Puerto Rican rapper, Bad Bunny, 29, is being sued by his ex-girlfriend for a voice recording used in his songs.
Carliz De La Cruz Hernández filed a lawsuit saying that Bad Bunny — whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio — used a recording of her voice without her permission. According to CNBC, in 2015 prior to their split and before his rise to international fame, she recorded the phrase “Bad Bunny baby” on her phone.
That recording has been used on two of Bad Bunny’s grammy award-winning songs, “Pa Ti” and “Dos Mil 16”. Additionally, each of those songs has over 200 million plays on Spotify.
You can hear the line below at 0:01 at the beginning of his song, “Pa Ti”:
The lawsuit states that De La Cruz’s “distinguishable voice” also has been used without her consent for songs, records, promotions, worldwide concerts, television, radio, and social and musical platforms.
“Since then, thousands of people have commented directly on Carliz’s social media networks, as well as every time she goes to a public place, about the ‘Bad Bunny, baby.’ This has caused, and currently causes, that De La Cruz feels worried, anguished, intimidated, overwhelmed and anxious,” the lawsuit states
Her lawyers argue Bad Bunny’s use violates Puerto Rico’s “law of the right to own image”.
According to CNBC, the couple began dating on and off in 2011. They began studying at the University of Puerto Rico in the north coastal town of Arecibo while also working at a nearby grocery store. Court documents claim that Bad Bunny began creating music around this time while seeking opinions from De La Cruz. She was also in charge of scheduling his parties and handling invoices and contracts.
In court documents, she alleges that Bad Bunny offered her $2,000 to buy the recording but she declined. He then went ahead and used the recording without her permission, according to the lawsuit.
De la Cruz is now seeking at least $40 million for the recording.
Bad Bunny has not publicly addressed the lawsuit.
We will keep you all updated as more information is released.
