4 lesser-known facts about Bad Bunny

A well-known name in the music industry, Bad Bunny is one of the foremost Latin musicians of today and, at the age of 27, is already the recepient of two Grammys, four Latin Grammys and other notable awards. That apart, he has also collaborated with artists such as J Balvin, Daddy Yankee and Rosalie.

Besides his musical career, Bunny has also essayed a couple of supporting roles on screen, most recently in Bullet Train.

Bad Bunny is part of the large ensemble cast that in the latest Brad Pitt starrer action title, Bullet Train. In the film, he plays the character of a Mexican assassin called "The Wolf," who is set to get revenge for the death of his wife and his cartel, who were killed by poison on the day of his wedding.

Previously, Bad Bunny also made a passing cameo in the 2021 film, F9: The Fast Saga.

Here are a few byte-sized facts about the talented musician.

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Some interesting tid-bits you may not have known about Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny

1) Why is he called Bad Bunny?

Bad Bunny in his bunny costume when he was a child (Image via @conejo_toxico/Twitter)

Artists in the hip-hop scene have quite a flare for unique stage names, and Bunny too is no exception. His real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, and he came up with the name Bad Bunny, as the username for his Twitter account. The name eventually became his stage name once he rose to prominence.

Benito did not pick the name randomly. Back when he was still in school, he was once part of a performance where he played the role of a bunny and had to wear a rabbit costume for the same.

Years later, he used this childhood memory to come up with his public name.

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2) Bad Bunny is a wrestler on the WWE

Bunny's career has not been limited to music only, as he has also appeared in the world-famous professional wrestling promotion, WWE. On January 31, 2021, Bunny performed a track during their Royal Rumble event.

He eventually got integrated into the program as a wrestler, making weekly appearances on Monday Night Raw, alongside another wrestler of Puerto Rican descent, Damien Priest. Bunny has even held the title of the 24/7 Champion.

He made another appearance on the show in the 2022 Royal Rumble, where he lasted till the last five before being eliminated by Brock Lesner, who went on to win the title.

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3) The first ever latin artist to feature on Rolling Stone's cover

Rolling Stone issue for June 2020 (Image via Rolling Stone)

Bunny officially made history when he appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in their June 2020 issue, becoming the first ever urban male Latin artist to feature on the cover of the prestigious magazine.

The cover piece on him was titled Bad Bunny in Captivity, and chronicled how he spent his time during the 2020 quarantine.

Interestingly, the two people who worked on the piece were also of Latin origins - his girlfriend, Gabriela Berlingeri, who helped with the featured photographs, and Rolling Stone's Latin music editor, Suzy Exposito.

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4) He began his career as a choir singer

Bad Bunny performing at X100Pre Tour in San Juan (Image via Getty)

Bunny had humble beginnings. His father, Tito Martinez, was a truck driver and his mother, Lysaurie Ocasio, was a teacher at a local school in the Almirante Sur barrio in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.

While Bunny may now be one of the most famous Latin rappers and a pioneer in Latin trap music in the industry, he first started singing in the choir of his local church. He sang in the choir from age five to thirteen, and realized at a very early age that he was interested in music and wanted to have a career in the same.

Bad Bunny at Calibash Los Angeles 2018 (Image via Getty)

He started writing and producing his his own songs from the age of 13, and released them on Soundcloud - a platform for independent artists to showcase their songs. Around the same time, he was also working as a bag boy in a supermarket and pursuing his degree in Audiovisual Communications from the University of Puerto Rico.

His Souncloud releases caught the attention of DJ Luian, and in 2016, Luian signed Bunny under his label Hear This Song. Ever since, he has clinched multiple top-ten entries in the US Hot Latin Songs Chart.

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According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bunny's estimated net worth is approximately $18 million. In 2018, Forbes reported that he was among the top-ten highest paid Latin artists in the industry.