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Bad Bunny in Salsa? Tito Nieves Has Some Thoughts
Tito Nieves isn’t buying into the whole “Bad Bunny revived salsa” narrative. The Puerto Rican salsa legend, who’s marking 50 years in music, made it clear that salsa never died in the first place. While he appreciates Benito for giving a nod to the genre, he’s amused at the suggestion that it needed rescuing.
“I feel very happy, but it makes me laugh because people say he revived it, but salsa has never been dead,” Nieves said in a press conference at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, where he’ll be performing on May 17 as part of his 50 Años – La Historia tour.
The comment comes after Bad Bunny’s Baile Inolvidable of his latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos. The song, which has already racked up over 300 million streams on Spotify, introduced a whole new audience to salsa, but Nieves isn’t buying the idea that it suddenly brought the genre back to life.
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“I say, ‘Welcome, brothers.’ Many of them were salseros even before this, though they’re expressing themselves less now. I appreciate what Bad Bunny has done for salsa, but salsa has never died,” Nieves added.
He’s even been sparring with people online about it. “I’ve been battling on social media because they’re saying salsa is dead. Meanwhile, we have legends like Willie Rosario, Rafael Ithier, Bobby Valentín, and Bobby Cruz, all over 80 years old, still active and performing. I want to keep going until I’m 100, too.”
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Nieves is truly excited that more artists from other genres are incorporating salsa into their music. He gave a shoutout to Rauw Alejandro and Guaynaa for including salsa in their projects and mentioned he’s open to collaborating with any of them. “I see myself collaborating with all of them,” he said.
At the same time, he made sure to highlight the younger salseros who have been keeping the genre alive without needing mainstream endorsement. “There is so much talent here at home,” he said, mentioning artists like Christian Alicea, Norberto Vélez, Gerardo Rivas, and Carlos García.
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For Nieves, it’s not about gatekeeping salsa, it’s about giving credit where it’s due. “I celebrate that these new artists are bringing salsa into their music. As long as they don’t think they’re reviving it, because this genre has never lost its relevance.“
Nieves is gearing up for a special show in San Juan on May 17. While he’s performed at the Coliseo before as a guest, this will be his first time headlining the iconic venue as a solo artist. The show is part of his 50 Años – La Historia tour, which has already taken him across the U.S. and will soon hit Spain, Mexico, and Colombia.
With over 50 years in the game, Nieves is proving that salsa isn’t just alive, it’s thriving!
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