San Juan, (EFE).- The Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny has been sued in a San Juan court by his ex-girlfriend Carliz De La Cruz, who is asking for compensation of at least 40 million dollars for image rights, copyright and damages.
De La Cruz’s lawsuit, a law graduate since 2021, against Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Bad Bunny’s given name, is due to the fact that the artist has used the refrain “Bad Bunny baby” in several songs without his authorization.
According to the legal document, presented on March 1 in the San Juan Court of First Instance but released this Monday, in 2015 De La Cruz and Martínez Ocasio “decided that it would be a captivating idea” that this, after his stage name, include the word ‘baby’”.
“With the intention of making the phrase ‘Bad Bunny baby’ even more original, both had the idea that it should be recorded with the voice of Carliz, his girlfriend”, with whom he began a relationship in 2011, before becoming famous, details the lawsuit.
That same year, while De La Cruz was at her then lodging, along with a friend, she received a request from the singer to record herself saying “Bad Bunny baby,” something the young woman did on her cell phone.
Bad Bunny included that chorus in the song “Pa’ ti” (2017), where Bryant Myers also sang, and the young woman’s voice appeared “without her consent or written authorization,” according to the court document.
This was the first song that Bad Bunny recorded for the Rimas Entertainment record label, with which he signed in April 2016 and which has also been sued by De La Cruz.
The plaintiff alleges that Bad Bunny performed in Puerto Rico, the United States, and the Dominican Republic, beginning their concerts with her voice repeating the phrase “Bad Bunny baby,” along with a background rhythm.
In addition, Bad Bunny used the chorus again in the song “Two thousand 16”, which appears on the album “A summer without you” (2022).
One day before the release of that album -on May 5, 2022- the plaintiff alleges that the artist’s representatives tried to reach an agreement with her, who rejected it without signing any contract.
“However, the next day the record containing the plaintiff’s voice was published and sold regardless of whether or not she consented to the use of her voice, that is, her identity,” the lawsuit explains.
The lawyer’s voice could also be heard in all the shows given by Bad Bunny on his “Un verano sin ti” tour, which took place in Puerto Rico, the United States and Latin America starting in July 2022.
In addition to excluding his name from the artwork created, the defendants used De La Cruz’s distinguishable voice without his consent for songs, records, promotions, concerts, and on social and music platforms, television, and radio.