Safaera
| "Safaera" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Bad Bunny featuring Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow | |
| from the album YHLQMDLG | |
| Language | Spanish |
| Released | February 29, 2020 |
| Genre | Reggaeton |
| Length | 4:55 |
| Label | Rimas |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Audio video | |
| "Safaera" on YouTube | |
"Safaera" (Puetro Rican expression for "promiscuity, debauchery or substance abuse")[1] is a song by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny featuring Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow. It was released on February 29, 2020, as track 15 of Bad Bunny's second studio album YHLQMDLG.[2]
The song reached number one in Spain in its fifth week, becoming Bad Bunny's seventh song, as well as Jowell & Randy's and Ñengo Flow's first song to peak atop the charts.[3]
Background
In March 2020, the song inspired the "SafaeraChallenge" and the "#AbuelaChallenge", both of which went viral on the app TikTok. The latter saw especially elderly people dancing to the song while being placed in quarantine due to COVID-19.[4]
Composition
Due to its structural complexity, the song was described as a "reggaetón symphony and perreo megamix". During its course, the song "ventures through at least eight beat changes, five different rap flows, and 10+ years of references". The track makes use of numerous samples throughout its runtime, which include a guitar riff from "Get Ur Freak On" by Missy Elliott, a bassline from "Could You Be Loved" by Bob Marley, synths from DJ Nelson's and DJ Goldy's Xtassy Reggae, an opening line from Cosculluela's "Pa' La Pared" and a sample from Alexis y Fido's "El Tiburón", among others.[5]
Critical reception
The song received widespread acclaim from music critics. In a review for Pitchfork, Isabelia Herrera awarded the song the accolade "Best New Track" and went on to describe the track as "a technical masterpiece" in which the artist "harnesses this musical nostalgia and transforms it into an antidote for the most formulaic tendencies of the pop-reggaetón panorama".[5] Griselda Flores of Billboard picked the song as one of the album's essential tracks, saying that the rapper "takes it way back with this old-school reggaetón song" and praised it for "its contagious beats", as well as "Missy Elliott's famous riff from "Get Your Freak On"".[6] Rolling Stone's Suzy Exposito referred to the song as "five-minutes of unadulterated chaos" and opined that Bad Bunny "gets to ride a wave of reggaeton he was much too young to participate in the first time around".[7]
Charts
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Argentina (Argentina Hot 100)[8] | 5 |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[3] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[9] | 81 |
| US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard)[10] | 4 |
| US Rolling Stone Top 100[11] | 49 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[12] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ "Definition of Safaera". que-quiere-decir.com. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ Suarez, Gary (February 29, 2020). "Bad Bunny Drops New Album YHLQMDLG". Forbes. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ a b "Top 100 Canciones: Semana 14". Productores de Música de España. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ Thompson, Desire (March 18, 2020). "Bad Bunny's "Safaera" Inspires Hilarious #AbuelaChallenge". Vibe. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ a b Herrera, Isabelia (March 4, 2020). "Bad Bunny: "Safaera" [ft. Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow]". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ Flores, Griselda (March 18, 2020). "6 Essential Tracks on Bad Bunny's YHLQMDLG: Editors' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ Exposito, Suzy (March 2, 2020). "Bad Bunny Demands the World Crossover to Him on YHLQMDLG". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ "Bad Bunny – Chart History (Argentina Hot 100)" Billboard Argentina Hot 100 Singles for Bad Bunny. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ "Bad Bunny Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ "Bad Bunny Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. March 10, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ "Spanish single certifications – Bad Bunny / Jowell / Randy / Ñengo Flow – Safaera". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved April 11, 2020.