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Bad Bunny , whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been ordered to pay a million-dollar sum to his ex-girlfriend Carliz de la Cruz, after losing a lawsuit for the unauthorized use of her voice in several of his songs and promotions. This case has been one of the most talked about events in the world of entertainment this year.
In March 2023, Carliz de la Cruz, who was in a relationship with Bad Bunny from 2011 to 2016, filed a lawsuit against him. As reported by the Puerto Rican media NotiCel, the lawsuit alleged that Bad Bunny used a recording of her voice saying the phrase “Bad Bunny baby” in songs, concerts, television advertisements and clips on social networks without her permission.
Initially, Bad Bunny’s team offered De la Cruz a payment of $2,000 for the use of the recording, but she rejected the offer. In response, Bad Bunny’s legal team attempted to take the case to state courts citing copyright concerns. However, De la Cruz, who is a lawyer, argued that the case should remain in the Puerto Rico court.
The court ruled in favor of De la Cruz and ordered Bad Bunny to pay $40 million in compensation, as reported by El Diario NY. The lawsuit claimed that the release of the recording without De la Cruz’s consent constituted an act of gross negligence and bad faith.
Bad Bunny and De la Cruz began their relationship in 2011 after meeting at the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo. They both worked at the Enoco supermarket chain, where De la Cruz was in charge of scheduling Bad Bunny’s parties and managing his invoices and contracts while he created music. In 2015, he asked her to record the phrase “Bad Bunny baby,” which she created and recorded on her phone.
In 2016, Bad Bunny included the recording in his songs “Pa Ti” and “Dos Mil 16,” and continued to use it in concerts, promotions, television, radio and social media. In 2022, a representative of her team offered De la Cruz $2,000 to record for her album “Un Verano Sin Ti,” but she rejected the offer. Despite this, the song was released with the audio without her consent.
The lawsuit also highlighted the emotional impact on De la Cruz, who has received direct comments on his social media and in public about the phrase “Bad Bunny, baby.” This has caused you worry, distress, intimidation and anxiety.
Bad Bunny has not yet issued a statement regarding the verdict in the case. Ramón G. Vela Córdova, a San Juan-based intellectual property lawyer, told VICE: “You basically stopped using this recording after 2016. The relationship ended and you stopped using it. And then suddenly, in 2022, you wanted to use it again. You tried to get permission, but you didn’t get it, and you used it anyway. “That doesn’t look good.”
