Where did Bad Bunny grow up? Singer calls out ICE in profanity laced video over Puerto Rico raids

Latin music star Bad Bunny is known for raising awareness about social justice issues. This time, it’s against the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the treatment of protesters and detainees in Puerto Rico.

The Grammy winner, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, uploaded a video on his Instagram story that directly addressed the ICE agents, who he said were arresting people in his country.

Bunny’s recent outrage is more personal than just political. The singer was raised in the city of San Juan, the vibrant capital of Puerto Rico, which has influenced his music and outlook.

According to an article by EnVols, San Juan is a city of cultural contradictions, where colonial architecture that is centuries old is mixed with modernist urban buildings, where traditions including salsa and plena echo in the streets, next to the contemporary beats of reggaeton and Latin trap.

The place Bunny calls home includes old forts like San Felipe del Morro and creative neighborhoods like Santurce, which has long been a source of inspiration for the artist.

Bad Bunny regularly taps into his roots in his lyrics and activism, tackling issues of inequality, gentrification, and cultural pride. His latest album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, melds traditional Puerto Rican genres with contemporary production, embodying both his roots and present-day struggles.

More about Bad Bunny's recent statements against ICE and the political narrative in his recent album

Bad Bunny recently posted a video titled “ICE,” which seemed to depict ICE agents during an operation in the Avenida Pontezuela area. “Look, those motherf*****s are in these cars, RAV-4s,” Bad Bunny said as he recorded the scene.

"They're here in Pontezuela. Sons of b*****s, instead of leaving the people alone and working there," He added.

The comments follow a wider ICE sweep of immigration across Puerto Rico, which has led to more than 500 arrests since January 2025, including many Dominicans (Daily Mail).

Throughout his musical career, Bunny has been known to be politically outspoken. DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS is Bad Bunny’s sixth studio album, and it is said to be a profoundly political and personal work exploring Puerto Rico’s colonial status, gentrification, and cultural suppression.

According to National Public Radio, it supposedly acts as a resistance and pride, rooted in the history of Puerto Rico and Bad Bunny’s increasingly politicized voice.

In songs like “TURiSTA” and “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAiI,” Bunny speaks against the impact of tourism, luxury developments, and the displacement of locals, and draws a line between Puerto Rico and Hawaii’s parallel experiences with U.S. imperialism.

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Citing everything from the island’s independence flag to featuring the island’s cultural history in the bomba and plena-infused rhythms, the project became a bold homage to Puerto Rican culture and identity.

Bad Bunny's response is seen as him expressing the rage he shares with countless other Puerto Ricans and immigrants throughout the US, as well as their fear and frustration. As the fight against the ICE crackdown continues, more and more celebrities have started to voice their concerns and support.

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