Friday night with a passionate tribute to Puerto Rican culture and a strong condemnation of United States colonialism. The opening night, held at a sold-out Coliseo de Puerto Rico, was both a visual and musical homage to the island’s heritage.
Before stepping on stage, large screens projected messages supporting Puerto Rico’s independence.
“PR is an unincorporated territory of the United States, but it has its flag, culture, and identity,” read one of the signs, drawing a roaring response from the crowd.
“We’re here, and we’re not leaving here for the next three months,” said the 31-year-old artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. “Three months is too little. I’ll work and return for the next hundred years if God allows me. I’m going to be here.”
The concert began with a theatrical performance led by percussionist Julito Gastón, who praised the sound of the “barriles” (barrels), drums central to “bomba,” a Puerto Rican genre rooted in Taíno (an Indigenous community who inhabited the Caribbean islands before the arrival of Europeans), African, and Spanish traditions.
The stage was designed to resemble Puerto Rico’s lush mountains, with performers dressed in traditional white clothing and pavas (a traditional straw hat, typically made from the leaves of the Puerto Rican hat palm) worn by jíbaros (the rural, traditionally self-sufficient farmers and laborers of the mountainous regions), the rural folk of the island.
A soundtrack rooted in the island
Bad Bunny opened with an unreleased track praising Puerto Rico, singing, “Como tú Puerto Rico ninguna se ve,” before transitioning into songs from his latest album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana.
The performance featured local artists and traditional instruments, including a cuatro puertorriqueño, the island’s national string instrument.
The audience sang along to hits like Ketútecree, La Santa, and Weltita, a track performed alongside the group Chuwi.
The stage shifted beneath a flamboyán tree, a symbol of Puerto Rican identity, before transforming into a replica of a typical island home, where Bad Bunny performed crowd favorites like Titi Me Preguntó and Yo Perreo Sola.
Later in the show, Los Pleneros de la Cresta ignited the arena with Café con Ron celebrating plena music with the beat of handheld panderos.
The show ended on an emotional note with Debí Tirar Más Fotos and La Mudanza, a track where Bad Bunny references his parents, visibly moved as he sang.
Cultural boom and economic impact
Bad Bunny’s residency has set off a cultural and economic boom in Puerto Rico.
According to a study commissioned by the Municipality of San Juan, the residency will generate 377 million dollars and create over 3,600 jobs.
“This is a unique opportunity to position San Juan as a global stage,” said Daphne Barbeito, head of Economic Development and Tourism for San Juan.
Hotels are reporting 40,000 booked nights, and Airbnb searches in the area surged over 140% compared to last year.
Fans, many dressed in jíbaro attire and waving Puerto Rican flags, gathered outside the venue hours before the show.
“We’re here to celebrate our rural roots and culture, this is Benito, our own,” said Abdiel Carril, attending the concert with his wife, both in traditional clothing.
With all 30 shows sold out within hours, over 400,000 tickets snapped up, the residency has broken Coliseo records, surpassing Wisin y Yandel’s 14-show run.
It also sets the stage for Bad Bunny’s upcoming world tour, which will begin in the Dominican Republic this November and conclude in Belgium in July 2026.
From traditional music to political messaging, Bad Bunny’s latest venture blends spectacle with substance, reasserting his role not only as a reggaeton superstar but as one of Puerto Rico’s most powerful cultural ambassadors. EFE
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