I am a huge Bad Bunny fan! to the point that I will analyze and dissect everything that man produces. One of my favorite songs is Yonaguni that was released back in 2021 as a single before his Un Verano Sin Ti album.

Yonaguni is all about the narrators ex lover, who they are still in love with. The narrator (Bad Bunny) is still not over and so in love that they are willing to fly to Yonaguni, Japan. This functions as a hyperbole of traveling immense distances for a person they love. This song is sung entirely in Spanish, but at the very end, sung in Japanese.

Bad Bunny is not the only Latin American Reggaeton and Trap artists leaning into Japanese Aesthetics. Early actions can be seen with J Balvin’s Colores alum where the concept art is from Japanese artist Murakami. A plethora of Latin American artists are leaning into Japanese aesthetics, langguage, and streetwear.

Though not Latin American , Spanish singer Rosalia takes words,phrases, and even Japanese concepts on sexuality to talk about her own loves and experiences.

In her most recent single, Tuya. she even incorporates sound bites from the traditional Japanese instrument called the Koto.

Puerto Rican Producer Tainy’s new album draws on anime drawings and concepts of Ghost in A Shell, to share his new album called DATA!

Why are Latin American reggaetoneros & artist’s that perform in this genre leaning so much into Japanese aesthetics and popular culture? What does this mean to Japanese listeners who are slowing being introduced to the rising popular genre?