It’s curious to imagine the faces of the attendees at the Tecate Pa’l Norte Festival in Monterrey, Mexico, witnessing live the kiss between the queen of Brazilian funk, Anitta, and the superstar of ‘corridos tumbados,’ Peso Pluma.
Especially after the complicated breakup of the singer of «LADY GAGA» with the Argentine Nicki Nicole and the awkward dance he already starred in with the soloist from Rio de Janeiro a few months ago.
However, this moment is already part of urban pop culture. Yes, that baggage of anecdotes, memes, and stellar moments that will remain in memory, like the kiss between Britney and Madonna or when Kanye West snatched an MTV Award from Taylor Swift’s hands.
In this article, we want to take a fun look back at some iconic moments of urban pop culture from our Latin and Spanish-speaking artists, and of course, some of the memes that have come with them.
1. When Bad Bunny Threw a Fan’s Phone
Bad Bunny has shown that he doesn’t have a particularly long fuse when it comes to putting up with the inconveniences of fame. Recently, he demonstrated this with his anger over a hit made with AI imitating his voice, or by suing a fan for uploading videos of his concerts to YouTube.
The truth is that dealing with the overwhelming success that the Puerto Rican is subjected to cannot be easy, as demonstrated when he threw a fan’s phone into the sea as if it were a baseball game.
The author of Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana (2023) was walking when several fans started following him and one of them got too close, filming him at close range to make a selfie video. So Benito didn’t think twice and threw the phone as if he were hitting a home run. «Respect the space,» he warned.
This, obviously, caused a great controversy that the bad bunny responded to in one of his latest releases, the song «Nadie Sabe,» where he sings: «you are not my real fan, that’s why I threw your cellphone.»
2. Karol G and Feid’s Perreo
At the beginning of 2023, when rumors of their relationship practically confirmed it, Karol G and Feid starred in one of the highest moments of urban pop culture with a perreo that almost cleared any doubts.
The Colombian artists stirred up the Hiram Bithorn in Puerto Rico to the rhythm of «FRIKI,» their star collaboration and the first one that comes to mind when they say that the word perreo has entered the Spanish dictionary.
We recently got to see their chemistry on stage again during the Mañana Será Bonito Fest concert in Medellín, the homeland of both.
3. The 2020 Latin Superbowl
It is difficult (and impossible) to list the number of historical moments for pop culture that Shakira has given us, but undoubtedly her performance with Jennifer Lopez at the 2020 Super Bowl is one of the highlights.
Both became the first Latin soloists to headline the event, in a nearly fifteen-minute mega-show where there was no shortage of anthems from both like Loba, Whenever, Wherever, or Hips Don’t Lie from the Barranquillera, and Jenny from the Block, Waiting for Tonight, and On the Floor from JLo.
4. TINI & Emilia’s Kiss
The Argentine urban scene continues to give us hits and great moments. With an unparalleled female quarry, it is not surprising that TINI and Emilia have given us one of the anthems of last year. A scream to voguing, performativity, and the 2000s in La Original. Both sealed their explosive performance at the Premios Lo Nuestro 2024 this past February with a kiss.
5. When María Becerra Wanted to Collaborate with Falete
María Becerra came to visit us at the LOS40 studios last May and of course, she left us with some memorable moments. Without a doubt, one of the most viral and iconic ones was when she confessed that she wanted to collaborate with the Spanish flamenco star Falete. A collaboration that we didn’t see coming, but that we would love to see!
6. Cazzu’s Pregnancy Reveal
2023 was the year of pregnancy reveals. Rihanna inaugurated it with her stellar performance at the Super Bowl and it was continued by the Argentine trap star Cazzu.
After weeks of rumors, the artist finally confirmed that she was expecting a baby with the Mexican singer Christian Nodal. She took advantage of her concert at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to go on stage with a giant white padded coat that she took off live, revealing a budding baby bump.
7. ‘Mamichula’ by Nicki Nicole and Trueno
If Romeo and Juliet had been written in Argentina in the midst of the trap wave, it would be called «Mamichula.» And it is the absolute anthem to describe both love and heartbreak, after the strong bond that united its protagonists, Nicki Nicole and Trueno (with the unmistakable touch of Bizarrap).
Despite their breakup in 2023, they continue to play that song at all their concerts. A testament to the love they had and that somehow endures through their lyrics.
8. The First Performance of Young Miko with Bad Bunny
Young Miko has become a global urban star, making herself known for hits like Lisa or Classy 101. But before that, she also had one of her first great performances with Bad Bunny at the Choliseo in Puerto Rico in 2022, during the «Un Verano Sin Ti» tour.
«I don’t know where to start… I want to say so many things. Bad Bunny, thank you! Not only for giving me the best night of my life, but for everything you do for women in the genre and outside the music industry. Thanks to people like you and thanks to people like you (the fans) is why what is happening is happening,» wrote the Puerto Rican singer on her social media after the show.
Recently, Young Miko and Bad Bunny have once again demonstrated their good relationship and artistic chemistry with «FINA,» included in the latest studio work of the bad bunny and which they performed for the first time this past week at the Most Wanted Tour in Chicago.
9. Rauw Alejandro and Rosalía’s Coachella
The arrival of the Motomami to the epic Coachella festival in 2023 is one of the highlights that we will not be able to forget, just like her relationship with Rauw Alejandro. The Puerto Rican went out to accompany the Catalan to sing two of the songs from their joint EP, ‘RR‘: BESO and Vampiros. Both showed a unique feeling on stage and put the final touch to one of the best performances of the edition.
10. Bad Gyal singing her AI-made song
Despite Bad Bunny getting mad after the viralization of a collaboration made with AI with his voice, along with Justin Bieber, J Balvin, and Bad Gyal, the latter didn’t take it badly. In fact, she took advantage of the moment to sing it in one of the interviews she did on her promotional tour in Latin America.
«I just like the song. Some artists are bothered by it and I understand it, but to make an AI of an artist, it’s not just about putting lyrics and melody, you have to analyze it and here I do feel that the lyrics represent me. The person who made it knows my music and knows me as an artist, just like what happens with Benito,» she confessed.»
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