Pop superstar Bad Bunny is being sued for $40 million (£33 million) by his ex-girlfriend. Who claims he used an unauthorized recording of her in two tracks.
Carliz De La Cruz Hernández says she recorded the phrase “Bad Bunny baby” on her phone in 2015. Before he became famous and before they broke up, before he became famous and before they broke up.
The Puerto Rican artist and singer used the line in Pa Ti (2017) and Dos Mil 16 (2022).
Three years ago, Bad Bunny was the most-streamed artist on Spotify.
He has not responded publicly to Ms. De La Cruz’s lawsuit filed in Puerto Rico earlier this month.
According to the report, the couple met in 2011 and both worked in a supermarket while Bad Bunny. Whose actual name is Benito Martnez Ocasio, made music.
She recorded multiple variations of herself reciting the line “Bad Bunny baby” using the voice notes app in the bathroom of a friend’s house, which was the quietest room, and sent them to Martnez.
He used them in a series of early Soundcloud compositions before releasing Pa Ti. Which has received over 355 million views on YouTube and 235 million plays on Spotify.
“Overwhelmed and tense”
Last year, days before the release of Bad Bunny’s latest album Un Verano Sin Ti, his representatives allegedly offered to purchase the rights to the line from Ms. De La Cruz for $2,000 (£1,500).
The album was issued with her line on it despite her refusal. Un Verano Sin Ti was nominated for album of the year at the Grammys. And Dos Mil 16 has received 60 million YouTube views and 280 million Spotify streams.
Ms. De La Cruz asserts that her recording has been used in concerts and argues that this constitutes “gross negligence, bad faith, and, worse still, an assault on her privacy, morals, and dignity.”
Since the release of the most recent album, thousands of Bad Bunny admirers have commented on Ms. De La Cruz’s social media accounts and discussed the album with her in person, she said.
“This has caused and continues to cause De La Cruz to feel fearful, anguished, intimidated, overpowered, and anxious,” stated the legal document.
De La Cruz’s situation deteriorated to the point where she needed to contact multiple psychologists immediately for assistance.
The couple separated in 2016, but momentarily reconciled the following year.
Ms. De La Cruz is also pursuing Bad Bunny’s record label, Rimas Entertainment, and manager, Noah Assad.
