Issue #014: I Almost Didn’t Write This, Pero YHLQMDLG

I watched the algorithm turn a cultural icon I’ve loved for years into content slop. This is what it taught me about how we show up as creators.

I’ve Been Staring at This Draft for 10 Days.

Because here’s the thing… I’m still building my professional presence online. And while everyone who knows me personally already knows about my long time obsession extremely healthy and normal love for Bad Bunny, those new to me definitely don’t.

And why would they? I look like a white gringuita who doesn’t speak a lick of español. (Spoiler: only one of those things is true.)

So writing about Benito’s Super Bowl moment feels…risky, to say the least.

What if it comes across like I’m gatekeeping? What if I sound like one of those “I discovered them first” people? What if I end up centering myself in a moment that isn’t mine to claim?

So I decided to sit back and not take part in the conversation.

But as I scrolled Instagram last week I kept seeing posts like:

5 Business Lessons from Bad Bunny’s Performance

The Marketing Strategy Behind Bad Bunny’s Success

Bad Bunny & the Masterclass in Branding

Bad Bunny is Leveraging Email Marketing and We NEED to Talk About It

And I realized… I’m not mad that people are talking about him. I absolutely LOVE that people are talking about him. Benito IS the moment.

What bothers me are the creators who saw his moment and thought content goldmine faster than they thought to actually listen. The ones cosplaying as part of the fandom while mining his relevance for engagement.

New fans discovering his music? That’s beautiful.

Creators extracting his cultural moment for algorithm plays? That’s something else entirely.

The Thing About Being Early

I’ve been listening to Bad Bunny since Te Boté dropped in 2018.