He’s the biggest star on the planet, basically. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—better known to your playlist as Bad Bunny—has spent the last few years breaking every record in the book. But when you’re at the top, the wind blows harder. People have been asking about the bad bunny controversy like it’s a single event, but honestly, it’s a series of moments where the "King of Latin Trap" crashed head-first into the realities of modern fame.
It started with a splash. Literally.
Remember that video from the Dominican Republic? It was early 2023. A fan got way too close, sticking her phone right in Benito's face while he was trying to walk down the street. He didn't just walk away. He grabbed the phone and chucked it into the water. The internet lost its mind. Some people called him a diva. Others said, "Hey, give the guy some space." It was the first time the public saw a real crack in the armor of the world's most relatable superstar.
The Phone Toss Heard 'Round the World
The bad bunny controversy really peaked when that footage went viral. People were shocked because Benito usually projects this image of being "of the people." But there he was, looking genuinely annoyed, launching a stranger's expensive tech into the ocean.
He didn't apologize immediately, either. In fact, he doubled down on X (formerly Twitter). He basically said that if you come up to him to say hi or talk, he’ll give you his full attention, but if you put a "foul" phone in his face, he’s going to treat it like a lack of respect. He eventually deleted the tweet, but the damage was done. His Spotify streams actually dipped for a second. It was a rare moment where the "Conejo Malo" lived up to the "Bad" part of his name in a way that felt aggressive rather than artistic.
Celebrity culture is weird. We expect these people to be "on" 24/7. But Benito has always been vocal about his mental health and his need for privacy. Does that excuse throwing a phone? Probably not. But it sparked a massive debate about fan boundaries in the age of TikTok. You’ve probably seen the comments sections—they were a war zone of "he's a human" vs. "he's a millionaire who should be grateful."
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That Kendall Jenner Era
Then came the Kendall Jenner situation. For a lot of die-hard fans in Puerto Rico and across Latin America, this was a different kind of bad bunny controversy. It wasn't about a phone; it was about "the brand."
Benito has built his entire career on being unapologetically Latino. He sings in Spanish. He champions Puerto Rican causes. So, when he started dating a Kardashian-adjacent supermodel who has been accused of "culture-vulturing" in the past (remember the 818 Tequila backlash?), the fanbase felt a little betrayed. They saw it as him "selling out" or moving into a circle that didn't represent his roots.
They were spotted at Coachella. They did a Gucci ad together. It felt very... corporate. For a guy who wrote songs about staying true to his neighborhood, the Gucci-clad, horse-riding date nights felt like a departure. It wasn't a scandal in the legal sense, but it was a PR nightmare among his core demographic. It’s funny how a relationship can be more controversial than a physical altercation, but in the world of stan culture, "vibes" are everything.
The SNL Monologue and the "Translation" Drama
If you watched his Saturday Night Live stint, you might have noticed another layer to the bad bunny controversy that people keep bringing up. During his monologue, he spoke a lot of Spanish. He had Pedro Pascal there to "translate," but it was mostly a joke.
However, some viewers felt he was being dismissive of his English-speaking audience. It’s a weird criticism, right? He’s a Spanish-language artist. But it highlights the tension he walks every day. He wants to be a global star without conforming to the "English is the default" rule of Hollywood. This isn't a controversy that makes people "cancel" him, but it’s a point of friction that keeps him in the headlines.
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Misconceptions About the "Retirement"
People often confuse his breaks with a permanent exit. Back in late 2022, he told Billboard he was taking a break in 2023 for his physical and emotional health. Everyone panicked. They thought the bad bunny controversy was so bad he was quitting.
He wasn't. He was just tired.
The man toured the world twice in one year. He put out Un Verano Sin Ti, which stayed at #1 forever. He was exhausted. When he finally returned with Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana, he sounded angrier. He sounded like a man who was fed up with the gossip. The album was basically a middle finger to the people who criticized the phone toss and the dating rumors. He even referenced the phone incident in the lyrics. He’s not asking for forgiveness; he’s asking for space.
Why It Still Matters Today
The reason the bad bunny controversy lingers is that it represents the "death of the idol." We used to put stars on pedestals. Now, we have 4K footage of them being grumpy at 8:00 AM.
We see the contradictions.
We see the flaws.
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Benito is a pioneer of "New Masculinity." He wears dresses. He paints his nails. He kisses his male dancers on stage. For some conservative segments of his audience, that is the real controversy. He’s constantly fighting a two-front war: one against traditional machismo and another against the "entitled" nature of modern fandom.
He’s not the first artist to struggle with this, but he’s the first to do it while being the #1 streamed artist on Earth. The stakes are higher. Every time he swipes a phone or refuses an interview, it's a global news story.
What You Should Actually Take Away From This
If you’re looking for a "villain" here, you’re probably not going to find one. It’s messy. Life is messy.
The bad bunny controversy is really just a case study in what happens when an introvert becomes the most famous person in the world. He wants the art to speak, but the world wants the gossip. If you're a fan, or even if you just follow pop culture, the "phone toss" moment should be a reminder that celebrities aren't interactive museum exhibits. They are people with bad days.
Here is how to navigate being a fan in this weird era:
- Respect the "No": If a star says they don't want a photo, they mean it. Pushing it usually leads to the kind of viral moments that end up on TMZ.
- Separate the Art from the Tabloid: Benito's music is revolutionary for the genre. Whether he dates a Jenner or a girl from Vega Baja doesn't actually change the production quality of the tracks.
- Support the Message, Not Just the Image: He’s done a lot for Puerto Rico, especially after Hurricane Maria and during political protests. That work often gets buried under headlines about his dating life.
- Look for the Nuance: Don't get your news from a 10-second TikTok clip. There is usually a lot of context—like hours of being followed by paparazzi—that leads up to a "snap" moment.
Benito isn't going anywhere. He’s already moved past the 2023 drama and is back to selling out stadiums. The "controversy" didn't break him; it just humanized him in a way that was probably necessary for his own survival in the industry. He’s no longer the perfect, untouchable icon. He’s a guy who sometimes gets mad, sometimes dates the "wrong" person, and always makes music that defines a generation.
To stay truly informed about the evolving landscape of celebrity culture, it's worth following independent Latin music journalists like those at Remezcla or Rolling Stone en Español, who provide the cultural context that mainstream US media often misses. Understanding the specific cultural pressures in Puerto Rico provides a much clearer picture of why Benito reacts the way he does to global fame. Stop focusing on the "phone" and start looking at the pressure of being a cultural ambassador for an entire island.