Controversy among Cubans over using Bad Bunny's song to remember Cuba: "It has nothing to do with it"

Bad Bunny is premiering his new album "Debí tirar más fotos," a record that pays tribute to Puerto Rico. However, some of his lyrics have deeply resonated with Cubans, especially the song 'Lo que le pasó a Hawaii'. Many Cubans have used this song to share nostalgic videos on TikTok with images of Cuba.

Among the lines of the song that have inspired this reaction are: "Here, nobody wanted to leave, and those who did dream of returning. If one day it happens to me, how much it will hurt." or "He didn't want to go to Orlando, but the corrupt one kicked him out. And it’s unclear for how long. They want to take away my river and also the beach, they want my neighborhood and for grandma to go away."

These videos have sparked a reaction from a Cuban who questioned the appropriateness of using this song to express feelings about Cuba. In his TikTok video, user @nestorconsuegraoficial criticized what he sees as a cultural disconnection.

"The ignorance of the Cuban arriving from the island is so great that they are posting nostalgia videos with images of Cuba set to a Bad Bunny song, which I am not going to listen to because it has nothing to do with Cuba," he declared.

In addition, he mentioned that some argue the song was written for Puerto Rico, but that certain Cubans have adopted it as a dedication to Cuba, which he considered incorrect. "They are saying it was made for Puerto Rico, but we dedicated it to Cuba, because unconsciously it's convenient for them to speak about anti-imperialism. I seriously doubt that Bad Bunny makes a song from an Americanist perspective. 'Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawai' has nothing to do with Cuba."

In contrast, the tiktoker emphasized that, in his opinion, the songs that best represent the Cuban essence are those of Celia Cruz. "They forget that Celia Cruz made the best song in the world for Cuba. The first is 'Te Busco' and the second 'Por Si Acaso No Regreso'. After that, there are no more songs to dedicate to Cuba," he concluded.

The use of this song for videos featuring images of Cuba has sparked a debate on social media, where some argue that music is subjective and open to multiple cultural interpretations, while others believe that the lyrics do not reflect what is happening in Cuba.

"Songs have the meaning that our heart wants to give them; a song can mean different things and can reach many different people through various situations and perspectives." "They cry a lot about who the song belongs to and who it doesn't, but I don’t think the author would mind if another Latin American country uses it, so enjoy it already." "It's so sad that many Puerto Ricans only comment to say that others 'don’t count' or can't use it. If people are using that specific verse, it’s because of the lyrics; we are migrants, we can understand." "People, do you know that songs have their own meaning and interpretation? Yes, the og is about PR, but that doesn’t mean others can’t identify with verses that don’t mention PR directly."

Frequently Asked Questions about the Controversy Surrounding the Use of Bad Bunny's Song to Remember Cuba