Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG | Album Review 💿

Although it runs long, all in all, Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny delivers a truly compelling sophomore album in YHLQMDLG.

Puerto Rican Latin trap artist Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) proved that he was a star on his Grammy-nominated debut album, X 100PRE (it won at the Latin Grammys).  Even if you’re no Latin music enthusiast, Ocasio makes the style quite compelling.  After impressing with standouts “Vete” and “Ignorantes” (with Panamanian singer Sech), Ocasio dropped his second studio album, YHLQMDLG – Yo Hago Lo Que Me De La Gana (“I do what I want”)! At over an hour in duration, there is ample material on YHLQMDLG – 20 songs to be exact! The good news is, the majority of it is quite compelling.

“Si Veo a Tu Mamá”

✓ “Si Veo a Tu Mamá” commences YHLQMDLG brightly and energetically in a major key.  On this sleekly produced number (Subelo NEO and Elikai), it’s the classic scenario of ‘I’m not over my ex.’ As to be expected, Bad Bunny references missing the sex early on, as well as letting lots of things in life fall by the wayside because of his depression essentially.

The reggaeton is prominent on ✓ “La Difícil” – that beat is lit.  Furthermore, Ocasio is ripe, delivering agile, rhythmic and melodic lines.  Even if you don’t understand the Spanish, check out the English translation of the lyrics.  Bad Bunny definitely keeps it 100, rapping about a supposed ‘hard to get’ girl who enjoys her fair share of ‘thrills.’  Ocasio is definitely mesmerized, characterizing her has “A porn star, she fucks like Riley Reid” and “She has all the boys and girls going crazy / They all want to killer her mouth / Look at how she touches herself / She provokes me by dancing.”  Two songs into YHLQMDLG, things are looking pretty good. 

“Pero Ya No”

“Pero Ya No” opens with expressive “yehs” by Bad Bunny, which set the tone for a third straight winner from YHLQMDLG.  The chorus, following the intro, is quite memorable.  Again, you don’t have to be an expert in Spanish to feel the vibe.  The melody is lovely, and then, check out the translation, and Ocasio lays out the fact that he previous liked/loved her, “but not anymore.” Further examples of the past?

“You were my J.Lo, I was your Álex Rodrigue’
But, now, I like another girl who lives by Bayamón
You can’t catch me anymore, I’m not Pokémon.”

At least he’s ‘woke,’ right? On the energetic ✓ “La Santa” (“The Saint”) featuring Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny takes issue with the fact that SHE wants to change him.  “Don’t act like a saint, you love to twerk / And now you want to change me,” he sings on the chorus. Daddy Yankee speaks to the issues within the relationship, confirming the non-saint status of both parties.  Later, Bunny provides further confirmation: “We stay wrapped up in the horniness, hey / All night long / Falling in love is not for everyone / I left my heart inside the fridge.”

“Yo Perreo Sola” 

Be prepared for “Yo Perreo Sola,” which is readymade for the club.  An uncredited Nesi kicks things off, particularly the chorus where she “twerks alone.” Backed by a truly potent beat, Bad Bunny characterizes her as a badass girl to say the least.  “She climbs on the table and fuck it / When she twerks she doesn’t stop it,” Bunny sings (translated in English, of course), continuing, “She smokes and gets horny / She’ll call you if she needs you…” Despite the attention she gets from both sexes (“The boys and the girls want with her”), well, “She twerks alone.” 

“Bichiyal” featuring Yavia is quite intriguing, particularly given the abundance of Puerto Rican references. Buzz Feed provides a number of insights into what Ocasio references throughout YHLQMDLG, but this song in particular.  According to Buzz Feed, “A ‘bichiyal’ is a woman who may be of lower class but enjoys the finer things in life.” On “Soliá,” a night out without her boyfriend could prove dangerous, particularly given the game that Bunny has: “Baby, I saw how you look at me /… Send him a message that says: / To not leave you alone / Because he could lose you…”

“La Zona”

Bad Bunny isn’t subtle on “La Zona”: “And if you’re going to kill the vibe, then leave / You knew that I came to fuck you.” Definitely seems like some cock blocking is going down, at least for most guys who try to get at her.  “Baby, I pull up on you in the zone / You came at me like a savage, Amazon,” he sings on the bridge, adding, “Not just any dude can win her.”

Keeping it ‘classy’ (NOT), on “Que Malo,” Bunny hedonistically sings, “Too bad that you left / The man that you had, because / I liked to fuck you / Knowing that you weren’t mine, and you were his.” Damn, that’s savage! Nengo Flow is savage too, asserting, on the first verse, “I love to punish you when he left the house / That bastard calling and I’m in your room giving salsa…” Of course, Bunny continues to inform us about how the sex went down, cockily closing the second verse with the asserting, “I bet she remembered when she felt this dick.” Wow! Dirty, but with sick production by Mvisis and Jota Rosa fueling the fire, “Que Malo” is a winner.

“Vete”

Love and sex dominate YHLQMDLG, so it’s not surprising that the advance single, ✓ “Vete,” focuses on love.  Specifically, in the case of this standout, Bad Bunny is done with the relationship.  “Don’t worry about us, our story is already dead,” he sings on the centerpiece, the chorus, adding, “Don’t come back to me, no-no-no-no.”  Of course, Bunny gives us the reasons why he’s over it, characterizing her as “Someone inside and another outside / And I don’t feel anything when you undress / Leave-leave me alone.” Clearly, the man has no use for this woman, whatsoever.  His disdain is our listening pleasure, however. 

✓ “Ignorantes” is a bop that tickled my fancy for numerous reasons.  First, the production is quite impressive.  Dimelo Flow and Soltedo Beats do a magnificent job of giving Bad Bunny and Sech a great backdrop to ‘do work’ with.  The beat packs a fair amount of punch, while the keyboards and synths are kinder and gentler in sound. Ultimately, the sound complements the performing artists.  Part of the reason why the sound of the production is so effective is because “Ignorantes” encompasses matters of the heart, specifically heartbreak and a failed relationship. Beyond that, well, Dimelo Flow and Soltedo Beats simply give the listeners some truly beautiful, impressive ear candy.  The music sounds as if they never even had to break a sweat creating it.

As for Bad Bunny and Sech, well, they capture their feelings regarding the ended relationship well.  Naturally, as they reminisce, matters of the bedroom come into play, evidenced on the chorus performed by Bad Bunny.  Translated into English, a portion of the chorus reads as follows, “Normal, I know that sometimes peleamo [we fight] / But how delicious when chingamo [fucking] / And I don’t know why we left / If you love me and I love you.”  Sech also recollects intimacy on the first verse, while on the bridge to the chorus, regrets sleeping with her, but knows it was, well, muy bueno. You don’t understand the language to dig “Ignorantes.” With some basic background, the record is quite relatable. Furthermore, shout out for the LGBTQ inclusive music video.

“A Tu Merced” 

“A Tu Merced” is shallow, yet, there’s also a sense of dedication – at least to some degree.  Despite being ‘the pimp’ that he is (“I got a couple girls blowing up my phone”), Bad Bunny is only eyeing one particular girl. Sure, his pursuit is carnally driven (“That booty is major league, God bless it”), but give him credit for the pursuit over that pronounced reggaeton beat (“And I’m after you like Usain Bolt”). Some similar themes – unfaithfulness – return on “Una Vez” featuring Mora.  The scenario is that she’s in a relationship, but her man isn’t getting the job done.  Leave it to Mora and Bunny to take care of a ‘need’ – “Baby, I want to fuck you, I confess / But I settle for just one kiss / I don’t believe in love or anything like that / But I don’t know why now whenever I pray / I ask God to let me see you naked.” Hmm… 

✓ “Safaera” featuring Jowell & Randy and Nengo Flow is undoubtedly the most adventurous record from YHLQMDLG.  This is thanks to its five-minute duration, wild, unpredictable production, and unique flows. Isabelia Herrera isn’t off-base reviewing the track on Pitchfork: “It wouldn’t be hyperbole to say that ‘Safaera’ is a technical masterpiece.” As far as the theme of the record, well, it’s more of the same – sex, sex, and more SEX.  Case in point, from the leading man himself: “My dick was chased away and I want you to hide it / Grab it like a bonga / In came a pussy and it’s on fire / She fucks in the Audi, not in the Honda, hey…”

“25/8” 

“I like the street mood / 25/8 is ready, don’t get afraid / Humble, but I never stand by idly / It’s gettin’ hoot, but I’m never gonna lose.” Fair enough, Bad Bunny.  He certainly doesn’t lose on “25/8,” one of the most contemporary sounding cuts on YHLQMDLG.  Were it not for the Spanish lyrics, this would sound like any other urban contemporary, pop rap, or modern R&B record.  If he hasn’t made it crystal clear throughout the album, Bunny does whatever he wants to do. That’s evident on “Está Cabrón Ser Yo” featuring Anuel AA, where both artists make it clear, “It’s fucking hard to be me” – rather either one of them. The best way to describe this cut? A hard-hitting banger. 

Keeping the bangers coming, Bad Bunny collaborates with fellow Latin trap standout, Myke Towers, on “Puesto Pa’ Guerrial.” “They go around talking the Astros to steal my signals,” Bunny asserts on the first verse, continuing, “But they never achieve my flow.” As for Myke Towers, adding to the level of confidence established, “They die just by seeing someone else’s success / I’m still in my success, I haven’t left.”

The chorus of ✓ “P FKN R” (Puerto Fuckin’ Rico) featuring Kendo Kaponi and Arcangel is definitely entertaining to the nth degree. It’s EVERYTHING. How so? It’s all the sound effects: eh’s, prr’s, ah’s, and uh’s.  With a malicious, minor-key backdrop behind it, the respective artists are on autopilot.  On the penultimate banger “Hablamos Mañana,” Bunny continues to “do whatever he wants” – he says so on the chorus after all! Like the last couple of cuts, he brings along friends – Duki and Pablo Chill-E.  Like everything else, it works, but, 19 tracks into YHLQMDLG, it’s hard to be enthused. “<3,” which runs just over two-and-a-half minutes, concludes the album respectably.

Final Thoughts 

All in all, there’s plenty to sink one’s teeth into on YHLQMDLG. Bad Bunny continues to make Latin music, particularly the urbano Latino style, appealing to the mainstream.  There are a number of highlights, and even those not selected as outright gems are worthwhile.  The biggest rub against YHLQMDLG is its excessive length in my eyes – it’s hard to pull off 66 completely engaging minutes of music.  Still, if you enjoy incredibly confident, frank, and sexed-up urban Latin music, YHLQMDLG will certainly tickle your fancy.

✓ Gems: “Si Veo a Tu Mamá,” “La Difícil,” “La Santa,” “Que Malo,” “Vete,” “Ignorantes,” “P FKN R” & “Safaera” 

Bad Bunny • YHLQMDLG • Rimas Entertainment • Release: 2.28.20

Photo Credit: Rimas Entertainment