Latin superstar Bad Bunny supports Harris for president

Bad Bunny supports Vice President Kamala Harris by sharing a video of the Democratic presidential candidate with his more than 45 million followers on Instagram.

Bad Bunny, whose official name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is one of the most famous artists working today. His support could give the Harris campaign a boost as it seeks to shore up its support among Latino voters, where Trump is trying to gain ground.

The 30-year-old Puerto Rican reggaeton artist with popular songs like “Dakiti” and “Titi Me Preguntó” has won three Grammy Awards. He was the most streamed artist on Spotify in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and was only surpassed by Taylor Swift in 2023. He was named Apple Music Artist of the Year in 2022.

The video shared by Bad Bunny on Instagram shows Harris saying, “There is so much at stake in this election for Puerto Rican voters and for Puerto Rico.” A representative for the artist confirmed that Bad Bunny is supporting Harris.

The artist then shared another portion of the clip several times, in which Harris says: “I will never forget what Donald Trump did and what he didn't do when Puerto Rico needed a caring and competent leader,” she says.

His endorsement came shortly after a comedian speaking at the opening of Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday called Puerto Rico a “floating island of trash.” Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's comments immediately drew criticism from Harris' campaign and were also criticized by Puerto Rican star Ricky Martin, who was among the first to support Harris when she launched her presidential bid in July.

“This is what they think about us,” Ricky Martin shared on Instagram, encouraging his followers to vote for Harris.

In Pennsylvania, arguably the most hotly contested swing state in the 2024 election, the Puerto Rican electorate is significant. Other Puerto Rican singers such as Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony had already expressed their support for Harris. Trump has also received support from other popular stars on the island such as Anuel AA and Nicky Jam.

Bad Bunny has been vocal in his criticism of Puerto Rico's power grid, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria. In a music video for his 2022 song “El Apagon”, the artist blamed the transmission and distribution company Luma Energy for the constant power outages plaguing the island.

One of his most recent songs, “Una Velita,” is also a protest against the government's response after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017.

A year after the storm, health experts estimated that nearly 3,000 people died from the effects of Hurricane Maria. But Trump, whose efforts to help the island territory recover have been repeatedly criticized, repeatedly questioned that number, saying it had risen “as if by magic.”

His visit to the island after the hurricane sparked controversy, such as when he threw paper towels. Years later, just weeks before the 2020 presidential election, his administration released $13 billion in aid. And a federal government watchdog found that officials obstructed an investigation into delays in the delivery of aid.

Bad Bunny also shared a portion of the clip in which Harris said Trump had “abandoned the island, tried to block aid after back-to-back devastating hurricanes, and offered nothing more than paper towels and insults.”

Earlier Sunday, Harris visited a Puerto Rican restaurant in North Philadelphia and announced her policy on the island, saying she wanted to create a task force to attract investment to repair the power grid. And Trump is traveling on Tuesday to Allentown, Pennsylvania, where more than half the population is Hispanic and the majority of them are from Puerto Rico.

In 2020, Bad Bunny allowed the Biden campaign to use one of his hits, “Pero Ya No,” in a television commercial.