How Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio Became One Of The Most Streamed Artists Of All Time
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Growing up in a musically inclined household, Bad Bunny sang in a choir before switching to Latin rap after Daddy Yankee’s music inspired him. As a shy child, he found solace in creating freestyle rap and decided to pursue music. He began releasing music on SoundCloud and was later signed onto a record label to start his career. While appearing on television and advertising endorsements, Bad Bunny started collaborating with notable artists like Drake, Cardi B, and Rosalia to release chart-topping singles nominated for significant awards, including the Grammys. The singer has collected an $18 million net worth from his sold-out world tours, popular singles, and stage performances.
Bad Bunny worked at small-time jobs while uploading his music on online streaming platforms, and he has become one of the most popular Latin musicians of his generation. His story begins in Puerto Rico, where he started performing in middle school before his career catapulted into success. Let’s look at the story of how Bad Bunny earned his whopping $18 million fortune.
The Musical Influence In His Childhood
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio grew up in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, where his mother would often play different styles of music, from jazz to ballads, which deeply influenced his music. He began creating sounds, using urban styles with punk, rock, and soul. After sharing an online picture where he wore a bunny costume with a grumpy face, Ocasio decided to opt for the stage name Bad Bunny. While studying at the University of Puerto Rico, he studied audiovisual communications during the day and worked on his music at night.
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According to Britannica, under his stage name Bad Bunny, Benito began uploading music on the international audio-sharing site SoundCloud where DJ Luian discovered him. In 2016, he was signed onto the Hear This Music record label to start releasing music. His single Soy peor was an instant hit, and the follow-up songs helped him establish himself as a successful musician. His collaboration Sensualidad with Prince Royce and J Balvin helped him capture a wider audience for his music and establish his name in the vastly growing Latin music industry. While Bunny found success in the community, 2018 brought global stardom to the talented star.
Growing In The Music Industry
In 2018, Bad Bunny collaborated and featured on Cardi B’s track I Like It, wherein the rapper is heard singing in English and Spanish. The catchy tune became an instant hit and peaked at the No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, earning Bunny a large fan base in North America. The same year, he had another Billboard hit with Mía featuring Drake that peaked on the fifth spot. With successful singles under his belt, Bad Bunny decided to release his album in 2018. With a mix of various genres, his album 100PRE was met with positive reviews.
After releasing a joint album with J Balvin in 2019, Bunny featured in the Super Bowl halftime show alongside Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. His second studio album YHLQMDLG released in 2020 and won a Grammy in the Latin album category. With 8.3 billion streams on Spotify, Bunny also had the most-streamed album of 2020, setting a record, as noted by Cosmopolitan. This was also due to his third studio album El último tour del mundo, released at the No.1 spot on the Billboard 200. It was the first Spanish language album to achieve the feat.
Setting Records And Venturing Into Different Streams
Along with singing, Bad Bunny also ventured into wrestling in 2022. As mentioned by Bleacher Report, he was invited as a musical guest at the 2021 Royal Rumble. Still, his feud with wrestler The Miz led Damian Priest to partner with Bunny to participate in WrestleMania 37. It was reported that the rapper made $100,000 for every appearance and helped boost merchandise sales by $500,000. He returned a year later for the Royal Rumble match but hasn’t made his way back to the ring yet but remains a loyal fan of the show.
Bad Bunny has also earned his fortune through world tours that make millions. Along with becoming one of the most famous world musicians, he also embarked on a tour that outsold notable artists like Adele and Taylor Swift. His 2022 tour is No.1 worldwide, with over 300,000 tickets sold at a starting price of $180, as stated by Bloomberg. The tour is estimated to gross $120.1 million for Bunny. The rapper has also ventured into filming as he starred in Narcos: Mexico and Bullet Train. He was paid $150,000 for the latter film for the supporting role.
Bad Bunny has established himself as a talented artist through his work in music, movies, and reality entertainment. Audiences everywhere who bop to his catchy tunes have loved his experimental music since the beginning of his career. The singer last released his fourth studio album Un Verano Sin Ti, in May 2022 and starred in the action thriller Bullet Train.
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Sources: Britannica, Cosmopolitan, Bleacher Report, Bloomberg
