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Why “Bad Bunny”? The story behind the artist’s peculiar stage name
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known by his stage name Bad Bunny, is one of the most prominent Latin American musicians of our time. The Puerto Rican artist has taken the world by storm with his unique blend of reggaeton, trap, and Latin pop, becoming one of the biggest names in the music industry.
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Bad Bunny is the most listened-to artist on Spotify for three years in a row, and recently was the first Latino to headline Coachella. He has also paved the way and built a platform for other Latin American musicians to become successful in the industry.
Despite his fame and popularity, many fans of the artist have wondered about the origin of his peculiar stage name, which has become synonymous with his unique style and personality.
Most reggaeton artists do not use their given names when they reach stardom but instead use some variation or modification of them, while others will use a pseudonym from experiences they’ve been through, things they’ve seen, or just because they like it. Bad Bunny is one of them.
Photo Credit: Instagram
The history behind the stage name comes from when he was a child. In a school activity, he had to dress up as a rabbit, but he didn’t want to. So, when taking a picture in the costume, he posed with an angry face.
Years later, when it was time to choose a stage name, Benito wanted something out of the ordinary, something different, a brand or a character. Inspired by that infamous childhood photo, he took the phrase “el conejo malo” and translated it into English: “Bad Bunny.”
“It’s a long story, but it’s because of a photo of me from when I was little. The idea came to me when I wanted to start in this music thing, as I used a concept that nobody is going to use in the history of the genre, and it is something different. It is a character or a brand. The bad, or evil, rabbit, as people want to call it,” he said during the Urban Car Pool interview six years ago.
As he continues to evolve as an artist, it’s clear that Bad Bunny’s impact on Latin American music and culture will only continue to grow. And his name, El Conejo Malo, will remain a part of his legacy, reminding us of the cheeky young boy who became a global superstar.
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