Bad Bunny Makes His First-Ever Speech in English at the Billboard Power 100 Gala

Bad Bunny
Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images

The Puerto Rican superstar helped present his manager, Noah Assad, with an honor at the event.

Always good to try new things. Bad Bunny made personal history for himself on Wednesday when he delivered his first speech in English at a public event.

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican superstar took the stage at the Billboard Power 100 Gala, where he was given the opportunity to present his longtime manager, Noah Assad, with a special award.

"I know my man don't like this kind of thing, this attention, he don't like speeches and corny s**t," Bad Bunny said to a chorus of laughs from the crowd. "Me neither, so I will try to be fast."

"Tonight is a special night, not because my friend Noah is winning this award. It's more because I'm making my first English speech ever," he joked. "Tonight is a special night because I'm giving a special award to a very special person."

After his English-language intro, Bad Bunny effortlessly transitioned into speaking both Spanish and English as he celebrated Assad's honor.

"This award means a lot to me, the same way that I know my own awards mean a lot to him," he shared. "This award is the proof that I am not working alone. It's the proof that dreams come true, but never only by yourself. It's always about teamwork, and I know that no one works like him."

"I want to thank him for believing in me... for belief in my dreams and my ambition. And not just belief, but also for making those dreams and that ambition real," he added. "Thanks for inspiring me to work harder, to dream bigger, and inspiring me to just be a better person."

Bad Bunny's speech comes just a few days ahead of the 2023 GRAMMY Awards, where he is nominated for Album of the Year for Un Verano Sin Ti. It's a historic nomination, as it is the first-ever all-Spanish album to earn the honor in the GRAMMY's 65-year history.

Only two Latin artists have previously contended in the Album of the Year category: Carlos Santana, who won in 2000 with Supernatural, and Cardi B, who was nominated in 2019 for Invasion of Privacy, but was beaten out by Kacey Musgraves' Golden Hour

Bad Bunny, who also earned the honor of being named Apple Music's Artist of the Year last year, was conspicuously snubbed from the GRAMMYs other Big 4 categories, but his album also earned a nod for Best Música Urbana Album.

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