The Voice Memo Verdict: Bad Bunny’s Ex‑Girlfriend May Continue Her Lawsuit

In a nuanced decision announced on July 10, 2026, Puerto Rico’s highest judicial body rejected the dismissal of a civil action brought by Carliz De La Cruz Hernández, the former partner of global reggaeton star Bad Bunny. The court affirmed that Hernández may proceed with her claim that a private voice recording—containing the line “Bad Bunny baby”—was incorporated into the 2022 track “Dos Mil 16” without her authorization, while also concluding that a separate allegation concerning an earlier composition lacks legal merit. The judgment hinges on the specificity of the alleged infringement. Expert testimony presented before the bench established that the contested audio excerpt originates from a 2020 voice memo recorded during a personal conversation, and that its insertion into “Dos Mil 16” constitutes a derivative work under Puerto Rican copyright statutes. By contrast, the court found no evidentiary link between the memo and the earlier track “Safaera,” thereby limiting the plaintiff’s standing to the single song and preventing a broader assault on Bad Bunny’s catalog. This dispute emerges against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny over artistic ownership in the Latin urban sphere. Since the genre’s commercial explosion, creators have increasingly invoked moral rights and publicity claims to protect personal identifiers embedded in recordings. The case reflects both the growing legal sophistication of Puerto Rican jurisprudence and the broader cultural tension between celebrity autonomy and collaborative creativity that defines contemporary reggaeton. Looking ahead, the ruling may encourage more precise contractual clauses concerning sampled vocal material, prompting artists and labels to reassess clearance protocols. While the decision does not alter the commercial trajectory of *Un Verano Sin Ti*, it signals that courts are prepared to enforce individual rights even in the era of viral streaming, potentially reshaping future licensing practices.