“Flanked by cuatros and congas, Dangerous Bunny wields the ability of Puerto Rico in a joyous and defiant Tiny Desk.” Producer Anamaria Artemisa Sayre (NPR) introduces Dangerous Bunny’s Tiny Desk Live performance with observations about his dedication to “the island” and his capacity to attract within the viewers along with his “true magic: intimacy.”
For a second, Dangerous Bunny forgot that he wasn’t in Puerto Rico. Regardless of its residence in a information constructing within the capital of the US, the Tiny Desk can — when coloured by the cautious imaginative and prescient of a real artist — take you anyplace else, particularly the true origins of the music.
However for the celebrity, Puerto Rico is so beloved and so sacred that he might by no means really neglect it… and he’s ensuring the world sees that, too. The island is his supply of inspiration and the mandate for which he wages struggle. Flanked by cuatros and congas, Dangerous Bunny wields the ability of Puerto Ricans who’ve strummed chords and hummed lelolai for generations in efforts to maintain the tradition alive.
After performing “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii,” San Benito tells a parable a few man drawn to his band rehearsing exterior the White Home. “It’s unbelievable,” the person within the story says, “that after 100 years of colonization, you retain your tradition, your language, your tongue, your slang.”
The Puerto Rican flag laid out earlier than him shines; its good blue is defiant and charming. “They killed folks for waving the flag,” Dangerous Bunny sings in “LA MuDANZA.” However there’s such pleasure within the expression and such vibrance within the dance. Even along with his world platform, Benito’s true magic is intimacy: He desires you to fall in love with Puerto Rico. We scream with him: “Yo soy de P f****** R!” Whether or not you might be otherwise you aren’t, your coronary heart received’t know the distinction.
For extra info on the live performance, go to https://www.npr.org/2025/04/06/g-s1-58060/bad-bunny-tiny-desk-concert
