He was wearing a mask. Not the kind we all wore in 2020 for safety, but a literal, stylistic statement that screamed "I’m here, even if you can’t see my whole face." When the first Bad Bunny Rolling Stone cover dropped in June 2020, the world was a mess. Everyone was stuck inside. Concerts were dead. Yet, there was Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, staring out from newsstands (and phone screens) as the first urban Latin artist to grace the cover of the "Bible of Rock and Roll." It wasn’t just a magazine win. It was a cultural takeover that shifted how the American media machine treats artists who refuse to sing in English.
Honestly, it's wild to think about how much has changed since then. Back then, Benito was just starting his global domination. Now? He's a stadium-filling, record-breaking, WWE-wrestling force of nature. But that specific Rolling Stone moment? It was the blueprint.
The Cover That Broke the Traditional Mold
The photography by Gabriela Rivera-Morales was intimate. It was captured in Puerto Rico while the world was at a standstill. Look at the details. You've got Benito with his signature curls, those quirky sunglasses, and a sense of calm that felt weirdly reassuring during a global crisis. It wasn't the typical "superstar posing in a mansion" shot. It felt like a guy in his element, which is exactly why people gravitated toward it.
Most people don't realize how much of a fight it was for Latin music to get this kind of real estate. For decades, "crossover" meant you had to pull a Ricky Martin or a Shakira—you had to record an English album to be "relevant" to the US market. Bad Bunny looked at that rulebook and tossed it in the trash. He told Rolling Stone, essentially, that he was going to do things his way. And he did. He stayed 100% Spanish, 100% Puerto Rican, and still became the most-streamed artist on the planet.
Why the 2023 "King of Pop" Headline Caused Such a Stir
Fast forward a few years. Bad Bunny Rolling Stone coverage didn't stop with that first cover. In 2023, the magazine sat down with him again, but this time the stakes were higher. They labeled him the "heir" to the throne, even using the "King of Pop" moniker in some social media promotions.
People lost their minds.
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The internet was divided into two very loud camps. On one side, you had the Michael Jackson purists who felt the title was sacred. On the other, you had the Gen Z and Millennial fans who pointed at the data. If the "King of Pop" is the person who dominates the zeitgeist, sells out every seat, and defines the sound of the decade, who else fits the bill? Since his 2020 cover, Benito had released Un Verano Sin Ti, an album so massive it stayed in the Billboard Top 10 for nearly half a year. It wasn't just a Latin hit; it was the hit.
In that 2023 interview, the tone was different. It was more introspective. He talked about the pressure of the spotlight. He addressed the infamous phone-tossing incident in the Dominican Republic. He was humanized in a way that social media usually doesn't allow. He spoke about his relationship with Kendall Jenner (vaguely, because he values his privacy) and his desire to just... exist.
The Authenticity Paradox
What's fascinating about the relationship between Benito and the press is the push and pull of authenticity. We live in an era where every celebrity move is calculated. Yet, in his interactions with Rolling Stone, Bad Bunny often comes across as someone who is genuinely figuring it out as he goes.
Take his fashion choices.
He wears dresses. He paints his nails. He sports crop tops. In a genre like reggaeton, which was historically built on a very rigid, hyper-masculine foundation, this was revolutionary. He didn't do it to be "edgy" for the cameras; he did it because that's who he is. The magazine captured that transition from "trap artist" to "global icon" without stripping away his weirdness. That’s why his fans stay loyal. They don't feel like they're being sold a product; they feel like they're following a journey.
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Behind the Scenes: The Cultural Impact of the Interviews
If you go back and read the long-form pieces, you notice something. The writers—like Carina del Valle Schorske—didn't just treat him like a pop star. They treated him like a political figure. Because in Puerto Rico, he is.
- He helped lead protests that ousted a governor.
- He uses his music videos to highlight the energy crisis on the island (remember the "El Apagón" documentary?).
- He refuses to move to Los Angeles or Miami full-time, keeping his roots firmly in the sand of his home.
The Bad Bunny Rolling Stone features documented this better than almost any other outlet. They showed the world that a reggaetonero could be an intellectual, an activist, and a fashion mogul all at once. It validated the genre for a lot of people who had previously dismissed it as "just party music."
Dealing with the Backlash and the Future
It hasn't all been praise. There are valid criticisms about colorism within the Latin music industry that Benito has had to navigate. Some critics argue that while he breaks barriers, he still benefits from being a light-skinned male in a space where Black Latinx artists often struggle for the same level of mainstream "Rolling Stone" recognition.
Benito has acknowledged this in bits and pieces, noting his privilege and trying to shine a light on the history of the music he makes. It's a complex conversation. It's not one that gets solved with one magazine cover, but the fact that these discussions are happening in the pages of major American publications is a direct result of his visibility.
He's also dealt with the "burnout" that comes with being the face of a movement. There was a period after the 2023 coverage where he seemed to step back. He deleted Instagram posts. He went quiet. It was a reminder that even the "King of Pop" needs a break from being a commodity.
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How to Apply the "Bad Bunny Method" to Your Own Brand
You don't have to be a multi-platinum recording artist to learn something from the way Benito handles his public image and his media appearances.
First, stop trying to appeal to everyone. One of the biggest takeaways from his rise is that by being intensely specific to his Puerto Rican culture, he became more universal. People crave authenticity. They can smell a "calculated" crossover from a mile away. If you're building a brand or a career, lean into the things that make you "niche." That's usually where the magic is.
Second, control your narrative. Benito doesn't do every interview. He doesn't go on every podcast. When he does choose to speak—like with Rolling Stone—it’s because it’s a platform that allows him to speak at length. Quality over quantity. In a world of 15-second TikToks, there is still immense power in a long, thoughtful conversation.
Finally, don't be afraid to pivot. Bad Bunny started as a trap artist with a buzzcut. He became a flamboyant pop star. Then he went back to his roots with Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana. He allows himself to evolve. Most people are terrified of changing their "vibe" because they might lose followers. Benito proves that if you take your audience on the journey with you, they’ll stay for the destination.
Next Steps for Deep Diving into the Bad Bunny Era:
If you want to truly understand the impact of the Bad Bunny Rolling Stone legacy, start by reading the 2020 and 2023 cover stories back-to-back. You can see the physical and emotional evolution of an artist under extreme pressure. After that, watch the music video for "El Apagón" to see how he integrates the journalism-style reporting into his art. It’s one thing to read about his impact; it’s another to see him use his platform to demand better conditions for his people. Pay attention to the photographers and writers involved in these stories too—names like Gabriela Rivera-Morales and Carina del Valle Schorske are essential for understanding the Latin perspective in modern media. Don't just look at the pictures; look at the cultural shifts happening between the lines.