If you live in New York, Puerto Rico always feels close, hovering in the music, the food, the neighbors who know all the words to Hector Lavoe’s songs outside the bodega. For nearly 16 years, I’ve lived among Nuyoricans, and my partner is one himself — his roots are planted here, although until this trip, his feet hadn’t touched the island’s soil. Bad Bunny‘s residency offered us the perfect excuse to make it happen — to experience the biggest star in the world performing in his homeland.

The first night’s show (July 11) was the kind of spectacle you write home about: perreo energy, glorious salsa, and Taino tradition that could have been pulled straight from Benito’s daydreams — plus, Puerto Rican fans exploding with pride and exuberance. But the trip itself went deeper than the music, it was my chance to explore the island for the first time, and to absorb the island that has given so much to the world.

As someone who isn’t Boricua (I’m Mexican American) but felt the gravity of this moment, I know I occupied a space many couldn’t. Going to see Bad Bunny felt like carrying the privilege of “being invited to witness,” especially on one of his nights reserved exclusively for residents of PR. I don’t say that lightly — I know so many people would have loved to be there, and I don’t take for granted that my media job put me in that arena.

What I realized, however, was that the enormity of this event wasn’t just about being in the stadium. It was about what this residency means for connection, for culture, for Puerto Ricans near and far — and yes, for visitors like myself lucky enough to be on these streets of this island during such a historic moment.

When the lights dimmed at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot (a.k.a. El Choli) on opening night, the anticipation hung heavy. I’ve been to massive shows before — I live in New York City, where music events can feel theatrical and grand — but Bad Bunny’s residency felt… personal. This was identity on display. At the height of his global fame, the artist stood before thousands of his people and giving everything he had for them.

After the high energy of the opening night with Bad Bunny, Saturday morning brought something raw, joyful, and unexpected. I found myself riding through Juncos in a caravana with none other than Toñita herself, the owner of the legendary Caribbean Social Club in Brooklyn — and yes, the same Toñita immortalized in Bad Bunny’s “NUEVAYoL.” With the line “Un shot de cañita en casa de Toñita, PR se siente cerquita” (“A shot of cañita at Toñita’s house, PR feels so close”) playing on repeat through the sound system behind us, we drove through town like a moving celebration of culture, connection, and homecoming — alongside racing motorcycles.

Toñita’s journey back to her hometown felt like a reunion of sorts. Locals waved from their doorways, the streets, and their cars as the caravan’s loudspeaker announced, “¡Es Toñitaaaaa!” Driving through town, we partied and drank Medalla Light — the beer brand that also recreated a replica of her club at Benito’s residency. It’s no wonder Toñita herself thought Benito was quoting her when she saw “No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí” (meaning “I don’t want to leave here”) the residency’s name, displayed everywhere — from merch to billboards.

Later that evening, I headed to Coliseo de Roberto Clemente to experience yet another side of Bad Bunny’s legacy: his impact on the sports world. His Baloncesto Superior Nacional basketball team, the Santurce Cangrejeros (co-owned with his manager Noah Assad), was playing a critical playoff game against the Criollos de Caguas. Let’s just say I went in not expecting much beyond a fun night, but the energy in the arena was also electric.

Santurce didn’t just win, they dominated. The game on July 13 ended with the Cangrejeros advancing to the playoff semifinals, marking the first time they made it that far since their return to the BSN league in 2021. The series wrapped up with Santurce claiming victory 4-1, eliminating the Criollos entirely. Fans roared as the team charged forward for the semifinal against the Vaqueros (July 18). And yes, I lived for the drama. Even though basketball wasn’t the original reason I came to Puerto Rico, moments like these reminded me how Benito has woven himself and his influence into the island’s culture.

The next day, I had a completely different thrill — one that involved flying through the mountains of Orocovis. Toro Verde is home to one of the longest zip lines in the world, including La Bestia and El Monstruo, which stretch across stunning views of the island’s green valleys and rugged terrain. Courtesy of the El Choli’s team, we were able to zipline through the skies and experience the island in a way that was breathtaking, literally and figuratively.

When the night rolled through, I found myself back at the Coliseo for round two with El Conejo Malo — this time, catching his third night of the residency, with special guests Jowell y Randy. Celebratory in every way, Benito leaned into the PR-NYC connection, swagged out in ’70s salsa attire and aviator shades — something New Yorkers who come to see the show once it opens to international audiences on August 30 are sure to appreciate.

After a whirlwind weekend of concerts and caravans, Monday offered a change of pace — a chance to slow down, soak in the beauty of Puerto Rico, and finally take advantage of our hotel. We stayed at 352 Guest House, tucked in the heart of Old San Juan, where every detail gave the stay an intimate charm: a rooftop with sweeping views of the ocean, a jacuzzi perfect for unwinding, and delicious breakfast included.

Walking through Old San Juan was like stepping into a painting — its cobblestone streets lined with brightly colored buildings and Spanish colonial architecture made every turn feel magical. From centuries-old forts like El Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal to bucolic churches tucked away behind lively plazas, the city showcased its history with pride. You can feel its heartbeat in these streets, still alive with locals and visitors winding their way through bustling shops and cafes.

By the time Tuesday rolled around, I thought I had seen everything that could be seen of Bad Bunny’s residency, twice. But Benito had one more surprise for me: a chance to step further into his world at the “Seguimo’ Aquí” pop-up at the shopping mall Plaza Las Américas. Part immersive experience, part celebration of Boricua culture, the activation felt like an extension of what I’d witnessed at the Coliseo. From the start — the life-size replica of a Puerto Rican house and garden — to the hidden speakeasy where guests sipped cocktails from Benito’s restaurant, Lala, every detail brought Bad Bunny closer to the ordinary lives of his fans.

Puerto Rico offered more than I could have imagined: music, history, adventure and a connection that felt alive at every turn. Bad Bunny’s residency was the catalyst, but the real star was the island. No me quiero ir de aquí tampoco.

The 2025 Billboard Fan Army Face-Off has entered round 2. At noon ET on Monday, July 21, the number of fan armies competing for the 2025 crown was pared down from 64 to 32 after a week of fan voting. Some fan armies won their rounds handily, while other matchups came down to the very last minute and final few votes. Round 2 continues through Monday, July 28, at noon ET, at which point round 3 kicks off.

When the voting began on July 14, fan armies for the following artists were in competition for this year’s crown: Addison Rae, aespa, Ángela Aguilar, Ariana Grande, ATEEZ, Bad Bunny, Bailey Zimmerman, BE:FIRST, Benson Boone, Beyoncé, BigXthaPlug, Billie Eilish, BINI, BLACKPINK, BTS, Cardi B, Chappell Roan, Charli xcx, Chris Brown, Doechii, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, ENHYPEN, GloRilla, Gracie Abrams, Hozier, Jelly Roll, JO1, John Summit, Justin Bieber, Karol G, KATSEYE, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, Mariah Carey, Megan Thee Stallion, Miley Cyrus, Morgan Wallen, Mrs. GREEN APPLE, Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Playboi Carti, Post Malone, Rihanna, Sabrina Carpenter, SB19, Selena Gomez, SEVENTEEN, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, Shakira, Sleep Token, Stray Kids, SZA, Tate McRae, Taylor Swift, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, Travis Scott, TWICE, Tyla and YoungBoy Never Broke Again.

Many of these artists have graced the cover of Billboard magazine over the years – some more than once. Even more of them have topped the Billboard Hot 100 with their smash singles, crowned the Billboard 200 with hit albums and received Billboard Music Awards thanks to their remarkable, culture-shifting music.

Vote now to determine which fan army is the strongest.

Good luck!

The Tomorrowland dance festival managed to go off in Boom, Belgium this weekend despite the event’s iconic main stage getting destroyed by a massive fire just two days before Friday’s (July 18) kick-off. In a miracle from the beat gods, workers on site were able to clear out the piles of debris and construct a new stage to host the fest’s headliners overnight, giving Nervo, Axwell, Martin Garrix, Alok and others a place to perform on night one.

How’d they do it? With a little help from Metallica, believe it or not.

According to Belgian news outlet HLN, after devastated organizers scrambled for a replacement of the 147 foot-tall 524 foot-wide main stage — which was reduced to a pile of charred metal and soot after Wednesday’s still unexplained blaze — they got a hand from an unexpected musical peer. Determined to open gates on time and give the people what they came for, organizers worked with regular festival partners Pixel Screen, Stageco and Prismax to rebuild the stage with help from Metallica, who offered up some elements from their M72 world tour stage that were being stored in Austria.

The pieces were airlifted to Belgium overnight and fashioned into a new main stage to replace the massive one technicians had been toiling on for two weeks before Wednesday’s fire. While at press time spokespeople for Metallica and Tomorrowland had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment, one of Friday’s headliners, Garrix, weighed in on the kind gesture.

“I can not believe I’m actually typing this… but my set at Tomorrowland is still happening! 🙏
massive love and a big shoutout to the incredible @tomorrowland team for pulling off miracles — and to @Metallica for coming through with the new stage parts 🤘❤️,” he wrote alongside a picture of himself with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. “beyond excited to close the mainstage tonight. & this will hands down be the most unique Tomorrowland ever — and yes, I’ll be streaming it too.” Metallica commented on the post with a black heart emoji.

At press time Metallica did not appear to have commented on being Tomorrowland’s stage saviors.

According to HLN, while the temporary replacement stage was significantly smaller than the original — “it’s a third of the original stage, but certainly not less,” said the former CEO of Zillion, the company that pressed 200 people into action to rebuild the stage — it brought the artists closer to the audience, though local officials blocked the use of fireworks on it.

Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin appeared in court again on Friday (July 18) for the third oral hearing in a 2 billion won ($1.45 million) defamation lawsuit filed by HYBE’s label Belift Lab. The case centers on Min’s public claims that Belift plagiarized concepts from her and ADOR’s work with the girl group NewJeans in their promotion of ILLIT. Belift Lab initially filed the lawsuit in May 2024, accusing Min of defamation and obstruction of business.

A separate hearing for a 500 million won ($360,000) lawsuit filed by Source Music, initially scheduled for the same day, was postponed to Aug. 22. Source Music had filed its claim in July 2024, alleging that Min’s statements constituted false information and harmed both the company and its artists.

The Belift Lab hearing was originally scheduled for May 2025 but was rescheduled to July 18 at the request of Min’s legal team. With Source Music’s case delayed, only the Belift-Min proceedings took place that day. Both sides were given 30 minutes each to present their arguments in court.

Belift Lab emphasized Min’s influence as a prominent producer in the K-pop industry and questioned whether labeling a rookie group as plagiarists less than a month after their debut could truly be seen as serving the public interest. The label argued that the elements Min cited — hanbok styling, choreography and hairstyles — are widely used across K-pop. They also noted that Min herself had faced accusations of similarity during NewJeans’ “Ditto” era.

In response, Min’s legal team stated that from ILLIT’s debut, both domestic and international fans and critics had consistently pointed out similarities between the two groups, claiming the resemblance was too significant to be coincidental. They further argued that HYBE initiated an abnormal internal audit of ADOR shortly after Min raised these concerns, framing the current dispute as a matter of defamation and business interference rather than copyright infringement.

The proceedings follow a recent development on July 15, when police dismissed HYBE’s criminal complaint against Min for breach of trust, concluding there was no evidence of wrongdoing. However, the ongoing conflict between HYBE labels and Min Hee-jin, which began with an internal audit of ADOR in 2024, remains unresolved.

NewJeans will celebrate their third debut anniversary on July 22, though the group is currently on hiatus.