SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Bad Bunny’s ex-girlfriend is suing the star for at least $40 million over a known audio recording she gave the singer before he became famous.
Carliz De La Cruz Hernández, whose smash hit recording of “Bad Bunny, baby” is included on two of the artist’s songs, claimed in a lawsuit filed this month in a Puerto Rican court that her voice and the phrase she came up with are being used without her permission.
The lawsuit, first reported by Puerto Rican online news site Noticel, alleges that the phrase was used in the song “Pa Ti,” which has more than 355 million views on YouTube and more than 235 million copies on Spotify. It was also used in the song “Dos Mil 16”, which has more than 60 million views on YouTube and 280 million copies on Spotify.
The lawsuit states that de la Cruz’s “distinctive voice” was also used without her consent in songs, recordings, promotions, worldwide concerts, television, radio, and social and music platforms.
Since then, thousands of people have commented directly on Carlize’s social networks, as well as every time she goes to a public place, about the “bad bunny, baby.” , intimidation, confusion and anxiety,” the lawsuit states.
He also sued Noah Kamel Asaad Byrne, the manager of Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Martinez Ocasio.
Lion and Bad Bunny reps did not immediately respond to a message for comment.
De La Cruz and Martínez first became a pair in 2011. A year later, they began attending the University of Puerto Rico in the northern coastal town of Arecibo while also working at a nearby grocery store. The suit stated that during that time, Martinez was constantly composing songs and beats and seeking opinions from De La Cruz, who was also responsible for scheduling his concerts and handling billing and contracts.
The birth of the phrase “Bad Bunny, baby” came in 2015, and Martínez asked De La Cruz to record her voice saying it. The lawsuit stated that she did it in the bathroom one day while staying with a friend because the place was less noisy then she sent it to him.
On January 1, 2016, Martínez asked de la Cruz to marry him, and they planned to do so in July 2016. But in April 2016, Rimas Entertainment signed Martínez. That same year, de la Cruz was accepted into the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, and ended her relationship with Martinez in May 2016.
They got back together in 2017, but once again went their separate ways.
Then in May 2022, a Bad Bunny representative reached out to De La Cruz saying he needed to talk to her.
“On that call,[the actor]said, ‘I know you don’t like talking about Voldemort (referring to Martinez), but I want to ask you something,'” the lawsuit states.
He offered her $2,000 to buy a recording of her voice. De La Cruz refused and subsequently spoke with someone from Rimas Entertainment who also offered to buy it, saying the recording would be used on the upcoming album “Un Verano Sin Ti,” the suit says.
But an agreement was never reached, and the song was released without de la Cruz’s consent, according to the lawsuit.
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