Bad Bunny Unveils Music Video for “NUEVAYoL”
A powerful tribute to Nuyorican life, legacy and resilience.
Summary
- “NUEVAYoL” blends salsa and dembow, sampling “Un Verano en Nueva York” to honor Puerto Rican musical roots
- The video features moments of cultural pride, including a quinceañera and scenes of everyday Nuyorican life
- Released on July 4, the visuals highlight themes of identity, heritage and connection to Puerto Rico
Bad Bunny has just released the music video for “NUEVAYoL,” a standout track from his chart-topping album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for three consecutive weeks following its debut. The video dropped on July 4, a deliberate release date that underscores the song’s themes of identity, resistance and diaspora pride. It also directly nods to one of the song’s opening lyrics, anchoring the visual in personal expression.
A standout on the album, “NUEVAYoL” dives into the dembow genre, known for its infectious, high-energy rhythms. It opens with a nostalgic sample of “Un Verano en Nueva York” by Andy Montañez and El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico — a classic salsa anthem — blending old-school musical heritage with modern urban beats. The result is a vibrant fusion that pays homage to Puerto Rican culture while carving space for it in today’s global soundscape.
Visually, the video unfolds as a heartfelt tribute to the Nuyorican experience: the layered identity of Puerto Ricans living in New York. It celebrates cultural pride, resilience and joy, even far from the island. The opening scene sets the tone: Bad Bunny hops into a cab and asks, “¿Y este frío cuándo se acaba?” (“When will this cold end?”), instantly contrasting the literal chill of the city with the emotional warmth of the community moments that follow.
The narrative then flows into a quinceañera — a coming-of-age celebration steeped in tradition and family — highlighting the continuity of Puerto Rican customs across generations. Later, the video cuts to a powerful, symbolic scene: Bad Bunny placing the Puerto Rican flag on the Statue of Liberty, which mirrors activist Tito Kayak’s act of planting the flag on the statue’s crown in the late 2000s.
Bad Bunny is then seen saluting from the crown of the Statue of Liberty, draped in the Puerto Rican flag. The scene quickly cuts to a group huddled around a radio, listening to a deepfake of Donald Trump issuing an apology to immigrants, saying, “I made a mistake. I want to apologize to the immigrants in America… This country is nothing without immigrants. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans.”
Check out the “NUEVAYoL” music video above.
