Some exes become friends once the romance is over. Some can even work together on projects. The same can’t be said about Bad Bunny and his ex-girlfriend, Carliz De La Cruz Hernández. Hernandez filed a lawsuit this month in a Puerto Rican court, seeking $40 million in damages over Bunny (Benito Martínez Ocasio, 29) allegedly using her voice and the phrase she came up with (“Bad Bunny, baby”) in two of his songs without her permission. The lawsuit — according to the Associated Press and first reported by Puerto Rico news site Noticel — claims De La Cruz’s “distinguishable voice” was used in “Pa Ti” and “Dos Mil 16.” The first song has more than 335 million views on YouTube and 235 million streams on Spotify, while the latter has 60 million YouTube views and 280 streams on Spotify.
Her suit claims that since “Bad Bunny, baby” was used in those songs, as well as records, promotions, worldwide concerts, television, radio, and social and musical platforms, she has been hounded by the public. “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,” her lawsuit says.
Bad Bunny and his ex-girlfriend first began dating in 2011 and attended the University of Puerto Rico together the following year. She claims that Bunny sought her input during that time period. She was allegedly “in charge of handling invoices, managing contracts, and scheduling events,” per Pitchfork. The lawsuit alleges that the phrase “Bad Bunny, baby” came about in 2015 and that he asked her to record it. She did so in a bathroom one day and sent that voice memo to him.
The couple allegedly dated until 2016, when she ended the relationship. At the time, he signed with Rimas Entertainment, and she got into the University of Puerto Rico’s law school. The lawsuit alleged they got back together in 2017 but went their separate ways again. She claims that in May 2022, a representative contacted her and that Bunny allegedly offered her $2,000 to buy the recording. She declined, and then someone at Rimas Entertainment offered to buy it, saying it would be used on his album, Un Verano Sin Ti. A deal was apparently never reached.
“Since de la Cruz made it clear that she did not consent to its use, its publication constituted an act of gross negligence, bad faith, and, worse still, an attack on their privacy, morals, and dignity since all parties had and still have knowledge of these facts and even so decided to be reckless and break the law,” states a translation of the lawsuit, per Pitchfork. “Likewise, the publication of the song ‘Dos Mil 16’ without the consent of Carliz was carried out intentionally, in bad faith, and for profit.”
Bunny also put his other ex-girlfriend Gabriela Berlingeri on one of his songs. The pair dueted on “En Casita,” a song on his 2020 compilation album, Las Que No Iban A Salir. The couple seemingly broke up in late 2022. In February 2023, Bunny and Kendall Jenner sparked romance rumors with a few public sightings, including one where they hug and seemingly kiss.