Fans are already acquainted with the artist’s breathy tagline, “Bad Bunny, baby” — however the Puerto Rican rapper is now being sued for no less than US$40 million by his ex-girlfriend, who claims he used the recording of her voice with out permission.
Carliz De La Cruz Hernández stated she recorded the audio for Bad Bunny, whose actual identify is Benito Martínez Ocasio, earlier than he skyrocketed to worldwide fame, as per a brand new lawsuit filed in a Puerto Rico courtroom. She alleged she invented the phrase.
The lawsuit, which was first reported by the Puerto Rico information web site NotiCel, claimed the unauthorized recording is used within 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 no less than 235 million instances every.
As per the lawsuit, De La Cruz claimed her “Bad Bunny, baby” audio has been used for quite a few promotions, worldwide concert events, tv, radio and social appearances.
Due to her “distinguishable voice,” De La Cruz stated she’s been barraged with messages and feedback concerning 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 can be suing Martínez’s supervisor, Noah Kamil Assad Byrne.
Neither Martínez nor Assad has commented publicly on the lawsuit.
In the authorized submitting, De La Cruz claimed a consultant for the reggaetón singer contacted her in May 2022, shortly earlier than Un Verano Sin Ti was launched. She stated the consultant provided her $2,000 for the voice recording. At this level, the “Bad Bunny, baby,” audio had already been utilized in 2017’s Pa Ti.
De La Cruz allegedly declined the cost on the grounds that she was apparently not snug together with her voice being featured. She stated the tune was printed anyway with out her consent.
“Since de la Cruz made it clear that she did not consent to its use, its publication constituted an act of gross negligence, bad faith, and, worse still, an attack on their privacy, morals, and dignity since all parties had and still have knowledge of these facts and even so decided to be reckless and break the law,” the submitting reads.
The lawsuit outlines the connection between De La Cruz and Martínez, who apparently began relationship in 2011, earlier than he was signed to the label Rimas Entertainment. At the time, De La Cruz claimed she was liable for managing her artist boyfriend’s invoices, contracts and scheduling.
She stated she recorded the “Bad Bunny, baby” audio within the lavatory of a celebration in 2015, because it was the quietest room out there on the time.
The pair ended their relationship in 2017, a 12 months after Martínez requested to marry De La Cruz.
In February, Martínez received a Grammy for Best Música Urbana Album for Un Verano Sin Ti. The album was additionally nominated for the coveted Album of the Year award however misplaced out to Harry’s House by Harry Styles.
— With information from The Associated Press
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