A LOVE LETTER TO PUERTO RICO

BAD BUNNY'S RESIDENCY ON THE ISLAND HIGHLIGHTS ELEMENTS OF CULTURE THAT MANY VISITORS MISS

- STORY: CORAL MURPHY MARCOS / NYT

Bad Bunny's sold-out 30-show residency in Puerto Rico, titled No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí (I Don't Want To Leave Here), last week entered its second phase, which is open to fans who aren't residents of the territory.

The star's music casts Puerto Rico as more than a playground for tourists chasing beaches and winter escapes.

The concerts at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, following the release of his album Debí Tirar Más Fotos in January, unfold in the middle of hurricane season and end in September, the same month Puerto Rico was hammered by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The devastation wreaked by the storm had a lasting impact on Bad Bunny, who was raised in Vega Baja, and he has since used his global platform to spotlight the archipelago's struggles, from chronic blackouts to the displacement of locals amid tax breaks for wealthy investors.

His criticism has even zeroed in on tourism in Puerto Rico: His song Turista uses a short-lived dalliance as a metaphor for thoughtless visitors.

"Tourists come to places like Puerto Rico, enjoy themselves for a little while, see the best landscapes, the best sunsets, do a bit of dancing, eat some good food," he said in a radio interview. "Then they leave, and they don't find out about, or don't have to deal with, the problems the country is going through."

In that vein, here are some ways to dig deeper into Puerto Rico's culture and history for those going to see his shows (or who just wish they could).

A Different View Of Old San Juan

In Old San Juan, the capital’s historic colonial district, Memoria (De)Colonial offers alternative walking tours through the centuries-old city. Unlike typical tours that focus simply on the beauty of the architecture and cobblestone streets, these walks delve into the place’s complex colonial history, from Spain’s rule to Puerto Rico’s current status as an unincorporated territory of the United States.