Bad Bunny Pays Tribute to ‘Great Legend’ Willie Colón During Brazil Concert
During a thunderous stadium performance in Brazil, global superstar Bad Bunny paused to honor one of salsa’s most enduring figures, calling Willie Colón a “great legend” and wishing him peace.
“From me and Los Sobrinos, we wish Willie Colón rests in peace,” the Puerto Rican artist told the crowd, referencing his live band and drawing applause from thousands in attendance.
The tribute underscored the deep musical lineage woven throughout Bad Bunny’s latest work, particularly his ambitious and genre-blurring album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which pays homage to Nuyorican identity and the architects of Latin music’s golden era.
A Lyric That Sparked Conversation
On the album’s opening stretch, Bad Bunny nods directly to Colón in the track “NUEVAYoL,” rapping: “Willie Colón, me dicen ‘el malo,’” — a pointed reference to Colón’s 1967 debut album El Malo.
The line is more than clever wordplay. It’s a bridge between generations.
“NUEVAYoL” functions as a full-circle tribute to Nuyorican pioneers who shaped salsa’s rise in New York City during the 1960s and 1970s. The track samples a rendition of “Un Verano en Nueva York” performed by Andy Montañez, originally recorded by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. Against a booming dembow beat, Bad Bunny fuses Caribbean nostalgia with contemporary urbano swagger.
The result is both reverent and rebellious — a celebration of heritage refracted through modern Latin trap.
Complex Legacy, Shared Recognition
Colón’s legacy, however, has not been without controversy. In recent years, the salsa icon expressed right-leaning political views and, at times, criticized Bad Bunny on social media platforms including Instagram and X. The ideological divide sparked debate among fans who questioned the relationship between the two artists.
Yet when “NUEVAYoL” was released and his name surfaced in one of the album’s most prominent verses, Colón responded warmly.
“When I heard it, I was really surprised,” he said in a video posted online. “The push it gave to salsa and to Boricuas, it’s something we all needed.”
The exchange highlighted a rare moment of cross-generational acknowledgment — an elder statesman of salsa recognizing the cultural amplification delivered by one of the most streamed artists in the world.
Honoring the Roots While Redefining the Future
Bad Bunny has increasingly leaned into cultural preservation as his global influence grows. While he remains synonymous with trap and reggaetón innovation, projects like Debí Tirar Más Fotos suggest a broader artistic mission: elevating Puerto Rican history and diaspora voices on an international stage.
By invoking Willie Colón — a trombonist, bandleader and producer who helped define salsa’s New York sound — Bad Bunny situates himself within a lineage that predates streaming charts and stadium tours.
The Brazil tribute was brief but symbolic. In a country far removed geographically from the Bronx barrios that birthed salsa’s Nuyorican movement, a new generation of fans heard the name Willie Colón echo across speakers.
For Bad Bunny, the moment was less about controversy and more about continuity — acknowledging that today’s genre-defying Latin pop dominance rests on foundations built decades earlier.
And for many in the crowd, it was a reminder that legends never fade. They evolve through the artists who remember them.
