It is reported that Bad Bunny was sued by his ex-girlfriend for the alleged unauthorized use of one of her voice recordings in his music.
According to Pitchfork, the audio clip in question appears on the Puerto Rican artist’s 2016 single “Pa Ti”, as well as in the song “Dos Mil 16” from his fourth and final studio album “Un Verano Sin Ti” (2022).
In the message, Bunny’s former partner Carlise De La Cruz Hernandez says, “Bad bunny, baby.”
It is reported that this month De La Cruz filed a lawsuit against the rapper/singer in a Puerto Rican court. She claims that both her voice and the phrase she allegedly invented were used without her permission.
According to Pitchfork, De La Cruz is demanding $40 million (£33 million) in compensation.
The translation of the claim reads: “Thousands of people comment directly on Carlise’s social media, as well as every time she goes out in public, about “Bad Bunny, baby.”
“This has caused and is currently causing De La Cruz anxiety, suffering, intimidation, depression and anxiety.”
The Bad Bunny Rimas Entertainment label and its manager Noah Kamil Asad Byrne also sued.
Bad Bunny and De La Cruz are said to have been together between 2011 and 2017. The lawsuit alleges that the phrase “Bad Bunny, baby” first appeared in 2015, and later the star asked De La Cruz to record her utterance.
It is alleged that Bad Bunny often turned to De La Cruz for help when he was writing songs during their relationship. In addition, the lawsuit alleges that his ex was responsible for billing, contract management and event planning.
De La Cruz claimed that a Bad Bunny representative had previously contacted her to get permission to use her voice recording in the track. The complaint states that she refused an offer to buy the clip for $2,000 and asked to discuss a contract for licensing her voice.
“De La Cruz reiterated that the only way to formalize the agreement is to do it in writing,” the lawsuit says.
She claims that she and a representative met to listen to the track, but she again refused to allow the use of the memo. De La Cruz allegedly did not want to appear in the song.
The day before “Un Verano Sin Ti” was released last May, a representative sent the former Bad Bunny a contract that was “overly comprehensive, so she felt cheated,” according to the lawsuit.
Then another Rimas employee allegedly sent another performance contract using a voice message in “Dos Mil 16” and retroactively “Pa Ti” just hours before the release of Bad Bunny’s latest album.
The complaint alleges that Un Verano Sin Ti was released a day later with an unauthorized voice memo included.
The translation of the lawsuit reads: “Since De La Cruz made it clear that she did not consent to its use, its publication constitutes an act of gross negligence, bad faith and, even worse, an encroachment on their privacy, morality and dignity, since all parties knew and still know about these facts and even decided to act reckless and breaking the law,
“Similarly, the publication of the song “Dos Mil 16″ without Karlis’ consent was carried out intentionally, in bad faith and for profit.”
Representatives of Bad Bunny have not yet responded to Pitchfork’s request for comment.
Last month, Bad Bunny won the “Best Music Album of the City” award for “Un Verano Sin Ti” at the Grammys 2023. He also opened the ceremony with a live performance of two songs from the record: “El apagón” and “Después de la”. Playa.
Bad Bunny will be headlining Coachella 2023 next month with BLACKPINK and Frank Ocean.
