CAFé CON RON (part. Los Pleneros de la Cresta)

The song 'CAFé CON RON' by Bad Bunny, featuring Los Pleneros de la Cresta, is a vibrant celebration of daily life and Puerto Rican culture. The lyrics highlight the duality between day and night, symbolized by coffee and rum, respectively. Coffee represents the beginning of the day, energy, and routine, while rum symbolizes the night, the party, and relaxation. This alternation between work and leisure is a metaphor for the balance between daily responsibilities and moments of fun.

Bad Bunny, known for his ability to blend musical genres and for his lyrics that reflect the social and cultural reality of Puerto Rico, uses this song to connect different regions of the island, mentioning places like Arecibo, Ponce, Fajardo, and Rincón. This geographical connection reinforces the idea of unity and cultural identity, showing that despite regional differences, there is a common essence that unites the Puerto Rican people.

In the visualizer video, posted on Bad Bunny's official YouTube channel, a text written by historian Jorell Meléndez-Badillo points out the Puerto Rican diaspora, which occurred between the years of 1940 and 1970, and the cultural consequences it brought (including with respect to musical genres). At that time, post-World War II, there was a scarcity of jobs for Puerto Ricans, and a government argument that the island was overpopulated. Amidst this, working conditions in the United States seemed better at that moment. As a result, a large migration began, and by the 1970s, more than 835.000 Puerto Ricans had moved north.

As a result, many Puerto Ricans settled and created communities in various cities across the United States, bringing their culture with them, just like other immigrants. Due to the mixing of experiences, new music genres were born, such as Salsa, a sonic blend with origins in Cuba and Puerto Rico. The same happened with the fusion between Puerto Rican and Panamanian immigrants, which, starting from dancehall, gave birth to reggaeton. In addition to the cultural aspect, the video also highlights the difficulties these communities faced, particularly the prejudice they suffered due to their country of origin.

Moreover, the music also addresses the idea of escapism and freedom, with references to parties in the mountains and the feeling of being 'above' the everyday. The lyrics suggest a desire to break free from daily pressures and find joy and community in elevated places, both physically and spiritually. This search for freedom and celebration is a response to the complexity of modern life, offering a space for authentic expression and connection to cultural roots.

In this and many other songs from the album 'DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS', Bad Bunny fulfills what he set out to do: highlight his culture and his country, using everything from the lyrics of his songs to the very musical genre he adopts, like plena, chosen for 'CAFé CON RON'. The singer pointed out: 'My music, my culture, the history of my country runs through my veins, from plena to reggaeton. [...] At the peak of my career and popularity, I want to show the world who I am, who Benito Antonio is, and who Puerto Rico is.'