Bad Bunny Turns Puerto Rico Into the Main Stage of the Summer

On the evening of Friday, July 11, the Coliseo de Puerto Rico erupted in cheers as Bad Bunny took the stage for the first of 30 sold-out shows in his unprecedented residency, “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí.” Spanning from July to mid-September and its first three shows already done, the concert series is a love letter to Puerto Rico and a bold political statement wrapped in rhythm, color, and heart.

The residency began with a powerful declaration. Projected in bold letters on a giant screen ten minutes before the show: “Puerto Rico is a colony since Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ the island during his second voyage to the New World in 1493.” The 18,000 fans packed into the Coliseo roared.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Benito Antonio (@badbunnypr)

As the lights dimmed and the stage came alive with lush, tropical scenery, including real live chickens, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, known globally as Bad Bunny, appeared dressed in a Taíno-inspired beige outfit with straw accents, sunglasses, and a winter trapper hat. He stood not on a traditional stage, but on the porch of a humble Puerto Rican house, which doubled as a second stage throughout the night. Later, he’d climb onto the roof to perform and pose questions like, “¿Será de gente buena? ¿Será de Airbnb?,” a jab at the island’s displacement crisis and gentrification.

Fans came dressed for the occasion, wearing traditional jíbaro straw hats and long, ruffled skirts associated with bomba dancers. Musicians and performers wore similar outfits, moving to the beat of live percussion. It was a feast of sights, sounds, and history. At one point, during a segment focused on salsa, Bad Bunny donned a classic 70s cream-colored suit, evoking the swagger of legends like Héctor Lavoe and Rubén Blades, honoring the Puerto Rican diaspora that helped keep the music alive in places like New York.

“Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, but it has its own flag, culture, and identity”.

“NO ME QUIERO IR DE AQUÍ” — Bad Bunny. ❤️🇵🇷 pic.twitter.com/5gYMRoQ4cA

— Access Bad Bunny (@AccessBadBunny) July 12, 2025

Throughout the show, a massive screen flashed facts and messages: “Puerto Rico has two native musical genres: bomba and plena,” “San Juan is one of the oldest cities in the Americas, founded in 1521,” “Puerto Rico celebrates the longest Christmas season in the world,” “Sancocho cures everything, according to our grandmas.”

Bad Bunny’s setlist was a sweeping mix of old and new, kicking off with tracks from his 2025 album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” like “DTmF,” “KETU TeCRÉ,” “WELTiTA,” and “PIToRRO DE COCO.” He also treated fans to classics like “La Santa,” “El Apagón,” “Si Estuviésemos Juntos,” and “Ni Bien Ni Mal.” With over 30 songs spanning three hours and genres like reggaetón, salsa, bomba, trap, and plena, the show felt like a masterclass in Puerto Rican sound.

Bad Bunny performing the biggest hit of the year, “DtMF,” on night two of his residency concert in Puerto Rico. 🐸🇵🇷🔥 pic.twitter.com/gIvyF4uDHb

— Access Bad Bunny (@AccessBadBunny) July 13, 2025

Halfway through, he paused to honor the architects of reggaetón: Tego Calderón, Daddy Yankee, Ivy Queen, Don Omar, Wisin y Yandel, Ñengo Flow, declaring, “Esto es para ustedes. Para nosotros.” The crowd erupted again, reminded of the legacy that shaped the genre and his career. And the surprises didn’t stop there. Basketball superstars LeBron James and Draymond Green joined him briefly on stage during a scene set at a traditional Puerto Rican casita.

Beyond the music, the residency is already reshaping Puerto Rico’s economy. According to Discover Puerto Rico, it’s projected to generate nearly $200 million in economic impact. Over 35,000 hotel nights have been booked, with tourism numbers doubling, and the creation of more than 3,600 jobs. Flight searches to Puerto Rico surged by 12%, and hotel bookings for July and August are 70% higher than last year.

LeBron James living his best life at the opening night of Bad Bunny’s concert in Puerto Rico. pic.twitter.com/wBmKXUjxZN

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 12, 2025

JetBlue even signed on as an official sponsor, highlighting how major industries are eager to be part of the phenomenon. Merchandise has sold out. Restaurants have themed menus. Local news devotes daily coverage to what residents now call “Bad Bunny Mania.”

But beyond charts and figures, the deeper message of “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” is clear: this is about identity, history, and belonging. Songs like “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawai” draw heartbreaking parallels between Puerto Rico and other colonized territories. “Quieren quitarme el río y también la playa. Quieren al barrio mío y que abuelita se vaya,” he sings, a lament for a homeland under siege by short-term rentals, gentrification, and foreign speculation.

And yet, this residency is not about loss but about presence. For three hours every weekend, Bad Bunny transforms the Coliseo into a sanctuary. A place where Puerto Ricans are not an afterthought, but the main event. A place where the rhythm of bomba drums and the scent of sancocho remind you that Puerto Rico is not just an island but  a nation, a culture, a heartbeat.

Benito may have called this residency “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí,” but the truth is, no one who witnessed it will ever want to leave either.