Rapper Bad Bunny’s ex-girlfriend, Carliz De La Cruz Hernández, is suing him for at least $40 million over a well-known recording of her voice. The breathy “Bad Bunny, baby” is included in two of the artist’s songs, and a lot of promotional materials. She has filed a lawsuit in a Puerto Rico court claiming her voice is being used without her permission.
The recording can be heard on the Bad Bunny song “Pa Ti,” which has over 355 million views on YouTube and more than 235 million listens on Spotify. It also appears in the song “Dos Mil 16,” which has over 60 million views on YouTube and 280 million listens on Spotify. Bad Bunny (Benito Martínez Ocasio)’s manager Noah Kamil Assad Byrne is also included in the suit.
Hernández and Martínez started dating in 2011, long before he became a famous rapper. A year later, they were both enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico. The lawsuit states that during this time, Martínez was constantly creating music, and would often seek opinions from Hernández. It also seems she was acting as a manager of sorts, since she was in charge of scheduling his parties and handling invoices/contracts.
In 2015, Martínez allegedly asked Hernández to record herself saying the phrase “Bad Bunny, baby.” She made the recording in the bathroom at a friend’s place since it was less noisy, and sent it to him.
In January of 2016, the couple got engaged, and planned to marry that July. But in April, Rimas Entertainment signed Martínez. At the same time, Hernández was accepted into the University of Puerto Rico’s law school. Causing her to end the relationship with Martínez in May 2016. They reconciled in 2017, only to separate again.
In May of 2022, a representative for the singer reached out to Hernández. “In that call, (the representative) said, ’I know you don’t like to talk about Voldemort (referring to Martínez), but I need to ask you something,” the lawsuit states. He then offered her $2,000 to buy the recording of her voice saying “Bad Bunny, baby.” She declined the offer. Someone at Rimas Entertainment also offered to buy it, with the intent of using it on the album, “Un Verano Sin Ti,” the lawsuit states.
But Hernández allegedly never reached a deal with any of these offers. The lawsuit also claims that Hernández’s “distinguishable voice” also has been used in songs, records, promotions, worldwide concerts, television, radio, and social/musical platforms. If this is true, it means the sample has been repeatedly used without her consent.
“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,’” the lawsuit claims. “This has caused, and currently causes, that De La Cruz feels worried, anguished, intimidated, overwhelmed and anxious.”
Currently neither Bad Bunny or his representatives have commented on the lawsuit.
