Bad Bunny Says His Signature 'Ey' Is a 'Tic' That 'Comes Out Naturally' While Recording: 'It Always Sneaks In'

Bad Bunny said he tries to avoid making the sound for fear of overusing it

If you’ve ever listened to a Bad Bunny song, you’ve probably heard the Puerto Rican superstar say, “Ey, ey.”

As it turns out, the star’s signature phrase wasn’t intentional.

“It’s just a sound that comes out naturally,” Bunny, 29, told Benicio Del Toro in a chat for Interview magazine. “When I’m on the mic, whether it’s to record a song or when I’m improvising, it’s my way of getting the rhythm of the track, like all the rappers who use the ‘Yeah yeah.’”

The “Me Porto Bonito” singer added that he sometimes tries to “avoid” making the sound for fear of overusing it, “it always sneaks in.”

“It’s a tic that comes out naturally when I’m recording, and look what it’s become,” he said.

Elsewhere in their conversation, Bunny opened up to Del Toro, 56, about his love for Puerto Rico, from which they both hail.

Related: Bad Bunny Goes Nude for Steamy Bubble Bath Selfie Session: See the Pics

“Puerto Rico, in terms of culture, in terms of our people, we have the potential to be whatever we want to be. I’d like to see Puerto Rico be more aware of what we’re capable of,” he said. “Most of the island’s new generation is more conscientious. They want the island to improve and they want to make a change in their community. But my dream is to see Puerto Rico develop within our own community, not with foreigners… that us natives work together to shape the island’s future.”

The three-time Grammy winner added that he’d recently woken up at 4 a.m. “in a dreamlike state” to write “a beautiful song” about his hopes for Puerto Rico.

Related: Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny Spend New Year's Eve Together After Split: Source

Bunny (born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) was previously linked to model Kendall Jenner, though a source told PEOPLE in December that the pair had split after less than a year of dating.

Despite the breakup, the pair celebrated New Years together with friends near Barbados, though an insider told PEOPLE at the time that the two were “not on the same flight” and are not “back together.”

He released his most recent album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, in October, and is set to kick off his Most Wanted Tour later this month.

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