From La Cubanita legends to La Penúltima vibes, this is the story of shaking maracas, manifesting a parranda, and vibing with Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—a.k.a. Bad Bunny.
Before the past decade of wild encounters, my story with music legends kicked off with some unforgettable moments at La Cubanita, the iconic little spot that might as well have been my unofficial office. It’s where I met René Pérez (Residente) and Eduardo Cabra (Visitante) from Calle 13, two of Puerto Rico’s finest. And of course, in 2013, Roberto Roena—el maestro himself—decided I was worthy of the nickname “GinTonic,” which I proudly wore for years (though, fun fact, I don’t even drink gin or tonic anymore—growth, baby). Let’s just say La Cubanita set the tone for a life full of wild stories.
Fast forward to my Chicago chapter, where Ruidofest (RIP) gave me the chance to work with some of the best indie Latinx artists. From Lisa of Bomba Estéreo (diva alert, pero de las buenas), Cultura Profética, Buscabulla, Gepe, and so many others, I found myself living backstage chaos, tweeting setlists, and rubbing elbows with talent that left me speechless. And yet, nothing quite prepared me for what would happen on December 5, 2023.
It’s 11:30 PM. Thirty minutes before my 30th birthday. I walk into La Penúltima, scanning for a table in what felt like a sea of people. Spotting the only available spot—right behind Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (a.k.a. Bad Bunny) and his mini entourage—I thought, this is it. I sat down, pulled out my trusty maraca (because, why not?), and, without hesitation, started shaking it like a true jíbara, announcing to the universe, “¡Quiero hacer una parranda!”
That’s when Benito turned around. Intrigued, amused, or maybe just straight-up entertained by a woman casually summoning the spirit of Christmas with a maraca in a bar, he started a conversation. People like to say, “Qué suerte tienes, Génesis.” But this wasn’t luck—it was me, my maraca, and my lifelong commitment to chaos and storytelling.
As “Bad Bunny,” he’s untouchable. But as Benito, uf, that’s another story. I joked, “Bad Bunny me la pela,” but Benito? Ese sí que lo quiero de mejor amigo y padrino de mis hijos. His dark humor, sarcasm, and grounded energy had me hooked. He’s the same guy at La Penúltima sipping a drink with his crew as he is performing on international stages. Proud of where he comes from, funny as hell, and just a genuinely cool af person. In that moment, he felt less like a global superstar and more like a panita de Vega Baja who just happens to sell out stadiums.
I met and had the best birthday wishes whispered into my ear by my current favorite artist to kick off my third decade on this earth in December 2023. Then, almost a year later, as I geared up to celebrate my 31st birthday, November 30, 2024, started with a call from my favorite Mexican telenovela star, Carmen Aub.
Tu tranquilo y yo nerviosa, que estos 31 vienen buenos! ARREE.
Gracias Totales,
Génesis
