The Cultural Classroom

📸Ways that you can incorporate Bad Bunny’s new album into your Spanish class

On January 5th, 2025, Bad Bunny dropped an exquisite love letter to Puerto Rico in the form of a musical album with “DeBÍ TiRaR MáS FOtoS”. Two days prior, he released a cortometraje that he directed to great acclaim. As of Jan 9, 2025, his short film has 10 million views in just 6 days of being live online. The album and short film deal with powerful themes related to gentrification, colonization, identity, patriotism, forced immigration, preservation of cultural traditions, and more. As a Spanish teacher, I implore fellow educators to consider incorporating these impactful cultural artifacts in the classroom.

Not sure where to begin? Afraid of accidentally playing a song with a bad word? Stay tuned: this blog post is a “Best of DTMF” guide for you to optimize classroom success.

This album speaks to me intensely. As a childhood resident of “Little Puerto Rico” in Brooklyn, NY (a neighborhood formed by the mass migration of Puerto Ricans to New York City), I was constantly surrounded by Puerto Rican culture and traditions. Even the sound of the gallo was heard in the morning–my neighbors kept chicken coups as if we were all still on the island! Because I grew up there, I was able to speak Spanish with my friends and my heart became even more caribeño through cultural connections.

Today, this part of Brooklyn is all but completely gentrified. The bodegas, botanicas, flags–the people–have been pushed out by the higher rents, chain shops, and stark lack of diversity.

Puerto Rico is going through something similar. When I visited around 2017, I had many conversations and observed that people were heated about the increasing cost of living. Rent was going up because mainlanders (people from mainland USA) were coming to the island and to make a larger profit, property owners charged more. There were also differing opinions about whether Puerto Rico should be a state, a country, or stay as is (a territory of the USA). Some locals also commented that there was a lot of “brain drain” occurring on the island: with native-born Puerto Ricans leaving the island for opportunities elsewhere.

Bad Bunny’s new album explores these topics and more. Below you’ll see how Bad Bunny captures Puerto Rican people’s beauty and resilience, including a plea that what happened to Hawaii doesn’t happen to Puerto Rico (song lyric from LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii).

A look at “Los Reyes Magos”: The album release

If you are looking for something short, you can start with a great reel by Bad Bunny. Donning the traditional crowns & robes of the Reyes Magos, Benito tells kids in Spanish that “they have arrived.” Bad Bunny taps into the vibrant culture of Puerto Rico (for more info about the Reyes Magos, click here). While the Reyes Magos are a longstanding holiday tradition in Puerto Rico, in my opinion, this reel is also an act of rebellion. Due to its proximity to mainland USA & culture, Puerto Rico has been more recently influenced by “Santa Claus” although many are keeping the tradition of the Reyes alive. Some call it the “colonization of Christmas.”

Note: There’s a funny moment in the beginning of the reel when Bad Bunny says “Ho Ho Ho” and then self-corrects to say “How would the Three Wise Men do it?” The trio laughs and then continues in character. This reel pushes forward the theme that flows throughout the veins of this album: “seguimos aquí.”

For more *FREE* classroom resources on Los Reyes Magos, CLICK HERE!

Using film for authentic language, culture, and social justice

The Spanish-language short film that preceded the release of “DeBÍ TiRaR MáS FOtoS” is a thought-provoking piece that serves as both a personal reflection and a powerful social commentary on the changing face of Puerto Rico. Through the lens of memory and nostalgia, the film explores themes of loss, displacement, and the fading of cultural identity. As the protagonist reflects to his amigo Concho on missed opportunities to capture important moments, the narrative subtly mirrors the transformation of Puerto Rican communities, where gentrification, economic challenges, and cultural shifts threaten to erase personal and collective histories. This film is an excellent resource for Spanish students, offering authentic language input while sparking meaningful conversations about cultural preservation, identity, and the emotional impact of change. Its emotional depth, combined with its cultural relevance, makes it ideal for sparking critical thinking and global awareness in the classroom.

Activity:

The opening lines of the video read like a poem with the estribillo “DeBÍ TiRaR MáS FOtoS”: consider analyzing the poetic and rhetorical devices used and how they contribute to the overall message of the film.

Here are some general questions that you can consider:

1. Have you ever experienced a moment where you wished you had captured it better? How does that connect with the film?
2. What would you do differently if you were in the main character’s situation?
3. How do you personally preserve memories—through photos, stories, or other means?
4. What is the central theme of this cortometraje?
5. What significant events occur in the short film, and how do they impact the characters?
6. Why do you think the title is “DeBÍ TiRaR MáS FOtoS”? How does it relate to the story?
7. What emotions do you notice in the characters’ expressions and actions?
8. What words or phrases were repeated often? Why do you think they were significant?
9. Identify a key quote from the film. What does it reveal about the characters’ feelings or experiences?
10. How did the characters express regret or nostalgia in the dialogue?
11. What cultural values or themes can you identify in the short film? (e.g., family, memory, loss, nostalgia)
12. How does the concept of photography relate to memory and culture in the short film?
13. Why do you think capturing moments through photos was so important in this story?
14. How does the short film make you feel? What moments stood out the most?
15. What message do you think the director wanted to convey?
16. If the story continued, what do you think would happen next?
17. Create a journal entry from the perspective of one of the characters reflecting on their experience.

A look at history and colonization

LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii is an impactful song that draws a comparison between Puerto Rico and Hawaii, highlighting the parallels of environmental destruction, cultural erosion, and the long-term effects of colonization on both islands by the hands of the US government. This comparison is significant as it emphasizes how both places, rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage, have faced similar struggles with displacement, gentrification, and loss of identity due to outside influences. The song’s poetic storytelling can encourage students to reflect on global issues while practicing listening comprehension, expanding vocabulary, and exploring cultural resilience. Its emotional depth and real-world connections make it an extraordinary resource for sparking critical classroom discussions on environmental justice, colonial legacies, and cultural preservation.

Refer to the resources below, including Genius for lyrics analysis.

For reference:

Activities:

1. Comparative Analysis: Puerto Rico vs. Hawaii: have students explore the parallels between Puerto Rico and Hawaii’s cultural and environmental challenges. Identify and highlight key moments in the song that relate to cultural loss, environmental damage, and colonization. Have students reflect on why making these comparisons is important and how music can be a form of social commentary.
2. Lyrics Interpretation and Visual Storytelling: Have students listen to the song several times, taking note of keywords or phrases that they catch. Have students create a visual storyboard (digital or physical) illustrating the key themes of the song, such as environmental damage or cultural erosion. Students can present their boards in class.
3. Song Rewrite | Localizing the Message: What are the salient messages in the song? Students can focus on topics like environmentalism and colonialism. Challenge students to rewrite a verse of either song to reflect issues in their own community or place they are familiar with. Students can share their rewritten verses with the class, explaining their personal message (i.e., deforestation, pollution, preservation of local culture, etc) connects to the song’s themes.

These activities not only develop language skills but also promote cultural empathy, critical thinking, and global awareness.

Exploring The History and Music of Puerto Rico Through Plena

Plena, a deeply rooted Puerto Rican musical tradition, plays a significant role in Bad Bunny’s “CAFé CON RON”, blending contemporary reggaeton with the rhythmic storytelling of plena to celebrate cultural identity and historical resistance. Emerging from working-class communities, plena originated as a genre of defiance, often used to spread news, voice social concerns, and challenge colonial power structures. In “CAFé CON RON”, the incorporation of plena rhythms not only pays homage to this vibrant musical legacy but also emphasizes themes of heritage, cultural preservation, and resistance against erasure. This song would be a valuable addition to any Spanish classroom, offering students both authentic language exposure and a lens into music as a form of activism. However, please be sure to preview the lyrics first and be ready for a discussion of how symbolism is being used. If your classroom culture is more sensitive, consider playing an instrumental version. This highlights the beauty of the instrumentation and historical elements.

Through studying plena, students can explore Puerto Rican history, musical protest, and the importance of safeguarding cultural expression.

For reference:

Activity

1. Students can do a research project on the African influences on Puerto Rican and Caribbean culture, as exemplified through genres such as Bomba and Plena. Additionally, students can research how the islands have shared knowledge with each other, as mentioned in the video above.
2. Plena (and its close relative Bomba) have dance elements to it too. This would be amazing to incorporate in class! Bring in clips of dancing videos (like this one, this one, this one, or this one) and create an activity around it.
3. Compare and contrast Bomba and Plena. Here is a good video for Bomba.

Closing

Bad Bunny’s “DeBÍ TiRaR MáS FOtoS” is more than just an album—it’s a cultural statement, a reflection of Puerto Rican identity, and a call to preserve traditions in the face of gentrification and colonization. By incorporating “LO QUE PASÓ A HAWAii” and “CAFé CON RON” into the Spanish classroom, educators have the opportunity to foster meaningful conversations about justice, cultural preservation, and global connections. These resources provide rich, authentic language input while encouraging students to think critically about history, identity, and the power of art as activism. Let’s empower students to engage with music not just as entertainment, but as a gateway to understanding diverse perspectives and the importance of protecting cultural legacies.

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