‘Oh my God, how much stuff have I not allowed myself to enjoy because I was in my own head — feeling like I was unworthy?'
This just hit me like a ton of bricks. Fuck.
Bad Bunny walked out in a #64 jersey with “OCASIO” on the back.
Not Bad Bunny.
Not Benito.
His real name.
His family name.
Then he grabbed the mic and said:
“My name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. And if today I’m here at the Super Bowl, it’s because I never, never stopped believing in myself.”
In Spanish.
No translation.
Even the jumbotron was in Spanish.
And I watched the whole thing with a translator on.
Because the message was that important to me.
They said he was “un-American.”
They said nobody would understand him.
They said having him perform was “ridiculous.”
And he SHOWED OUT!
He brought out Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.
He staged a wedding on the field.
He recreated a bodega.
He gave us a whole scene of family and love.
He humanized an entire culture on the world’s biggest stage.
All in his native language.
And he didn’t flinch.
His lyrics were clear messages:
“They want to take the river from me, and the beach too. They want my neighborhood and for my grandma to leave.”
“I should have taken more photos when I had you. Hopefully my loved ones will never move.”
And that last line:
“Ojalá que los míos nunca se muden.”
Hopefully my loved ones will never move.
That’s about families being separated.
Forced to leave.
Displacement.
Yeah, he didn’t chase the mainstream.
He made the mainstream come to him.
He put his family name on his back and told 120 million people exactly who he is.
And I’m here for ALL of it!👏🏽
J. Cole played a joint from The Fall Off to show bro what he missed!!
Mannnn you wouldn’t be able to tell me s*** after this! 💀😭
Cole really a man of the people fr 🐐
Mannnnn. Thank yall for the love. For real!!!
Yesterday I had daddy duties that came before album release celebrations. Today I got my old civic (with the brand new engine) a tour bus and some sprinters. In the trunk of my car is boxes of The Fall-Off CD’s. As a teenager I had copies of the Fayettenam Bommuh’s album that Nervous gave me to sell. I used to go up to the gas stations trying to sell the album to strangers “yo you like hip hop??” Was the beginning of the sales pitch.
When I was working on this album I had the desire to go feel that feeling again, and that’s what I’m about to do. Trunk Sale Tour 26!! I don’t know where we bout to drive to, but catch me outside! Cop a CD from me or just show love. I truly appreciate all the love and the reaction to the music.