1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: Lokady y'all, Ola lak motes. 2 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 2: I'm viosa. 3 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: It's now been three days since Bad Bunny's halftime performance, 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: and I don't know about y'all, but I'm writing this 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: joyous wave for as long as possible. Before I dive 6 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: in to the Bad Bunny performance, I just want to 7 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,639 Speaker 1: share that Mala is outsick this week, but she will. 8 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 2: Be back with us next week. 9 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: Later during this episode, we'll hear from journalist and podcast 10 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: host Alana Casanova Burgess. 11 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 3: Before he climbed up the utility polls, he held the 12 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 3: Puerto Rican flag with a like light blue sky blue triangle, 13 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 3: which is most commonly associated with the independence movement. That 14 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 3: was not a surprise, Like that is the flag that 15 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 3: he carries. That is a flag that he uses in 16 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 3: music videos and that he sings about. But to see 17 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 3: it there in the Super Bowl and be with these 18 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 3: utility polls behind him where that was so striking. It 19 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 3: was also just cinematic, like the way he was waving it. 20 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 3: It seemed to sort of float in the air in 21 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 3: this really dramatic way. 22 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: All right, let's get into it the big halftime performance. 23 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 1: What did Bad Bunny give us when he gave us history. 24 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: Gura isason. Since Bad Bunny was announced as the halftime headliner, 25 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:32,680 Speaker 1: we've seen the far right come out and clutch their 26 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: pearls and even go as far as boycotting the halftime 27 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 1: show entirely. There was even a counter halftime show organized 28 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: by you guessed it, Turning Point USA. And who was 29 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: the headliner none other than Kid Rock. Despite all the racist, 30 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: xenophobic weity waity, according to Nielsen data, the halftime performance 31 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: reached an average of a high hundred and twenty eight 32 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: point two million views. I mean the people were tuning 33 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: in clearly. Not only that, but the performance is also 34 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: made available on streaming, and I know those numbers are 35 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: up as well. All week, my partner and I were 36 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: discussing all things Bad Bunny. We're huge Benito fans. We 37 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 1: were guessing what's the set list gonna be, who are 38 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: the surprise guests gonna be? Is he gonna bring out 39 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,679 Speaker 1: La Gasita? I even learned that bets were being made 40 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: as to which song he'd start with. Needless to say, 41 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: I was tuned in. I poured myself a glass of 42 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 1: wine and was sacked. So I want to share some 43 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: of my favorite highlights from the show. Starting off with 44 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: the first what ten seconds of the performance, we see 45 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: artist Alexander Guerrero open the performance by saying gerco es Latino, 46 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: and it makes me think of that social media adage, 47 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: maybe Latina in every lifetime see JOm den difico. 48 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 2: Honestly yes. 49 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: And I also learned that that opening scene where we 50 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: see the Gmbezinos, the workers Gordando working the sugar cane fields, 51 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: was filmed in the Dominican Republic. 52 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 2: So already. 53 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: Bad Bunny and his team, they're setting the stage for 54 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 1: the historical context of this performance, and of course Puerto Rico. Now, 55 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: the historical context of the sugar canes are significant because 56 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: during Spanish colonization, during Spanish rule, the sugarcane fields were 57 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: not just fields, but they were plantations. Enslaved people were 58 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: working the sugarcane fields, and then after the Spanish American War, 59 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: there were a lot of US corporations that were leading 60 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: the production of sugarcane, exploiting workers for low wages. So 61 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: there is definitely a deep, deep tie and a deep 62 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: cultural significance to the surricanes, not only in Puerto Rico, 63 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: but in other parts of Latin America as well. 64 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 2: There's also the. 65 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: Incredibly beautiful visuals the cultural markers of being Latino Latine 66 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: from the actual business owners that we see during the performance. 67 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: We see nail text, we see street vendors selling go 68 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:27,799 Speaker 1: go biraguas, we even see vas tacos shadow Highland Park. 69 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: It was really beautiful to see these different cultural markers 70 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: as well, because it shows inherently this like Latinida in 71 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: a very real and culturally competent way, like this is 72 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:46,039 Speaker 1: what Latino neighborhoods look like, this is what places in 73 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: our home countries look like, and so that was such 74 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: a really, really beautiful touch to see. We also see 75 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: our faves, some of our faves over at lac Asita. 76 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 1: My husband was like, he's gonna bring out Lasita and 77 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: I was like, no, he's not. He's not going to 78 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: recreate his tour, Like I don't think he's gonna bring Lagasita. 79 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 2: He's gonna do something entirely different. I was wrong. I 80 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 2: admit that I was wrong, and it was a beautiful, 81 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 2: beautiful edition. And some of our favors that. 82 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: We saw at La Gasita just vibing, just pure vibes, dancing, 83 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: having fun. We see Cardi b Jessica Alba, Gotto, g Young, 84 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: Miko Bascal and just overall the beauty and the talent 85 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: of the dancers was mesmerizing. It was so refreshing to 86 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: see this vast representation of people dancing incredibly, so freaking talented. 87 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: From there, he gives us a homage to vehicle. We 88 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: hear the ogis of the genre. We hear a couple 89 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: of samples from the ogis of the genre. We hear 90 00:05:53,920 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: Dono Ma and Daddy Yankee. And let me tell you, 91 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: when I heard the sample of I nearly lost my mind. 92 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 1: First one second, I thought, oh my god, is he 93 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,559 Speaker 1: going to be the surprise guest, because famously he hasn't 94 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: performed in a while. So I literally was losing my mind. 95 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: I like gasped and was like, oh no, and all right, 96 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: we did not get the surprise appearance a surprise performance, 97 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: but that not like I think. 98 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 2: One thing that Bad Bunny does. 99 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 1: Really, really well is he is very vocal about giving 100 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: flowers to the artists who have paved the way, who 101 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: have created the genre, and of course and Daddy Yankee 102 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: are the forefathers of the genre, among others. Of course, 103 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: and during that sound montage. We see a beautiful group 104 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: of dancers perriandoetta on top of the comunetta, and we 105 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: even see a glimpse of two men perriando on each other. 106 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: If you blink, you might miss it, but I saw 107 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: it and that was such such a lovely touch as well. 108 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 2: And then I see Bad. 109 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: Bunny talk to camera. He's talking directly to you, to us, 110 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: to the audience, and he says, whilest mastelocipiences. And I think, 111 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: given everything going on, it is really easy right now 112 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: to be in survival mode everything that's happening in this 113 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: country and beyond globally, it is really really easy to 114 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: lose sight of who you are, your dreams, what you want. 115 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: And I thought this was a really beautiful reminder that 116 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: there's so much that we can do as individuals if 117 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: we continue to believe in ourselves despite all of it. 118 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 2: Okay, then I don't know this. There's like mixed feelings 119 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 2: about this one. 120 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: But we see Lady Gaga singing Saza with Loso's Crista 121 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: and first of all, love sing losneos alecista. He's been 122 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: touring with them. They're so so good, and Lady Gaga 123 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: is like the wedding singer. Right, there's an actual wedding. 124 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: There's a real couple who got married, y'all, and Lady 125 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: Gaga is the wedding singer. And you know, there's a 126 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: lot of mixed feelings about it. 127 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 2: I thought she looked beautiful. I thought she sounded beautiful. 128 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: From what it sounds like, there is like a mutual 129 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 1: admiration between these two artists. And you know, I'm gonna 130 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: let y'all interpret that one. And then the next surprise 131 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 1: guests is none other than Ricky Martin. And this was 132 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: such a beautiful surprise in some way unexpected. That's not 133 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: true in some ways like super expected, not a surprise, 134 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: but with these types of performances, you never know who 135 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: they're going to choose, Like Lady Gaga was a real surprise, right, 136 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: Ricky Martin, Like culturally makes sense. I was actually crying, 137 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 1: shedding tears when I heard him singing Lokasawaii. It was 138 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 1: an excellent choice. Ricky Martin recently wrote like an open 139 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: letter to Bad Bunny and after his Grammy Win and 140 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: how you know, Ricky Martin came up in a time 141 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: when you had to assimilate, you had to make music 142 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: in English as a Latin artist, if you wanted to 143 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: make it, and to see someone now like Bad Bunny 144 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: performing at the super Bowl, like I can't imagine how 145 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: proud an artist like Ricky Martin must feel. But like 146 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: without Ricky Martin, there's no Bad Money. I also want 147 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: to share that I think the album and of course 148 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: the tour of the Vitira mess photos. It's obviously it's 149 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: a love letter. It's a rich cultural text for Puerto Ricans, 150 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: for the Puerto Rican diaspora. But clearly the message of 151 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: this album resonates with millions of people throughout different countries, crosses, 152 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 1: transcends borders. And when I saw Bad Bunny perform in 153 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: Mexico City this past December, I cried and sang along 154 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 1: to the song. Even thinking about that moment, seeing it 155 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: live and of course now seeing it at the super 156 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: Bowl makes me emotional because the song's message reminds us 157 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: to appreciate the present. Snap your photo, remember this moment, 158 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: these people, this place, before it's too late, before it's gone, 159 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: before this person is no longer here. 160 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: And of course it makes me think of. 161 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: Photos, not just in a figurative way. And this beautiful 162 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: metaphor for memory, but also in a literal sense and 163 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: what gets lost during migration. My dad tells me the 164 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: story about when he immigrated to the US in the seventies, 165 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: he left most of his things behind. He thought he 166 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: was going to be returning eventually, and that's not what happened. Instead, 167 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 1: he stayed here. He built a life here before my dad. 168 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 2: Left Peru and Gottagamiya Wilita. 169 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 1: These photo albums, photo albums, this Luninesubu, just lots of 170 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: pictures of my dad as a kid, as a young 171 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: adult living in Peru and when he immigrated here Selo, 172 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: and he never saw those photo albums again. When he 173 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: asked her what happened to them, she couldn't find them. 174 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 1: Things got lost, things got left behind. And my dad 175 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: often laments to me that the photo albums were lost. 176 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: He'll tell me, gundos and all of that is lost. 177 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: And when I think about it, there are a lot 178 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: of photos of my dad that I've never seen and 179 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 1: I'll never see them, and there may be photos here 180 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 1: and there from different family members, but the photos that. 181 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 2: He took, the photos that he cherished, were lost. 182 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: And so I think that that is another reason why 183 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 1: this album resonates with me, and I can imagine why 184 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: this song in particular resonates with so many people. It's 185 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 1: the loss of a home as loss of memory a 186 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:57,079 Speaker 1: lots of people, and so I'm just so moved by 187 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:01,199 Speaker 1: this performance. And also important to note that the NFL 188 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:08,679 Speaker 1: is an organization who did not organize this Super Bowl 189 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: halftime performance altruistically or I think, even with consideration of 190 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: what the Latino community in the US has had to endure, 191 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: but because of numbers, Because Bad Bunny is the most 192 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: listened to artists globally, this was a numbers game and 193 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: I recognize that, and I think it's okay to say that. 194 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:38,319 Speaker 1: But in spite of that, Bad Bunny showed us during 195 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: the performance what unity looks like, what joy looks like, 196 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: what cultural pride looks like, especially right now with Ice 197 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: attacking our communities in our neighborhoods across the country, I 198 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: think it's okay to soak up this micro joy. Let 199 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: it reinvigorate you, and remember, Gela Lucha SiGe. This is 200 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 1: not the end. This was a nice, nice resurgence of 201 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: energy that I think we all needed. Now joining me 202 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: today to unpack the rest of this halftime performance and 203 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 1: to unpack the historical and cultural representation and symbolism. Is 204 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: Alana Casanova Burgess, host a La Brega podcast. 205 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 2: Don't go anywhere, Loka Mortis. 206 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 3: We'll be right back. My name is Alana Casanova Burgess. 207 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 3: I am the host of La Brega, which is a 208 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 3: bilingual podcast about Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican experience. 209 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 3: Puerto Rico kind of loosely defined anywhere Puerto Ricans are. 210 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,359 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining me today. We're recording 211 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: this interview the Monday after Bad Bunny's halftime performance, and 212 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: it feels like the internet is a buzz. This is 213 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: a good day to be online. What was it like 214 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 1: for you watching the show? 215 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 3: Oh gosh, I mean, what wasn't it like? I watched 216 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 3: did a couple more times today and I think it's 217 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 3: one of those things that every time you watch it, 218 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 3: you discover something new. So last night, you know, there 219 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 3: was a lot of screaming, a lot of dancing here. 220 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 3: Obviously there are moments that are missed, references that are missed, 221 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 3: and I think it's the experience is almost more enjoyable today, 222 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 3: you know, like really really digesting it as a rich 223 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 3: text that has a lot more detail in it than 224 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 3: perhaps even last night, you know, felt like a just 225 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 3: an overwhelming density, an overwhelming richness. 226 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: Absolutely. I mean I also watched it now twice today, 227 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: and I agree I was able to like take notes. Yesterday, 228 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 1: I wanted to enjoy it, I wanted to watch it 229 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: and be present. And then today I went back and 230 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: I sat there with my notebook, like, all right, let's 231 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: really jot things down and pick up what he was 232 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: putting down for us. So I'm wondering for you, the 233 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: second time around that you watched it, or the third 234 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: fourth time around, what did you pick up that maybe 235 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: you missed when you watched it last night. 236 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 3: Well, I think I didn't catch it immediately that the 237 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 3: sixty that he had sixty four written on his quote 238 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 3: unquote Jersey sixty four. I think what we are, if 239 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 3: we're picking up what he's putting down, is right, it's 240 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 3: the number of quote unquote official dead after Hurricane Madia, right, 241 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 3: and that that number was much much higher, It was 242 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 3: thousands of people, but the government insisted for a long 243 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 3: time that it was just sixty four people. So I 244 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 3: missed that last night. I mean I caught that it 245 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 3: was sixty four. I didn't entirely register what that was. 246 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 3: I think also, you know there's the the pawn shop, 247 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 3: like not just jewelry, but like seven de gom bra 248 00:16:55,960 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 3: bla tayotro like that was really lovely bidagua that he 249 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 3: you know, he like gets a batagua as he's walking around. 250 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 3: I definitely didn't notice last night on first View that 251 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 3: these are people, that the shrubs the grass were actual 252 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 3: people who like ran onto the stage in order to 253 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 3: create the configuration for a lot of the sugarcane set 254 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 3: that he was walking in. I thought that was great. 255 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 3: I think those those are things that I appreciated today. 256 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: I love that you mentioned the sugar cane plantations. These 257 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 1: like historical visuals that we're seeing, but also cultural ones 258 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: right from the signatas playing Domino's the nail Salon vibe, 259 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: like and I don't know if you know this, but 260 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: in La there's this tacle the saka called vas Tackles 261 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:50,879 Speaker 1: And I was not expecting to see vs Tackles at 262 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,360 Speaker 1: the super Bowl performance. So that for me was such 263 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: a such a beautiful moment. We were all excited and 264 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:02,199 Speaker 1: screaming seeing this La that Getty, Yeah, at the Super Bowl, 265 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 1: and I think just shows how bad Bunny and his 266 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 1: team was really telling the story of Puerto Rico, the 267 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 1: cultural and historical significance, but also different ways that Latinos 268 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: could really pick up on some of it as well, 269 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 1: because there's so much overlap right in the cultures. Especially 270 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 1: you mentioned I think the beata was right, and like 271 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: for Mexicanos those are ras baos you know so very 272 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: much feeling and seeing like, yes, I know what that is. 273 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: I see that from your perspective as a journalist and 274 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: someone who has been covering the historical and the colonial 275 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 1: remnants and how active it still is in Puerto Rico, right, 276 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: not just remnants but actively. If you could talk about 277 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: some of that, the historical colonialism, but also like the 278 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 1: modern day colonialist from the sugar clean plantations to the 279 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: electrical poles that we saw during his performance of La Pagon. 280 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 3: I mean, as you as you just alluded to, it's 281 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 3: not a colonial past, it's a colonial present. We saw 282 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 3: the utility posts which some dancers had climbed. He climbed 283 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 3: without a harness, which I was very worried for him 284 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,199 Speaker 3: the whole time, but he pulled it off. Lawlessly and 285 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 3: he was up there performing a la pagon which is 286 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:32,239 Speaker 3: about blackouts, and he you know, that was also a 287 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 3: scene a or that that was also the backdrop to him. 288 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 3: Before he climbed up the utility poles, he held the 289 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 3: Puerto Rican flag with a like light blue sky blue triangle, 290 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 3: which is most commonly associated with the independence movement. So 291 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 3: that is you know, that was not a surprise, like 292 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 3: that is the flag that he carries. That is a 293 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,159 Speaker 3: flag that he uses in music videos and that he 294 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 3: sings about. But to see it there, you know, a 295 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 3: in the Super Bowl and b with these utility polls 296 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 3: behind him where that was so striking. I thought that 297 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 3: was really it was also just cinematic, like the way 298 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:16,360 Speaker 3: he was waving it, it seemed to sort of float 299 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 3: in the air in this really dramatic way. That's another 300 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 3: thing that I noticed on this watch. And we also 301 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 3: you know, he sings in a number of songs about 302 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 3: potholes right about book gates, and he did last night 303 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 3: as well, and that's something that we have talked about 304 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:37,920 Speaker 3: on La Brega the podcast. Are these potholes right as 305 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 3: a symbol of government failure, of austerity, of a government 306 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 3: that cannot fix its problems and the way that people 307 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 3: then have to make their way around that issue, right, 308 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:55,919 Speaker 3: the brega the solution that isn't really a solution, like 309 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 3: the work around the hustle coping with an issue like that. 310 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 3: And we saw these like glimpses of problems, but also 311 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,159 Speaker 3: it was like a I don't know, it was just 312 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 3: a celebration of capacity as well. And that's not to 313 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:17,880 Speaker 3: be confused with resilience, because I think Bad Bunny knows 314 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 3: better than to celebrate the resiliency of the Puerto Rican people, right, 315 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 3: which is like a celebration of just being able to 316 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 3: cope with difficult stuff, which is not to be celebrated, right, 317 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 3: like why do people have to cope? But that's sort 318 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 3: of That's sort of something that occurred to me last 319 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 3: night is that it felt, yes, like a party, but 320 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 3: it also felt like amos, like we have each other 321 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:45,639 Speaker 3: and yeah, and all these different like businesses, this like 322 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,679 Speaker 3: celebration of labor, but in a really human way again, 323 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:52,359 Speaker 3: because there's this ickiness that we see with the celebration 324 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 3: of oh, the hard working immigrant, and I don't think 325 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 3: that that's what he was he was getting at with 326 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 3: that symbolism. 327 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:01,120 Speaker 1: I completely agree. I'm so glad you pointed that out, 328 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: and I want to go back to what you said 329 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: about the difference between capacity and resilience and not celebrating 330 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: what Puerto Ricans have to endure, because no one should 331 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: have to endure what's been endured. So can you say 332 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 1: more about that, the difference between capacity and resilience. 333 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think there are a lot of mutual aid 334 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:27,159 Speaker 3: groups or community organizations in Puerto Rico that have shown 335 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 3: that a lot of the solutions to problems that you 336 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 3: know exist because of colonialism or are not solved because 337 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 3: of colonialism, those solutions already exist among people in Puerto Rico. Right, 338 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 3: So like a good example is like solar power. Right, 339 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 3: there are community led organizations that could solve the sustainable 340 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 3: renewable energy crisis in Puerto Rico if they were you know, 341 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:57,919 Speaker 3: like brought into the fold and given the power to 342 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 3: do that. So that is like, right, we have the 343 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 3: capacity to hold each other, to help each other, to 344 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 3: support each other. That's different than just muddling, struggling through, 345 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 3: putting up with tolerating everything that the state throws at you, 346 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 3: which is resiliency, and that is you know, I think 347 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:21,679 Speaker 3: that's such a crucial distinction, and one that someone like Benito, 348 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,160 Speaker 3: who grew up in Puerto Rico, who lives in Puerto Rico, 349 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 3: who understands Puerto Rico, totally gets right, he's not and 350 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 3: has never engaged in the oh, poor struggling Puerto Ricans 351 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 3: like the the you know, tiny violin situation. So I 352 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 3: think that's so that's the difference, you know. 353 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, definitely, thank you for expanding on that. And I 354 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:50,919 Speaker 1: want to go back to something you said at the 355 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 1: top of the conversation that you cover Puerto Rico wherever 356 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 1: Puerto Ricans are, and that makes me think of the 357 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:04,880 Speaker 1: not and the beautiful storytelling we see last night while 358 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 1: he performed, and we see La Marquetta, the New York skyline, 359 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 1: we see Donita, who's a beloved figure, and yeah, yeah, 360 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: and like that was such a beautiful, beautiful moment. You 361 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: can also talk about that, like the inclusion of course 362 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: of New Orricans of New York as this huge landscape 363 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: for Puerto Ricans as well. 364 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, DeSotos, the album is dedicated to Puerto 365 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:41,160 Speaker 3: Rican perto anywhere in the world, and we definitely saw 366 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 3: that last night. We saw the celebration of you're saying, 367 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 3: you know this. The fact that Tonita was there is incredible, 368 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 3: and the fact that they were able to keep that 369 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 3: under wraps was also just I mean, it was stunning 370 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 3: to see her. I think the shriek that came from, 371 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 3: you know, from the people that I was watching with, Yeah, 372 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 3: it was enormous. I think he understands that people who 373 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 3: have left Puerto Rico, even if it's not in the 374 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 3: current generation, right, there are a lot of people who 375 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 3: have left Puerto Rico in recent years. There were some 376 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 3: new figures just recently about the population loss even in 377 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 3: the last ten years. It's the highest anywhere in the US. 378 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:31,120 Speaker 3: But also just the fact that other generations have left before, right, 379 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 3: my mom's generations, my mom's generation, my grandparents' generation having left, 380 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 3: but not because they wanted to, and certainly not left 381 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 3: in a permanent sense, right, whether that's because they went 382 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:50,120 Speaker 3: back or because they just continue to have just Carrie 383 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:54,359 Speaker 3: Puerto Rico in their hearts and Carrie Puerto Rico wherever 384 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 3: they go. So he's aware of that for sure, and 385 00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 3: we definitely saw that last night, and I think that 386 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 3: something that he has, you know, talked about It's not 387 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 3: a secret that he moved to la and didn't like 388 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 3: it that much, and that influenced the album really heavily. 389 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 3: And also we heard about it in the Grammys right 390 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 3: like this, His win for Album of the Year was 391 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 3: dedicated to anybody who's ever had to leave their home 392 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 3: to follow their dreams. I think that's why the album 393 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 3: has really resonated with so many people all over the world, 394 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,679 Speaker 3: even in Gaza, even in Palestine. You know, this is 395 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,719 Speaker 3: not a unique issue to Puerto Ricans, It's not a 396 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:36,880 Speaker 3: unique issue to Latinos in the United States, and that's 397 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 3: why it was just such a much broader message. By 398 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 3: the time this comes out, people will have seen the show. 399 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:46,640 Speaker 3: They will know how intensely joyous and celebratory it is. 400 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 3: And I'm struck by just his ability to navigate the happiness, 401 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 3: like the joy, the dancing, the jubilation that we saw 402 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 3: in that arena, while also being really serious, you know, 403 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 3: like that is that is such a hard feat to 404 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 3: nod to the struggle of immigration while also celebrating and dancing, 405 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:15,919 Speaker 3: while also not falling into the trap of like the 406 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 3: long suffering immigrant who dances and is happy and is 407 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 3: okay because you know, you still have to have a 408 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:24,520 Speaker 3: smile on your face. Like all of that is happening 409 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 3: and is so sophisticated, and I think it's you know, 410 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 3: it's it's a credit to his team. I'm so curious 411 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 3: about who's responsible for all the different elements that they 412 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 3: put together, right. 413 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 1: It really shows that the multitudes right of Latinos and 414 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: the experience, because like you said, it's not just oh, 415 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:46,919 Speaker 1: I'm going to smile through it because it's what I 416 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: have to do, but the multitude and the nuance of 417 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: the Latino experience. I want to ask you what you 418 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 1: think about Lady Gaga being the surprise guest, And there's 419 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,919 Speaker 1: been I've seen like mixed reactions online and so I 420 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: i'd love to hear what you think of why she 421 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:06,399 Speaker 1: was selected as the as the guest. 422 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 3: Well, you know, I think that he has a genuine 423 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 3: affection and admiration for her. I was surprised to see her, 424 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,399 Speaker 3: you know, it was definitely in a different kind of 425 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:19,760 Speaker 3: had space and kept looking at her like couldn't quite 426 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 3: obviously she's Lady Gaga. She's got a very recognizable face 427 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:26,280 Speaker 3: and voice, but I couldn't for a couple seconds, like 428 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 3: really place her. I was thinking, like, who who is 429 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,960 Speaker 3: this woman who's singing? You know, like, yeah, she doing 430 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:36,159 Speaker 3: at this wedding. But then we had Ricky Martin also, 431 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 3: and I think, you know, just going back for a 432 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 3: second to the idea of that this was a show 433 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 3: about immigration, it was, but it was really a show 434 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 3: about like decentering the US, yes, and not having that 435 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 3: be like the center of the universe, right, And we 436 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 3: saw that with like a more expansive definition of americanness 437 00:28:55,480 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 3: quote unquote, And I think Lady Gaga fits in there. 438 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 3: I don't know, I'm not the right person to ask 439 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 3: because my eyebrows were on the ceiling. 440 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 1: Don't go anywhere, lookamorees, We'll be right back, and we're 441 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 1: back with more of our episode. Can you talk about 442 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: why that is with such a big cultural moment to 443 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 1: see Ricky Martin and Bad Bunny on the same stage. 444 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, seeing Ricky Martin on such a mainstream, 445 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:36,959 Speaker 3: enormous global platform singing in Spanish, I think is like 446 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 3: a it really. I think it's really about Ricky Martin's 447 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 3: place in popular culture. That he's someone who had to 448 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 3: and he has said this that he really had to 449 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 3: temper himself. He had to change his language, change his looks, 450 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 3: change who he was in order to be accepted, and 451 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 3: here he is on a stage like not having to 452 00:29:57,440 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 3: compromise in all of those ways. I thought it was 453 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 3: really really significant, and this is something we talk about 454 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 3: on on La Brega as well, that he he he 455 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:12,720 Speaker 3: had the Quatro Porto Rico right before he came on stage, right, 456 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:16,040 Speaker 3: so that was sort of the lead into Local Hawaii. 457 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 3: And Ricky Martin also used the quatro when he put 458 00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 3: out you know, you can even see it in the 459 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 3: MTV Unplugged that he did, I believe in two thousand 460 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 3: and six, if I'm not wrong, and he you know, 461 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 3: in in Reguero he has the cuatro. He really for 462 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 3: you know, put that very prominently. The quatro is the 463 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 3: national instrument of Puerto Rico. It's this like mandolin guitar 464 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 3: cross instrument, and we have an episode this season about 465 00:30:49,480 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 3: that instrument. It actually it will be out, I think 466 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 3: by the time this podcast goes out, so people should 467 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 3: go check it out, but just really celebrating, like what 468 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 3: does it mean that a colony has a national instrument? 469 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 3: And I think what we saw with Ricky Martin is 470 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 3: just this, you know, he's able to be like fully 471 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 3: Puerto Rican, even though I think really he was like 472 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:15,240 Speaker 3: trying to find ways to be authentically Puerto Rican in 473 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:19,320 Speaker 3: many points in his career anyway, but here, you know, 474 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 3: they really let it rip. 475 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was such a beautiful thing to see for 476 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 1: all of the reasons that you mentioned Ricky Martin coming 477 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 1: up during this quote, Latin boom in the late nineties, 478 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 1: and then now to see someone like Bad Bunny who's 479 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:39,480 Speaker 1: transcended the maybe confines of what we think of Latin music. 480 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:42,360 Speaker 1: So I agree. I think it was such a beautiful 481 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: collaboration to see. And before we get into discussing La 482 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,160 Speaker 1: Breda that I really want to talk to you about that, 483 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:53,600 Speaker 1: I want to end with this with how Bad Bunny 484 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: ended his show with God Bless America, God Bless America, 485 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 1: Chile anthena ud why a bout of why? And he 486 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 1: continues on and you mentioned the show decentralizing the US, 487 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 1: and I completely agree, uh, and I definitely see that 488 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 1: with the way he says se a Chile, Argentina out 489 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: why right, because America is not just one place. We 490 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: have the Americas, and I think with this the US 491 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:28,160 Speaker 1: American arrogance, right that this is the only America, this 492 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 1: is the only place, this is the America. And he 493 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:36,720 Speaker 1: really challenges that and also ending with with the message 494 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 1: of the only thing more powerful than hate's love. And 495 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 1: so I'd love to hear you expand on that and 496 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: how you thought about that in real time or even 497 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: on your second watch. 498 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 3: It starts from the very beginning, right like his his 499 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 3: the sugarcane people, you know, that could that is definitely 500 00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 3: Puerto Rico, but it could be any other number of 501 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 3: countries where sugar cane was a cash crop that exploited workers, 502 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 3: that depended on slavery. I'm speaking to you from the 503 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 3: Dominican Republic. That was certainly the case here and in Haiti. 504 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 3: And and so that landscape, you know, it kind of 505 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:26,240 Speaker 3: unites us in a way. And then we you know, 506 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:28,960 Speaker 3: the same thing with the more when he you know, 507 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 3: doesn't know about you. Of course, that's a celebration of 508 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 3: Puerto Rican identity, but anyone else you know, in the 509 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 3: the quote unquote melting pot of New York, right that 510 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 3: those people could have been Panamanians, Nicaragua and Mexicans, you know, 511 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:49,880 Speaker 3: And it is as you said, the arrogance of the 512 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:52,840 Speaker 3: US to think that being quote unquote American is being 513 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,480 Speaker 3: from the United States. I was really struck by when 514 00:33:56,520 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 3: he when they announced that he would be the Super 515 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 3: Bowl halftime before former there was the typical pushback from 516 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:05,480 Speaker 3: the right of like, wait, he's not you know, he's 517 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:11,600 Speaker 3: not an American artist, And obviously that is a that's 518 00:34:11,640 --> 00:34:14,720 Speaker 3: really just about he's not white, right, like the Rolling 519 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 3: Stones also not US citizens, not an American artist, but 520 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:22,880 Speaker 3: nobody really raised an eyebrow. But with that that was 521 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 3: really about whiteness. And then you had these well meaning, 522 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,360 Speaker 3: ish I guess, liberal responses of like, well, of course 523 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:33,759 Speaker 3: he's an American citizen. You know, he's like from the 524 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:39,719 Speaker 3: US the celebration of of you know, the accomplishments of 525 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 3: your colonial subjects, which is so icky. But then his 526 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 3: response is is to kind of like ignore that conversation 527 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 3: entirely and have and present himself on his own terms 528 00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 3: as an American in the broadest hemispheric sense, like presenting 529 00:34:55,640 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 3: a vision of the US and Canada and Mexico and 530 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:07,160 Speaker 3: the Caribbean and Central America and South America all united, 531 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 3: almost this like Simon bol vision right of Latin America 532 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,480 Speaker 3: of the Americans. It reminded me also of like the 533 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:22,759 Speaker 3: ruined Blades, no ba Republica Amica. Like just that role 534 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:26,239 Speaker 3: call of countries, I think is just something that's very 535 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:29,680 Speaker 3: familiar to all of us who grew up with that 536 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 3: sense of like, you know, these are all countries that 537 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:33,920 Speaker 3: have something in common. 538 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: Absolutely, I mean, and depending where you live, your country 539 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:41,920 Speaker 1: is not always like shouted out. And so for him 540 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:46,399 Speaker 1: to list all the Latin American countries and the Caribbean, right, 541 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 1: it really is that that unifier of there is something 542 00:35:50,719 --> 00:35:53,600 Speaker 1: here for all of us. We are American, right, we 543 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:58,080 Speaker 1: are the Americas. I was thinking about this last night 544 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 1: after I watched the performance. Growing up, my dad would 545 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: always tell me like yotami and soy Americano, and he 546 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: wasn't referring to being a US citizen. He was referring 547 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:10,480 Speaker 1: to being from South America. And he always instilled that 548 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 1: in me, like this is not the only America. And 549 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:16,359 Speaker 1: so that for me felt so full circle and it 550 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:18,760 Speaker 1: really hit home for me in a personal sense seeing 551 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 1: the show end this way, and I thought it was 552 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,880 Speaker 1: so beautiful, and he says, right together, we are America. 553 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 1: And on the on the football that he's holding, and 554 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 1: so yeah, I just want to thank you for one 555 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 1: unpacking all of this with me. I know that our 556 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: listeners are big, bad Bunny fans, and we've we were 557 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 1: all going to be watching, but now I also I 558 00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:43,800 Speaker 1: really want to chat with you about the podcast La Brega, 559 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:48,399 Speaker 1: which has been on for three seasons, an incredible show 560 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:51,879 Speaker 1: with Futuro and you are the host, of course, and 561 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:56,319 Speaker 1: I listened to the first episode of season three and 562 00:36:57,120 --> 00:37:02,440 Speaker 1: it's about the toppling of a stat of Juan Celeon, 563 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:04,920 Speaker 1: and so I want to talk to you about that 564 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:08,920 Speaker 1: episode and how this is also relevant to the colonial 565 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:12,880 Speaker 1: past and colonial present and just season three in general. 566 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 1: So let's start with episode one. 567 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:19,759 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, I think an alternate tagline for our 568 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:23,439 Speaker 3: show this season could have been are we American? It's 569 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,160 Speaker 3: a through line in all the episodes, like a question 570 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 3: that comes up in all of them. But what we 571 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:33,720 Speaker 3: explicitly do in that first episode is we talk about 572 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:38,359 Speaker 3: this day a few years ago where some activists vandalized 573 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:41,799 Speaker 3: tore down a statue of a Spanish colonizer, right, Juan 574 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:47,160 Speaker 3: the first, you know, governor of Puerto Rico as a 575 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:53,080 Speaker 3: Spanish colony, A really violent guy, And there was a 576 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 3: rush to put the statue up by the end of 577 00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:58,759 Speaker 3: the day because the King of Spain, the actual King 578 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:00,800 Speaker 3: of Spain, was coming, and I think there was a 579 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 3: lot of embarrassment, right, like what are our visitors going 580 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:06,759 Speaker 3: to think of us? And it also opened the door 581 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 3: to this conversation about like, well, who are we really, 582 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:11,640 Speaker 3: like who do we put up on pedestals? Are we 583 00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:14,560 Speaker 3: scrambling to put this guy back up because we truly 584 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:19,320 Speaker 3: believe that he represents us, that he's like a hero 585 00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:22,560 Speaker 3: that deserves to be on this illustrious pedestal and Biajo 586 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:26,520 Speaker 3: San Juan And I think for some people the answer 587 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:30,239 Speaker 3: was yes, right, the answer was like absolutely, that's our guy. 588 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:33,640 Speaker 3: We have the Spanish heritage. In the episode, we talk 589 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:36,560 Speaker 3: about how that embrace of the Spanish heritage is also 590 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:41,279 Speaker 3: sometimes like a rejection of us ties. So we have 591 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:44,960 Speaker 3: that question of like are we American? Are we something else? 592 00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:48,920 Speaker 3: Like what is our heritage? Exactly? In this week's episode, 593 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:53,839 Speaker 3: we're looking at the Guatro Puerto Ricano, right, this symbol 594 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:56,200 Speaker 3: that we are a colony, but we happen to have 595 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:59,120 Speaker 3: a national instrument, right, and what is that national instrument? 596 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:00,920 Speaker 3: And what does it say about and how does it 597 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,600 Speaker 3: tie us to other Latin American countries that also have 598 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:11,319 Speaker 3: a similar instrument as their like national musical symbol. I 599 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:13,680 Speaker 3: could keep going like there we have all these different 600 00:39:13,719 --> 00:39:17,160 Speaker 3: episodes that kind of ask similar questions like where, like 601 00:39:17,239 --> 00:39:20,919 Speaker 3: how far does the US shadow fall? Like how far 602 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:25,440 Speaker 3: does it cover when it comes to Puerto Rico? Because 603 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:29,080 Speaker 3: what we're really doing is tracing all these different representatives, 604 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:33,520 Speaker 3: all these different heroes and icons who have worn Puerto 605 00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:36,000 Speaker 3: Rico on their jersey or on their sash, right like 606 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:40,440 Speaker 3: beauty pageants, the Olympics, baseball belote that, right like all 607 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:42,680 Speaker 3: these places where Puerto Rico is a country. So what 608 00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:46,640 Speaker 3: does it take to really be a champion in those spaces? 609 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:51,480 Speaker 1: That's actually my follow up question for you is Season 610 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:55,239 Speaker 1: three brings us to stories of Puerto Rico's champions, which 611 00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:58,320 Speaker 1: you alluded to right now, with all these different figures 612 00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:03,520 Speaker 1: from the pageants right to sports, how did you even 613 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:08,040 Speaker 1: go about deciding the types of people you were going 614 00:40:08,120 --> 00:40:12,600 Speaker 1: to maybe analyze or interview or unpack like certain themes. 615 00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:16,440 Speaker 1: How did you decide what makes the Puerto Rico champion? 616 00:40:18,239 --> 00:40:20,239 Speaker 3: Yeah, A thing about Levedega that we try to do 617 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:22,880 Speaker 3: is we're also just telling good stories, right. These are 618 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:25,960 Speaker 3: people who have done an interesting thing or overcome a 619 00:40:26,239 --> 00:40:31,280 Speaker 3: serious obstacle. These are just good like narratives to enjoy 620 00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:35,120 Speaker 3: whether you are Puerto Rican or from anywhere else. So 621 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:39,759 Speaker 3: that's really what we also look for, is like, is 622 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:42,680 Speaker 3: this a story that we learn something from that has 623 00:40:42,719 --> 00:40:46,279 Speaker 3: a lot of depth. But for example, when we talk 624 00:40:46,320 --> 00:40:50,719 Speaker 3: about the Olympics, we followed this boxer Alberto Mergalo, who 625 00:40:51,719 --> 00:40:55,680 Speaker 3: defied a US led boycott to go represent Puerto Rico 626 00:40:55,719 --> 00:40:59,360 Speaker 3: in Moscow in the nineteen eighty Olympics. Now, some people 627 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:02,160 Speaker 3: who are listening may know that Puerto Rico actually has 628 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:05,040 Speaker 3: like our own team in the Olympics, right, we do 629 00:41:05,280 --> 00:41:11,360 Speaker 3: like win medals. And what's important about that is even 630 00:41:11,719 --> 00:41:17,160 Speaker 3: as as we have sports sovereignty, Alberto still had to 631 00:41:17,280 --> 00:41:21,200 Speaker 3: really fight to go to Moscow to represent his country. 632 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:25,920 Speaker 3: So even in an arena where Puerto Rico has sovereignty, 633 00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:28,880 Speaker 3: you still have that shadow of US influence. Right, the 634 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:31,479 Speaker 3: question of well, if there's a boycott, like can US 635 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 3: citizens go? You know, is Puerto Rico going to capitulate 636 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:40,080 Speaker 3: to Jimmy Carter's boycott? Like all those questions come up, 637 00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:46,120 Speaker 3: and you really have to have like a very rigid spine. 638 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:49,719 Speaker 3: You have to have like a lot of conviction in 639 00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:52,160 Speaker 3: order to do something like that, right as a young 640 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:56,240 Speaker 3: afro Boricua boxer, to stand up to the US Empire 641 00:41:56,719 --> 00:41:59,080 Speaker 3: and go to Moscow and compete anyway. 642 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:02,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's that's incredible. I can't wait to listen. What 643 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:05,960 Speaker 1: else can we expect this season? And how can people 644 00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:06,520 Speaker 1: tune in? 645 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:10,520 Speaker 3: Well, we've got eight episodes, but it's really sixteen because 646 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:15,000 Speaker 3: they're in Spanish and in English, and we've got stories 647 00:42:15,239 --> 00:42:17,800 Speaker 3: about the Young Lords, We've got a story about the 648 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:21,680 Speaker 3: United Nations, we've got a story about baseball, and you 649 00:42:21,719 --> 00:42:23,960 Speaker 3: can listen anywhere you get your podcasts. 650 00:42:24,239 --> 00:42:26,479 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining me today to talk 651 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:29,319 Speaker 1: about not only Bad Bunny and the halftime performance, but 652 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:31,560 Speaker 1: also your show La Brera. 653 00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:32,959 Speaker 3: Thank you so so much. 654 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:39,359 Speaker 1: Look at Our Radio is executive produced and hosted by 655 00:42:39,440 --> 00:43:15,160 Speaker 1: me Viosa and me Mala, also edited by me Viosa 656 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:18,600 Speaker 2: Logal Lundi.