‘De Puerto Rico, Para el Mundo Entero:’ Bad Bunny Named VMA Artist of the Year After Performing at Yankee Stadium

Tomás Mier
·3 min read
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bad-bunny-mtv-vma-artist-of-the-year.jpg 2022 MTV VMAs – Show - Credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images
bad-bunny-mtv-vma-artist-of-the-year.jpg 2022 MTV VMAs – Show - Credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images

The VMAs are taking it to the World’s Hottest Tour. Bad Bunny made an appearance at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, live from Yankees Stadium, to perform “Tití Me Preguntó” and accept the award for artist of the year from none other than LA Lakers’ Carmelo Anthony.

“I don’t have the words to describe what I’m feeling. The pride I’m feeling to be at Yankee Stadium accepting this award,” said Bad Bunny, completely in Spanish. “I always knew from the start that I could become the biggest stars without having to change my culture or my language.”

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He ended, “Yo soy Benito Antonio Martínez, de Puerto Rico para el mundo entero.” (In English: “I’m Benito Antonio Martinez. From Puerto Rico to the entire world.”)

His performance of “Tití Me Preguntó” opened with the Puerto Rican heartthrob carrying out a to-be bride before singing lyrics about having “muchas novias” as clips of the massive audience flashed onscreen.

Surrounded by his dancers for a picture-perfect choreography, Benito sang in front of a background featuring Puerto Rican and Dominican flags. He then threw his shades into the audience before being presented with the award by Carmelo Anthony as the crowd went ham.

Before his performance aired on MTV, videos of Bad Bunny accepting the trophy for artist of the year circulated on Twitter. He was seen holding up the trophy before thanking his audience in New York. (Nicki Minaj presented him with the award, showing off her Spanish and dance moves. “Ay Dios mío!” said Minaj.)

“Not only are his hits well-constructed, veritable bangers that have marked an era in a short amount of time, the soft heart of every song is filled with a kind of nostalgia and emotion only Bad Bunny knows how to deliver,” read a Rolling Stone review of his first of two New York shows.

Sunday is the “Moscow Mule” musician’s final of two stops in New York City. He’s set to make his way across the U.S. before ending his U.S. string of shows at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

His song “Tití Me Preguntó” was up for best Latin, and “Me Portó Bonito” was up for song of the summer.

“Once my albums come out, I sometimes listen to them once and I don’t tune in again,” he told Rolling Stone about his album Un Verano Sin Ti, which is up for album of the year. “This one, I’ve just kept listening.” (His songs currently on replay? “Moscow Mule” and “Otro Atardecer” with the Marías.)

Bad Bunny last performed at the 2019 VMAs when he was joined by J Balvin for “Qué Pretendes.” He won his first Moonperson in 2018, taking home the song of the summer award for “I Like It” by Cardi B.

The VMAs have a long history of featuring remote performances, including massive tours. Michael Jackson did so in 1992, performing “Black and White,” while Katy Perry hit the stage for “Roar” from Fulton Ferry Park in 2013.

Fellow Latinx superstar Anitta is also scheduled to take the stage for her hit “Envolver,” while J Balvin will hit the stage for “Nivel de Perreo.” Other performers at the VMAs include Blackpink, Kane Brown, Panic! at the Disco, Maneskin, and Lizzo.

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