With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
Bad Bunny Day Has Come To LA
Bad Bunny attends the Los Angeles Premiere Of Columbia Pictures' "Bullet Train" at Regency Village Theatre on Aug. 1, 2022 in Los Angeles.
(
Jon Kopaloff
/
Getty Images
)
Los Angeles is officially joining the Bad Bunny bandwagon.
The City Council has declared October 1, 2022 Bad Bunny Day in Los Angeles (they voted to approve the resolution earlier in the week). This makes L.A. the second city in the U.S. to declare a Bad Bunny Day, following Boston.
For those not yet in the know, Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton rapper and singer currently sitting at the top of global music charts and social media trends. So why the attention from City Hall now? El conejo malo brought the “World’s Hottest Tour” all over the U.S. this summer, and his last stop is in Inglewood this weekend.
Both shows are close to sold out, a testament to Bad Bunny’s fan base here, in a city where about half of the population identifies as Latino. Heck, you can find Bad Bunny merch strolling through Santee Alley in downtown and hear his music played across the radio dial.
Support for LAist comes from
Councilmember Kevin De León will hand Bad Bunny a certificate right before the singer starts his show on Saturday at SoFi Stadium. Call it an “upgrade to VIP status.”
Bad Bunny Backstory
Bad Bunny rose to fame in 2016, and by 2020 he was the most streamed artist globally on Spotify, with 8.3 billion streams and more than 63 million monthly listeners. He also made history when his El Ultimo Tour del Mundo album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. It was the first Spanish-language album to debut at No. 1, breaking a Guinness World Record.
Bad Bunny on the 2020 Billboard Chart
(
Billboard
)
Aid To Puerto Rico
Bad Bunny is also known for his philanthropy. He is one of several celebrities taking hurricane relief into their own hands. Just two days before the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Fiona whipped through Puerto Rico earlier this month, leaving flood damage, blackouts, and communities grieving for the lives lost, again.
Support for LAist comes from
In response, Bad Bunny released the music video “El Apagon,” a 22-minute documentary highlighting the aftereffects of the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017 and the ongoing power shutoffs in Puerto Rico.
And Bad Bunny’s tight schedule hasn’t stopped him from finding other ways to help fellow Puerto Ricans. Concert-goers can now find attached QR codes on their bracelets directing fans to various vetted organizations that support the hardest-hit communities in Puerto Rico.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.” -
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week. -
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency. -
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce.
Best of LAist