Bad Bunny ignites controversy for being called 'The King of Pop' on the cover of Forbes
Bad Bunny cemented himself as one of the biggest artists of the generation, to the point where he is currently considered the 'king of streaming', the 'king of reggaeton', and even the 'king of Latin music'. With all these nicknames, Forbes magazine included him on its most recent cover and called him the new 'King of Pop'.
Bad Bunny's Forbes front cover that has sparked controversy
In an interview with the Puerto Rican singer, Forbes highlights his current status as one of the most important singers of recent years with the highest numbers, with more plays than Taylor Swift on digital platforms, while he also entered the list of the most successful singers under 30 years old.
"If there is a constant in Bad Bunny, who is 29 years old, it is that everything he creates becomes a worldwide hit," stated the magazine on his Instagram account, to present his new number. It also highlights that: "in April, Bad Bunny made history as the first Latin artist to headline the Coachella music festival. And he's done it all while singing solely in Spanish,"
While Bad Bunny speaks of the pride he feels for his Latin roots for having reached the top while respecting his culture:
Spanish is part of me, it's part of my DNA. I like, wherever I go, to carry it and speak it. Not because I want to implant it, but because that's who I am.
Despite its undoubted commercial success, the adjective used by Forbes, users on social media were dissatisfied, as they considered it disrespectful because this nickname was for Michael Jackson and claimed that he is the only 'King of Pop'. Users on social media criticized the post for not being serious and considered that the moniker was an exaggeration.
However, the singer's followers also congratulated him for his achievements and explained that he is a "pride and an inspiration for Latinos".
Bad Bunny's Achievements in 2022-2023
In the edition, Forbes included Benito Martinez Ocasio for the second time in its '30 Under 30' list, as it happened in 2019 and which recognizes the 30 most influential young people in the world, who have a prominent role in their respective industries.
She also highlighted that "His YouTube channel has attracted over 32 billion views, more than Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, and, yes, Taylor Swift. He has won three Grammy Awards and 11 Latin Grammys."
In April, he became the first Latin artist to headline the Coachella music festival as a 100% Spanish-language performer.
Finally, the article addresses that in 2022, Bad Bunny earned approximately $88 million (excluding taxes) in world tours, billions of plays, and sponsorship deals with high-profile brands such as Adidas and Corona, which also entered the list of the world's highest-paid artists.
Top 10 highest-paid artists, according to Forbes:
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rq3RnJhnm5%2BifKa6jqWgn52jqcatsY6mrKyhk2R%2FcX6SaGhqZ2JtfHeBlW5vn56WaYNygpKfaXJxaG2vdYHBmmWhrJ2h