The Powerful Message Behind Bad Bunny’s ‘El Apagón’: With English Lyrics

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‘El Apagón’ (The Blackout) by Bad Bunny is a love letter to Puerto Rico—one filled with pride, frustration, and sharp cultural commentary. Benito blends celebration with protest, using the track to showcase both the vibrant spirit of Puerto Rican identity and the deep-rooted issues the island continues to face.

The song moves between cultural pride and social critique. He name-drops places like Carolina, Bayamón, Rincón, and Palomino, while paying tribute to Puerto Rican icons such as Maelo, Tego Calderón, and José Juan Barea. He expresses deep admiration for the island’s music, people, and resilience. At the same time, he calls out those who seek to profit from Puerto Rican culture—especially reggaetón—without truly understanding or respecting it.

But beyond cultural pride, the song digs deeper into anger over systemic failures. The title, ‘El Apagón,’ refers to the frequent blackouts that continue to affect the island. Lines like “Damn it, another blackout” point to widespread frustration with unreliable infrastructure. So while the track is upbeat and made for dancing, it delivers a clear social and political message beneath the rhythm.

Why Are There Blackouts in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico has long struggled with unstable electricity service, but things got significantly worse after Hurricane María in 2017.

Key reasons include:

• Aging Infrastructure: Much of the power grid is outdated and fragile, with components decades old. The island’s energy system hadn’t been properly maintained even before the hurricane.

• Hurricane María (2017): The hurricane devastated the grid, leaving millions without power for months. Repairs were slow and temporary, exposing the system’s vulnerability.

• Privatization and LUMA Energy: In 2021, Puerto Rico’s government handed control of the power grid to a private company called LUMA Energy. Since then, blackouts have continued and public frustration has grown. Many feel LUMA has failed to improve service, despite receiving billions in contracts.

• Corruption and Mismanagement: Allegations of corruption, misused federal funds, and poor government oversight have also contributed to delays and breakdowns in rebuilding the grid.

• Climate and Demand: High temperatures and demand for air conditioning put stress on the grid, especially during summer months or heat waves—leading to power cuts.

In short, ‘El Apagón’ isn’t just a reggaetón banger—it’s a protest anthem disguised as a party song. Bad Bunny uses his platform to say: We love our island, but we deserve better. He’s raising awareness about how Puerto Ricans are being let down—by outsiders, the government, and corporate interests—while also celebrating the strength of Puerto Rican identity and community.

‘El Apagón’ English Lyrics

[Intro]

With much love for all of you
Hey, tell me
Ey

[Chorus]

Puerto Rico is f**king awesome, ey, it’s f**king awesome

[Verse 1]

Reggaetón came out of Carolina, and the badasses from Bayamón (You know)
Ey, ey, they wanna ride the wave but haven’t even been to Rincón
A little kiss to grandma on the balcony
Hitting all the potholes in the Rubicon
P-f*cking-R, ey
Land of Maelo and Tego Calderón
And of Barea, the one who became champion, hehe (Wuh)
Before LeBron
Damn it, another blackout (Ey)
Let’s hit the bleachers and light up a blunt
Before Pipo slaps someone

[Chorus]

Puerto Rico is fcking awesome, ey, it’s fcking awesome
Puerto Rico is fcking awesome (Really fcking wild), je, ey, ey

[Verse 2]

Forget the Maldives, I’ll stay in Palomino (I’m staying here, je), ey
Or else I’ll head to the DR, shoutout to my neighbors (To my people, what’s good?), ey
The heat here hits different, the sun is Taíno (Tss, ah), ey
The capital of perreo, now everyone wants to be Latino (Nah, ey; no, no, no!), no, ey
But they’re missing flavor, drums, and reggaetón (-tón, -tón, -tón), ey, ey
Watch out for my crew, we roll deep (-tón, -tón), ey, ey
They’re missing flavor, drums, and reggaetón (-tón, -tón, -tón), ey, ey
Watch out for my crew, we roll deep (Watch out)
Welcome to the heat zone

[Interlude]

I love Puerto Rican p*ssy