El Apagón

"El Apagón" (The Blackout) is a multi-layered protest anthem that functions as both a fierce celebration of Puerto Rican identity and a sharp critique of the island's political and social crises. On its surface, the title refers to the frequent and widespread power outages that plague Puerto Rico, a direct consequence of a failing infrastructure exacerbated after Hurricane Maria and the controversial privatization of the power grid to LUMA Energy. The opening line, "Maldita sea, otro apagón" ("Damn it, another blackout"), immediately grounds the song in this shared frustration.

However, the "blackout" is also a powerful metaphor for larger issues: the erasure of local culture, the displacement of native Puerto Ricans through gentrification, and the island's ongoing colonial relationship with the United States. The song tackles the issue of wealthy foreign investors, particularly from the U.S. mainland, who move to the island attracted by tax incentives like Act 22 (now Act 60). This influx drives up the cost of living and displaces locals, effectively making them "foreigners in their own land."

Amid this critique, the song is a vibrant and defiant love letter to Puerto Rico. Bad Bunny name-drops cultural icons like Tego Calderón and Ismael Rivera, and celebrates the island's authentic culture, contrasting it with outsiders who want to adopt the "Latino" aesthetic without understanding its roots. The dual meaning of the chorus, "Puerto Rico está bien cabrón," captures this complexity perfectly. It can mean both "Puerto Rico is f*cked up" and "Puerto Rico is f*cking awesome," reflecting the simultaneous hardship and immense pride felt by its people.

The song's outro, sung by Gabriela Berlingeri, solidifies its message of resistance. Her declaration, "Esta es mi playa, este es mi sol, esta es mi tierra, esta soy yo" ("This is my beach, this is my sun, this is my land, this is me"), is a powerful assertion of belonging and a direct rejection of privatization and displacement. Ultimately, "El Apagón" transforms from a party track into a profound political statement about resilience, cultural ownership, and the fight for Puerto Rico's future.

The song opens with a raw, immediate declaration of frustration: "Damn it, another blackout." This single line instantly grounds the track in the everyday reality of modern Puerto Rico, where power outages have become a frequent and disruptive occurrence. However, this frustration quickly pivots into a defiant celebration of Puerto Rican life and culture. The narrator embraces the chaos, suggesting they head to the bleachers to light up, a casual act of rebellion and enjoyment in the face of systemic failure. This sets a dual tone that persists throughout: acknowledging hardship while fiercely celebrating identity.

The chorus is a bold, unapologetic chant of national pride, repeating that "Puerto Rico is f*cking awesome." The lyrics then embark on a virtual tour of the island, shouting out specific places like Carolina (the birthplace of reggaeton) and Bayamón, and referencing quintessential local experiences like navigating potholed roads. This isn't just a list of locations; it's a tapestry of shared cultural touchstones that builds a sense of collective identity. The narrator pays homage to cultural giants who are intrinsically part of the island's soul—legends like salsa singer Ismael "Maelo" Rivera and reggaeton pioneer Tego Calderón, as well as sports hero J.J. Barea, who became an NBA champion before LeBron James. These references serve to root Puerto Rican greatness in its own history and talent, independent of outside validation.

The narrative then shifts to a critique of cultural appropriation and the colonial gaze. The narrator observes how outsiders now want to claim Latino identity, drawn to the vibrancy of reggaeton and perreo, but asserts that they lack the essential 'sazón'—the flavor, rhythm, and soul that is inherently Boricua. This is a powerful reclamation of cultural ownership. The song becomes a warning: be careful with my crew, because we are many. This isn't just a party; it's a unified front.

Musically and lyrically, the song transitions into a high-energy rave. A repetitive, provocative sample from DJ Joe creates a hypnotic, hedonistic interlude that feels like a collective release of energy, a party in the face of adversity. This section embodies the resilience and joy that coexist with the struggle.

The final section marks a dramatic tonal shift. The frantic electronic beat gives way to a more traditional, heartfelt rhythm. A new voice, that of Gabriela Berlingeri, emerges with a tender yet resolute declaration of belonging. She sings that she does not want to leave her home. The lyrics become a direct confrontation with the forces of displacement and gentrification. She asserts ownership over her environment: "This is my beach, this is my sun, this is my land. This is me." It's an intimate and profoundly political statement. The song ends not with the party, but with this powerful, feminine voice claiming her space and demanding that the outsiders, the colonizers, be the ones to leave. It reframes the entire song as a fight for the very soul of the island, transforming a party anthem into a declaration of resistance and permanence.

"El Apagón" was created for Bad Bunny's fifth studio album, Un Verano Sin Ti, which was released on May 6, 2022. The song was born from a desire to create a powerful anthem for Puerto Rico, similar in spirit to his 2020 track "P FKN R" but with a different musical approach. The track was produced by MAG, La Paciencia, and Nico Spring. Bad Bunny and producer MAG reportedly worked on the song from scratch, aiming for a sound that blended a '90s freestyle house section with distinctly Puerto Rican elements.

The song's creation was deeply influenced by the ongoing social and political climate in Puerto Rico. The literal blackouts, which had become a constant source of frustration for residents following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017 and the subsequent privatization of the island's power grid to the Canadian-American company LUMA Energy, served as the primary inspiration for the title and central theme. The song channels the collective anger and resilience of the Puerto Rican people facing these systemic failures.

A notable element is the inclusion of a provocative sample, "me gusta la chocha de Puerto Rico," which is taken from DJ Joe's 2000 track "Vamos A Joder." This sample adds a raw, unapologetic energy to the song's celebratory middle section.

The song's iconic outro was specifically written by Bad Bunny for his then-girlfriend, Gabriela Berlingeri, to sing. He explained to The New York Times that he didn't want a famous artist for this part; he wanted someone to deliver the lines with genuine love and sincerity, as it was a message from the heart. This decision personalizes the song's political statement, grounding the fight for the island in a personal declaration of belonging.

"El Apagón" is rich with symbolism and metaphors that elevate it from a simple song to a potent political statement.

• The Blackout (El Apagón): The central metaphor is the blackout itself. On a literal level, it refers to the constant, debilitating power outages plaguing Puerto Rico due to a fragile and mismanaged energy grid. Symbolically, however, the blackout represents a much broader set of issues. It signifies the systemic neglect and governmental failure, the "turning off" of resources and support for the native population. It also represents the cultural erasure and displacement caused by gentrification, where the lights of local communities are extinguished to make way for luxury developments for wealthy foreigners.
• The Sun, Beach, and Land: The recurring motifs of the sun (sol), the beach (playa), and the land (tierra) in the outro sung by Gabriela Berlingeri are powerful symbols of Puerto Rican heritage and birthright. In the context of the song's critique of privatization and foreign investors buying up coastal properties, these elements are not just features of a landscape; they are the very essence of the island's identity. When Berlingeri sings "This is my beach, this is my sun, this is my land," she is making a political claim against forces that seek to privatize and sell these public and cultural treasures.
• Sazón, Batería y Reggaetón: When Bad Bunny critiques outsiders who "want to be Latino," he says they lack "sazón, batería y reggaetón" (flavor, battery/drums, and reggaeton). This trio symbolizes authentic Puerto Rican culture. 'Sazón' represents the unique cultural flavor and essence. 'Batería' and 'reggaetón' point to the island's musical heartbeat and its specific cultural creations that are now being globally appropriated. This metaphor serves to draw a line between genuine identity and superficial imitation.
• The Tunnel Party: The music video features a massive party inside the Túnel de Guajataca. This scene symbolizes resilience and defiant joy. In the face of darkness and systemic failure (the blackout), the people create their own light and community. Waving Puerto Rican pride and protest flags inside the tunnel suggests that this celebration is also a form of political action and rebellion.

"El Apagón" traverses a complex and dynamic emotional landscape, shifting from defiant joy to righteous anger and ending with heartfelt, resolute pride. The song's emotional power is generated by the tension and interplay between these different feelings.

Initially, the song's tone is one of defiant celebration. Faced with the frustration of a power outage, the immediate reaction is not despair but a call to party. The driving house beat and energetic vocal delivery create an atmosphere of joyful rebellion. It's a conscious choice to find light in the darkness, to dance in the face of systemic failure. This section exudes confidence, bravado, and a powerful sense of community and collective joy.

Beneath this celebratory surface lies a strong undercurrent of anger and frustration. This is evident in the critical lyrics aimed at cultural appropriators and the explicit mention of the blackout. The aggressive energy of the beat and the confrontational nature of the lyrics channel the widespread discontent with the privatization of LUMA Energy, gentrification, and colonial neglect. The song doesn't mask this anger; it channels it into the energy of the party.

The emotional climax shifts dramatically in the outro. The atmosphere becomes more solemn, hopeful, and deeply loving. As the beat changes to a more traditional rhythm, Gabriela Berlingeri's voice introduces a tone of sincerity and vulnerability. Her declaration, "Yo no me quiero ir de aquí" ("I don't want to leave here"), is filled with a profound love for her homeland and a deep-seated desire to remain. This is not the loud bravado of the chorus but a quiet, powerful expression of resolute pride and belonging. The song ends on a note of determined resistance, a powerful and emotional assertion of identity and the right to exist in one's own land.

The cultural influence of "El Apagón" has been immense and immediate, transcending its status as a hit song to become a significant political and social anthem for Puerto Rico.

Protest Anthem and Political Activism: The song quickly became a soundtrack for protests against LUMA Energy and the Puerto Rican government. Its lyrics were adopted on picket signs and chanted at demonstrations. Bad Bunny himself used his platform to amplify the song's message, pausing concerts on his "World's Hottest Tour" to deliver speeches condemning LUMA and the government's inaction before performing the track. This solidified the song's role as a tool for political mobilization.

The Music Video as Documentary: The song's impact was massively amplified by its 22-minute music video, released on September 16, 2022. Directed by Kacho Lopez Mari, the video is a hybrid project titled "El Apagón - Aquí Vive Gente" ("The Blackout - People Live Here"). It combines the song with an 18-minute documentary segment reported by independent journalist Bianca Graulau. This documentary portion delves deep into the issues of gentrification, displacement caused by tax laws like Act 22, the privatization of beaches, and the failures of LUMA Energy. By embedding investigative journalism within a music video, Bad Bunny brought these complex local issues to his massive global audience, generating international awareness and discussion in an unprecedented way.

Chart Performance and Mainstream Reach: As part of the critically and commercially successful album Un Verano Sin Ti, "El Apagón" achieved significant chart success. It peaked at number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 19 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, bringing its unapologetically Puerto Rican and political message to mainstream audiences worldwide.

Legacy: "El Apagón" is considered a landmark track in Bad Bunny's discography, showcasing his commitment to using his unparalleled fame as a platform for activism. The song and its accompanying video are a powerful case study in how popular music can function as a form of cultural resistance and journalism, educating millions and giving a voice to communities facing systemic injustice.

"El Apagón" features a dynamic interplay between its rhyme scheme and rhythmic structure, which shifts dramatically to underscore its thematic evolution from a party anthem to a political declaration.

Rhyme:

The rhyme scheme is predominantly based on assonance and consonant rhymes typical of reggaeton and Spanish-language rap, rather than a strict, formal pattern. Bad Bunny often rhymes the last words of couplets or alternating lines, creating a fluid and conversational flow. For example, in the opening verse, he rhymes "cabrón" with "reggaetón," "Bayamón," "balcón," and "Rubicón." This creates a cohesive and memorable chant-like quality. The rhymes are straightforward and impactful, designed to be easily chanted by a crowd, reinforcing the song's role as a collective anthem.

Rhythm:

The song's rhythm is its most defining characteristic and is split into two distinct parts:

1. The Main Body (House/Reggaeton): The first and longest section of the song is driven by a relentless four-on-the-floor house beat combined with a syncopated reggaeton drum pattern. The tempo is fast and energetic, compelling listeners to dance. Bad Bunny's vocal delivery is rhythmic and percussive, riding the beat with a confident, almost conversational cadence. This section's driving rhythm creates a feeling of celebratory energy and defiance, a rave in the face of collapse.

2. The Outro (Bomba Influence): The song undergoes a radical rhythmic transformation in the final minute. The electronic beat abruptly stops, and the rhythm shifts to a slower, more organic percussion that evokes traditional Puerto Rican bomba y plena. This rhythm, rooted in Afro-Puerto Rican history, carries deep cultural significance as a music of resistance and community expression. The vocal melody sung by Gabriela Berlingeri is more lyrical and legato, flowing over the traditional beat. This rhythmic shift signals a change in tone from frantic partying to solemn, heartfelt protest. It grounds the song's political message in the island's historical struggle and cultural resilience.

The interplay is crucial: the initial fast, electronic rhythm captures the chaotic energy of modern life and protest, while the final, traditional rhythm connects this contemporary struggle to a long history of cultural survival.

"El Apagón" employs a range of stylistic techniques, both musically and lyrically, to create its powerful impact. The song is notable for its distinct two-part structure, which reflects its dual themes of celebration and protest.

Musical Techniques:

• Genre Fusion: The track masterfully blends several genres. It starts with a high-energy house and electronic beat, reminiscent of 90s freestyle music, which creates a danceable, party-like atmosphere. This is then fused with elements of reggaeton and Latin trap, Bad Bunny's signature styles. The song's outro dramatically shifts to the rhythms of bomba, a traditional Afro-Puerto Rican musical style that is historically a music of resistance and expression. This transition from modern electronic music to ancestral rhythms musically mirrors the lyrical shift from a party anthem to a profound statement of cultural identity and defiance.
• Use of Samples: The song incorporates a prominent and provocative vocal sample from DJ Joe's 2000 track "Vamos A Joder," which chants "me gusta la chocha de Puerto Rico." This raw, unfiltered sample injects a sense of street-level authenticity and hedonistic joy into the track's core.
• Structural Shift: The abrupt shift in the song's final section is its most powerful musical device. The electronic beat cuts out, and the tempo changes to accommodate Gabriela Berlingeri's melodic, almost melancholic, vocal. This stark contrast highlights the gravity of her message, forcing the listener to pay attention to the lyrics after the high-energy party section.

Literary & Lyrical Techniques:

• Code-Switching and Slang: Bad Bunny's lyrics are deeply rooted in Puerto Rican Spanish, using slang and local references (e.g., "bleacher," "blunt," the phrase "está bien cabrón") that create a strong sense of authenticity and in-group identity.
• Juxtaposition: The song constantly juxtaposes themes of struggle and celebration. The opening line about a blackout is immediately followed by a call to party. The chorus's central phrase, "Puerto Rico está bien cabrón," holds a dual, contradictory meaning—that the island is both in a terrible state and wonderful—embodying the complex reality of life there.
• Direct Address and Rhetorical Challenge: The lyrics directly address outsiders and cultural appropriators, challenging them by stating they lack the essential ingredients of the culture. The outro functions as a direct address to colonizing forces, with the simple yet powerful command: "Que se vayan ellos" ("Let them go").

What is the main message of Bad Bunny's song 'El Apagón'?

'El Apagón' (The Blackout) is a protest anthem that criticizes the frequent power outages and systemic issues in Puerto Rico, such as gentrification and colonialism. It's also a defiant celebration of Puerto Rican culture, pride, and resilience in the face of these challenges.

Who is the woman singing at the end of 'El Apagón'?

The female vocalist at the end of 'El Apagón' is Gabriela Berlingeri, who was Bad Bunny's girlfriend at the time the song was created. Bad Bunny specifically wrote the part for her to sing, wanting a sincere and loving voice to deliver the song's final message of belonging.

What political issues does 'El Apagón' address?

The song addresses several critical issues in Puerto Rico, including the failure of the privatized power company LUMA Energy, the displacement of locals by wealthy foreign investors under tax laws like Act 22, the privatization of public beaches, and the broader effects of U.S. colonialism.

Why is the music video for 'El Apagón' also a documentary?

Bad Bunny turned the music video into a 22-minute documentary titled 'Aquí Vive Gente' ('People Live Here') to raise global awareness about Puerto Rico's struggles. It features reporting by journalist Bianca Graulau to educate viewers on the real-world impact of the issues mentioned in the song.

What does the phrase 'Puerto Rico está bien cabrón' mean in the song?

This phrase has a clever double meaning. It can be translated as both 'Puerto Rico is f*cking awesome,' expressing immense pride, and 'Puerto Rico is f*cked up,' referring to its severe social and political problems. This duality captures the complex reality of living on the island.

What is the significance of the beat change at the end of the song?

The musical shift from an electronic house beat to a traditional Afro-Puerto Rican bomba rhythm is highly symbolic. Bomba is a historical music of resistance, so the change musically grounds the song's modern protest in a long history of Puerto Rican cultural resilience and survival.