Bad Bunny Lawsuit: $16M Voice Recording Claim

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, February 29, 2024

Bad Bunny Faces $16 Million Lawsuit Over Voice Sample

A legal dispute has arisen over the use of a voice recording in two popular songs by the global music star.

• Bad Bunny, producer Roberto Rosado, and his label Rimas are named in a lawsuit filed by Tainaly Y. Serrano Rivera.
• The suit alleges unauthorized use of a voice recording made when Rivera and Rosado were students.
• Rivera is seeking $16 million for privacy violation and publicity rights.
• This isn’t the first time Bad Bunny has faced legal action regarding sampled voice recordings.

Bad Bunny is embroiled in a $16 million lawsuit centered around a voice recording featured in his songs “Solo de mi” and “EoO.” The tracks, released on 2018’s X 100pre and 2023’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos, respectively, are at the heart of the dispute. The plaintiff, Tainaly Y. Serrano Rivera, claims producer roberto Rosado obtained the recording while both were theater students at the Interamerican University of Arecibo.

Did you know?-Sampling, the act of reusing a portion of a sound recording in a new song, is common in music. Though, obtaining proper clearance and consent is crucial to avoid legal issues.

The Core of the Claim

According to the lawsuit, Rivera never consented to the commercial use of her voice, nor did she sign any contract permitting such use. She asserts that Bad Bunny’s inclusion of the sample in his concerts and on merchandise warrants $16 million in damages for privacy violation and the infringement of her publicity rights. rosado and Bad Bunny’s label, Rimas, are also listed as defendants in the case.

The lyric in question-“Mira, puñeta, no me quiten el perreo”-translates to “Damn, don’t take away my perreo!,” a reference to the reggaeton subgenre.However,as noted in a review of Debí Tirar Más Fotos,the phrase carries a weightier cultural resonance,described as “more like the Boricua version of ‘Bitch,don’t kill my vibe!'” The lyric has since gained traction online,becoming a widely circulated meme across social media platforms.

Pro tip-Publicity rights, also known as “right of personality,” protect an individual’s name, image, and likeness from unauthorized commercial use.

A Pattern of Sampling Disputes?

This legal challenge isn’t an isolated incident. Bad Bunny previously faced a similar lawsuit in 2022 from a Florida-based DJ who alleged unauthorized use of his voice in the song “Yonaguni.” That case was ultimately dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.The current lawsuit,filed in Puerto Rico’s Court of First Instance,seeks damages for both the initial use of the recording and its continued use in performances and merchandise.As of February 29, 2024, Bad Bunny and his representatives have not publicly commented on the latest legal action. the outcome of this case remains to be seen, but it highlights the growing legal scrutiny surrounding the use of samples in the music industry.

Reader question-Do you think artists should be required to obtain consent for even brief voice recordings used as samples? what are your thoughts?