Bad Bunny: From Grocery Bagger to Bagging the World

Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio on March 10, 1994, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, and raised in the humble Almirante Sur barrio of Vega Baja, embodies the classic rags-to-riches story that resonates deeply with many in marginalized communities. Growing up in a lower-middle-class household—his father a truck driver and his mother an English teacher—Benito was immersed in a devout Catholic environment from an early age. He served as an altar boy and sang in the church choir at Most Holy Trinity Parish until he was about 13, experiences that shaped his early life and instilled a sense of humility and connection to his roots, even as his fame skyrocketed.

Like so many young Hispanics and Blacks in places like the Bronx or Puerto Rico's barrios, Benito turned to music as an outlet while facing everyday struggles. After high school, he worked as a bagger and cashier at an Econo supermarket in Vega Baja to support himself while studying audiovisual communication at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo. In his spare time, he would go home to his modest room and create beats and music in a humble home studio setup—using whatever equipment he could afford or access. This DIY approach mirrors the grassroots creativity seen in urban communities worldwide, where aspiring artists bootstrap their dreams without big budgets or industry connections.

This path feels familiar to me personally. In the mid-90s to early 2000s, as a youth, I did something very similar. I spent hours in my room crafting beats and tracks with Pro Tools and Acid software, layering sounds on my Yamaha workstation 2816, Yamaha keyboards, and Casio keyboards. I'd write lyrics on my old ClarisWorks word processor and even got hands-on experience working at the studio at Bronx Community College. Those late nights experimenting, recording, and dreaming of breaking through were fueled by the same passion that drove young Benito—proving that talent and determination can emerge from the most ordinary settings.

Benito's stage name, Bad Bunny (or "El Conejo Malo" in Spanish), has a lighthearted yet telling origin. As a child, he was once forced to wear a bunny costume for a school or Easter event, and a photo captured him looking visibly annoyed and grumpy. Years later, reflecting on that image, he chose "Bad Bunny" as his moniker—knowing it was catchy, memorable, and marketable. Everyone recognizes a bunny, he reasoned, and the "bad" twist added edge. He began uploading his tracks to SoundCloud around 2013-2016, experimenting with reggaetón, Latin trap, and his distinctive nasal voice and eclectic style.

His breakthrough came in 2016 with the track "Diles", which caught the ear of producer DJ Luian while Benito was still at the supermarket. Luian signed him to Hear This Music, and soon collaborations and viral hits followed. Songs like "Soy Peor," "Mayores" with Becky G, and "Chambea" showcased his unique blend of trap beats, reggaetón rhythms, and bold lyrics. By 2017-2018, he was featured on massive tracks like Cardi B and J Balvin's "I Like It," which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut album X 100PRE (2018) peaked high on charts, and from there, his rise was meteoric—fueled by independent releases, strategic YouTube videos, and a refusal to conform to traditional label paths early on.

Bad Bunny's stardom accelerated rapidly. He became Spotify's most-streamed artist multiple years running, with billions of streams. Albums like YHLQMDLG (2020), El Último Tour Del Mundo (2020), and Un Verano Sin Ti (2022) dominated global charts, blending genres from trap to salsa, bomba, and plena. He shattered records: most-streamed artist on Spotify, massive tours, and cultural impact that made Latin music mainstream in the U.S. and beyond.

His awards haul is staggering. He has won multiple Grammys (including making history with Spanish-language wins), numerous Latin Grammys (often sweeping categories), Billboard Music Awards, MTV VMAs, and more—frequently breaking barriers as the first non-English act to top certain lists or win major honors.

One pinnacle was his Super Bowl halftime show performance (in 2026), which drew massive viewership—estimates ranging from 128 million to over 135 million viewers, surpassing previous records like Kendrick Lamar's 133.5 million and Usher's. This dwarfed competing alternative shows, such as one featuring Kid Rock under Turning Point USA auspices, which peaked at far lower numbers (around 5-6 million on streams). Bad Bunny's show celebrated Puerto Rican culture unapologetically, blending joy, pride, and social commentary.

Throughout his success, Bad Bunny has remained remarkably humble. He credits his family, faith roots, and Puerto Rico for grounding him. He stays close to his people—investing in the island's economy through concerts, addressing local issues, and returning often. His Catholicism, though he describes a more personal, less outwardly practicing relationship now (noting relatives pray for him), traces back to those choir and altar boy days, influencing his sense of community and moral compass.

Bad Bunny has been a vocal advocate for women and the LGBTQIA+ community. In 2020, he wore a skirt and T-shirt reading "They killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt" on The Tonight Show, protesting the murder of trans woman Alexa Negrón Luciano in Puerto Rico and media misgendering. Tracks like "Yo Perreo Sola" empower women to dance alone without harassment, challenging objectification and machismo. His drag appearances and gender-fluid fashion highlight disrespect toward women (treated as sex objects) and violence against trans people.

He's outspoken against the undignified treatment of illegal immigrants, using his platform to call for humanity and dignity. He has critiqued gentrification in Puerto Rico—where outsiders buy up land, driving up costs and eroding local culture—and the broader erasure of Puerto Rican identity amid colonial dynamics and economic pressures. Songs like "El Apagón" blend celebration with protest against these issues.

Bad Bunny: From church choir boy to global superstar - Catholic Extension Society

Criticism from some white Americans in the MAGA movement often labels him anti-American, communist, or a threat to "traditional" values—pointing to his explicit lyrics, advocacy, or Spanish-language dominance. These claims lack foundation. Bad Bunny isn't anti-American; he has collaborated widely in U.S. music scenes and achieved massive success here. Nor is he communist—there's no evidence of affiliation with communist parties or ideologies. His concerns stem from social justice, rooted in Puerto Rican experiences of inequality and marginalization. Voting records or party affiliations aren't prominently documented as partisan extremes; his activism focuses on human rights, not rigid political labels.

His lyrics are often explicit, sexual, and vulgar—depicting realities of the ghetto, poor areas, street life, relationships, and desire. This isn't an endorsement of vulgarity but a reflection of raw truths, much like hip hop's origins. From its Bronx beginnings in the 1970s-80s, hip hop has been storytelling from the hood—keeping it real with language that mirrors lived experiences of poverty, struggle, violence, joy, and sensuality. Artists "keep it real" to authentically represent communities, not to glorify negativity but to expose and sometimes transcend it.

Instead of hating Bad Bunny or envying his success—which often underlies the criticism, more than genuine politics—we should approach him with compassion. Pray for him, that he continues to use his voice powerfully while living his Catholicism authentically—balancing faith, humility, and advocacy. He remains a vital voice for the marginalized, reminding us of shared humanity amid division.

Sources:

- Wikipedia: Bad Bunny (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Bunny)

- Biography.com: Bad Bunny profile

- Rolling Stone, Billboard, NPR, and other music outlets on his rise and advocacy

- Catholic Extension Society and Religion News Service on his faith background

- Various reports on Super Bowl viewership (Variety, ESPN, CBS News)

- Coverage from Dazed, Them.us, and LGBTQ Nation on advocacy

- General hip hop history contexts from Complex and other sources