Bad Bunny sued for $40M by ex-girlfriend over song sample

Bad Bunny's ex-girlfriend claimed her breathy 'Bad Bunny, baby' audio, recorded in 2015, has been used in the reggaetón artist's music without her approval.

Fans are already familiar with the artist’s breathy tagline, “Bad Bunny, baby” — but the Puerto Rican rapper is now being sued for at least US$40 million by his ex-girlfriend, who claims he used the recording of her voice without permission.

Carliz De La Cruz Hernández said she recorded the audio for Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Martínez Ocasio, before he skyrocketed to international fame, as per a new lawsuit filed in a Puerto Rico court. She alleged she invented the phrase.

The lawsuit, which was first reported by the Puerto Rico news website NotiCel, claimed the unauthorized recording is used in the 29-year-old singer’s songs, Pa Ti from 2017 and Dos Mil 16, which is featured on the Grammy-winning album Un Verano Sin Ti. The tracks have been streamed on Spotify at least 235 million times each.

As per the lawsuit, De La Cruz claimed her “Bad Bunny, baby” audio has been used for numerous promotions, worldwide concerts, television, radio and social appearances.

Due to her “distinguishable voice,” De La Cruz said she’s been barraged with messages and comments about the unauthorized recording.

“Since then, thousands of people have commented directly on Carliz’s social media networks, as well as every time she goes to a public place, about the ‘Bad Bunny, baby.’ This has caused, and currently causes, that De La Cruz feels worried, anguished, intimidated, overwhelmed and anxious,” reads the lawsuit.

De La Cruz is also suing Martínez’s manager, Noah Kamil Assad Byrne.

Neither Martínez nor Assad has commented publicly on the lawsuit.