What Is Going On with Bad Bunny?
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—the guy we all know as Bad Bunny—has a weird way of making us feel like we’re at the best party on earth and then hitting us with a wave of depression. He did it again. His track EL CLúB, the lead single from the early 2025 album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, is basically a masterclass in being "sad in the club."
The song dropped in December 2024. People lost their minds. Not just because it's a "plena-house" banger (a mix of traditional Puerto Rican rhythms and electronic beats), but because the bad bunny el clúb lyrics are painfully relatable for anyone who has ever scrolled through an ex’s Instagram while drunk.
He’s rich. He’s famous. He’s wearing a fur coat in the music video directed by Stillz. Yet, he sounds like he’s about to cry into a tequila bottle. Why?
The Lyrics: A Breakdown of the Heartbreak
Honestly, the opening of the song sets the scene perfectly. It starts at 2:00 a.m. Everything seems fine.
"2 de la mañana en el club / To' el mundo pasándola cabrón."
Basically, everyone is having a hell of a time. The hookah is going, the pills are around, and he’s singing "LA CANCIÓN" (a nice little nod to his 2019 hit with J Balvin). But then the beat shifts. The mood turns sour. The chorus hits you with the central question of the whole track: "¿Qué estará haciendo mi ex?" (What could my ex be doing?).
It's a vibe. A lonely one.
He wonders if she’s over him. If she’s sleeping. If she’s out with someone else. You’ve been there. We’ve all been there.
Why fans think it's about Gabriela Berlingeri
If you follow Benito’s personal life, you know the name Gabriela Berlingeri. They were the "it" couple of the pandemic era. In the lyrics, he mentions specific years that feel like arrows pointing straight at her.
He says:
- 2019: A blink and we're here.
- 2020: The last time I was happy.
- 2022: The last time I saw you.
Fans immediately clocked this. 2020 was when they went public. 2022 was when the rumors of their split started swirling. Even though he’s been linked to Kendall Jenner since then, this song feels like he’s admitting that the high-profile glitz doesn't compare to what he had back in Puerto Rico. He even mentions $500 he lost betting he could forget her. That’s a very specific, very human detail.
The Music Video and the "Deep" Meaning
The video for EL CLúB is just as chaotic as the lyrics. It starts in a penthouse at the Caribbean Sea View building in San Juan. If you’re from PR, you know that building. It was abandoned after Hurricane Maria.
Benito uses the "club" as a metaphor for the state of Puerto Rico and his own life. It’s packed, but it’s empty. It’s loud, but he’s silent. There’s a scene where a baby is labeled "middle class" or "lower class" right at birth. It’s a biting critique of classism.
Then everything goes to hell. The house catches fire. He walks out with a small wooden box of belongings—the only things he has left. He buries the box and plants a Puerto Rican flag over it.
Is he burying his past self? Is he burying the "Old Puerto Rico"? Or is he just burying the memories of the girl he can’t get out of his head? Honestly, it’s probably all three.
Breaking Down the Slang
If your Spanish is a bit rusty, some of these phrases might fly over your head. Here’s what’s actually being said in the bad bunny el clúb lyrics:
- "Pasándola cabrón": This is very common Caribbean slang. It means having an amazing, intense time.
- "Dio' me ghosteó": He literally says God "ghosted" him. It’s a very Gen Z way to describe feeling abandoned by the divine.
- "Muerto por dentro": Dead inside. It’s the ultimate "emo-trap" sentiment.
- "Aunque sea un buen recuerdo": He’s hoping that even if they never speak again, he’s at least a "good memory" for her.
Why This Song Actually Matters
Most reggaeton is about "the hunt." It’s about winning, getting the girl, and having the most money. Bad Bunny flipped the script. He’s at the top of the Billboard charts, yet he’s admitting he’s a "simper" (to use the internet term).
He acknowledges his privilege. He knows he has the fur coat and the penthouse. But he also admits that "happiness walked away." It makes the listener feel like being a global superstar is actually kind of isolating.
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The song is produced by a heavy-hitting team: MAG, La Paciencia, and Mick Coogan. They created this "ethereal" house sound that feels like you’re underwater. It perfectly mimics the feeling of being drunk and dissociated in a crowded room.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Playlist
If you’re trying to decode the full meaning of the bad bunny el clúb lyrics, do these three things:
- Watch the video with subtitles: Pay attention to the transition at the 3-minute mark where the house music stops and the "plena" begins. That’s where the real emotional weight is.
- Listen to "LA CANCIÓN" right after: It provides the context for why he feels so triggered in the club. It’s the "before" to this song’s "after."
- Check the album title: DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (I should have taken more photos). It’s an album about regret and missing the "boring" moments of a relationship that are now gone forever.
Benito isn't just a singer anymore; he's a storyteller using the club as his stage to talk about grief, politics, and the one that got away.