A Beginner’s Guide to DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – A Track-by-Track Breakdown
By Angelica Ruiz
After setting the stage with his short film, Bad Bunny takes listeners on a sonic journey through DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS—an album that is equal parts personal reflection, cultural tribute, and political statement. This 17-track masterpiece blends traditional Puerto Rican sounds with modern beats, balancing dance-floor anthems with deeply introspective moments. Each song tells a different story, but together, they form a powerful love letter to Puerto Rico, its people, and its history.
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NUEVAYoL — ★★★★★
The album begins with a vibrant homage to Puerto Rican salsa legends El Gran Combo and Andy Montañez, sampling their iconic “Un Verano en Nueva York.” The song encapsulates the spirit of the Puerto Rican and Dominican diaspora in NYC, portraying the city as a cultural bridge and “home away from home.” Lyrics like “PR se siente cerquita” and nods to neighborhoods like Washington Heights and El Bronx highlight the deep connection between the island and its NYC communities. Just as the salsa rhythms evoke nostalgia, Bad Bunny flips the vibe with a sudden burst of dembow, electrifying the track and reflecting the energetic fusion of tradition and modernity that defines the diaspora. It’s an anthem for belonging, pride, and movement—both physical and cultural.
VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR — ★★★★★
A Bad Bunny album wouldn’t be complete without a classic reggaetón track that makes you want to dance until sunrise. This is the first song on the album to bring that signature perreo-ready rhythm, setting the perfect tone for a night out at La Placita (PR hotspot). Lyrically, it embraces the thrill of single life, with Bad Bunny painting Puerto Rico as the ultimate party destination—because if there’s one place that knows how to have fun, it’s the island that raised him.
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BAILE INoLVIDABLE — ★★★★★
A dance to remember—BAILE INoLVIDABLE is precisely that. Unlike anything Bad Bunny has done before, this track takes the shape of a classic salsa, meant to be danced in the arms of someone unforgettable. It’s a song that captures the magic of a love so rare and profound that it lingers long after the music fades. It is a once-in-a-lifetime connection, wrapped in melodies that make you want to hold on just a little longer.
PERFuMITO NUEVO — ★★★★☆
Bad Bunny and RaiNao’s PERFuMITO NUEVO is a hypnotic mix of reggaetón and pop, dripping with flirtation and unspoken tension. RaiNao’s sultry vocals set the stage, teasing the chase, while Bad Bunny brings his signature smooth and confident delivery, turning desire into a rhythm you can’t escape. It’s playful, steamy, and irresistibly intoxicating—like catching the scent of someone you just can’t get out of your head.
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WELTiTA — ★★★★☆
"Te vo'a dar una vuelta por la playita"… "I’ll take you on a trip around the beach." The breezy rhythms and sun-soaked melodies make it the perfect beachside song—playful, warm, and effortlessly romantic. It’s a fun and flirty track that captures the excitement of a blossoming romance.
VeLDÁ — ★★★★★
VeLDÁ is legendary for many reasons. It fuses the nostalgia of 2010s reggaetón with modern beats while featuring Puerto Rican powerhouses Omar Courtz and Dei V. More than just a track, it’s a vibrant celebration of Puerto Rican culture in all its glory.
EL CLúB — ★★★★★
If you ever miss your ex… just listen to this song. That’s all I have to say.
KETU TeCRÉ — ★★★★☆
BOKeTE — ★★★★☆
Arguably the most heart-wrenching track on the album when it comes to love and heartbreak.
KLOuFRENS — ★★★★★
TURiSTA — ★★★★★
Okay, I take back what I said about BOKeTE being the most heart-wrenching track… TURiSTA delivers the ultimate emotional gut punch. The lyrics paint a picture of a fleeting romance so brief that past wounds were never confronted, and real healing never took place. But beneath the heartbreak lies a more profound metaphor: TURiSTA isn’t just about love, but about tourism itself. Like a short-lived relationship, tourists come and go, enjoying Puerto Rico without genuinely understanding or caring for the island’s struggles. It’s a haunting double meaning that speaks to personal and cultural abandonment.
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CAFé CON RON — ★★★★★
CAFé CON RON is more than just a party anthem—it’s a celebration of Puerto Rican resilience and identity. Teaming up with Los Pleneros de la Cresta, Bad Bunny takes us beyond the tourist-packed beaches and into the mountains, where the true culture lives. The song pulses with plena rhythms, capturing the joy of gathering with friends, but beneath the revelry lies a deeper message: the mountains are not just a refuge, but a symbol of survival, resistance, and the unbreakable spirit of Puerto Rico.
PIToRRO DE COCO — ★★★★☆
This is a classic Christmas track deeply rooted in Puerto Rican holiday traditions. The jíbaro influence shines through with the rich sounds of guitars, cuatros, tambourines, and vibrant percussion, instantly transporting listeners to a festive holiday spirt.
LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii — ★★★★★★
This is Bad Bunny at his core—an artist unafraid to speak out against injustice and amplify the struggles Puerto Rico faces today. Gentrification is rapidly consuming the island, with outsiders viewing its breathtaking landscapes as a retirement paradise while ignoring its deep history and culture. This song serves as a warning call, set against moody beats and intimate vocals as Bad Bunny pleads for Puerto Rico’s rivers, land, and identity not to be stripped away. He draws a chilling parallel to Hawaii, cautioning against the same fate—colonization disguised as progress, erasing the essence of the island and its people.
EoO — ★★★★★
The ultimate night-out anthem, this track revives old-school reggaetón and perreo while paying homage to the legends who paved the way in Puerto Rico. It’s a nostalgic yet electrifying tribute to the genre's roots, made for dancing until sunrise.
DtMF — ★★★★★
The heart of the album! Debí Tirar Más Fotos is Bad Bunny at his most nostalgic and reflective. Over a melancholic yet rhythmic beat, he mourns the moments he didn’t capture, the love he didn’t hold onto long enough, and the friends and family he hopes will never leave. Lines like “Debí tirar más fotos de cuando te tuve” hit hard, serving as both a personal regret and a universal reminder to cherish the people and places we often take for granted. It’s a song about youth, friendship, and the fleeting nature of time—one that makes you want to live in the moment, take more photos, and hold on just a little tighter.
LA MuDANZA — ★★★★★
There’s no better way to close this album than with this powerful anthem. Bad Bunny delivers a deeply personal tribute to his roots, crafting a love letter to his parents and to Puerto Rico itself. He weaves beats, rhythms, and sounds embodying Puerto Rico’s rich culture and history. Overflowing with pride, it’s a triumphant celebration of identity, home, and the deep-rooted love he carries for the place that shaped him.
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EL ÁLBuM: Final Thoughts
After listening to DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (DtMF), I can confidently say this is one of—if not the—best albums Bad Bunny has ever released. It’s more than just a collection of songs inspired by Puerto Rican culture; it’s a deeply personal and political love letter to the island, its people, and its history. Every rhythm, instrument, and lyric is carefully woven together to pay homage to jíbaro, plena, and the classic sounds of Boricua identity.
What sets Bad Bunny apart as one of the most resilient and influential artists of our time is his unwavering commitment to speaking out against injustice. He doesn’t just make music—he makes statements. In DtMF, he doesn’t shy away from addressing the harsh realities of gentrification (or gringo-fication) that threaten to displace Puerto Ricans from their own home. Through his lyrics, he urges listeners to look beyond Puerto Rico’s beaches and tourism appeal, reminding them that it’s not just a vacation spot but a place where real people are fighting to stay rooted in the land that raised them.
Beyond the music itself, Bad Bunny elevates his message with visualizers on YouTube, turning his album into an immersive history lesson. These visuals highlight key moments of Puerto Rico’s long history of colonization. This wasn’t just a creative decision but a collaborative effort with historian Jorell Meléndez-Badillo from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, further cementing DtMF as a cultural and political statement, not just an album.
Still from NUEVAYoL’s visualizer
DtMF is a masterclass in storytelling, weaving together love, nostalgia, and the urgent realities of Puerto Rico’s fight for its identity. This album challenges listeners to look beyond the beaches and see Puerto Rico for what it truly is: a home, a legacy, a place worth fighting for. So take the photos, tell the stories, and most importantly—stand with the people fighting to preserve the island’s soul.
