Bad Bunny knows exactly how much work went into building a career that would lead to him being named the Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards. At the ceremony in Miami, the acclaimed artist delivered an emotional acceptance speech that celebrated his contributions to music and honored the musicians who inspired him to continue moving forward.

“I’m aware that this award could have been for any of the artists here tonight who have also contributed to Latin music, who have inspired me, who are why I’m here, and those who are dreaming of being here,” Bad Bunny said. “I will always identify with those artists because I consider myself a young man who continues to dream, with many goals and things to do.”

As the evening’s top honoree, he revealed that he didn’t prepare an elaborate speech ahead of time. Instead, he opted to speak from the heart in that moment and process the reality later. “I didn’t have any practiced words,” he said. “I still don’t understand, among so many artists, why me? But I’m grateful. This is yours because you have me here. I don’t know, God wanted me to receive it because it doesn’t feed my ego. I receive it without arrogance, very humbly, and I will remain the same.”

Rita Moreno welcomed Bad Bunny to the stage with a moving introduction. Moreno spent her early years in Puerto Rico before launching an acting career that would make her the third person to earn the prestigious EGOT. “Today I see an artist who brings to the entire world that same strength, that same passion that helped me never give up,” Moreno said. “It moves me from the bottom of my heart, Benito, to present you with the Billboard Latin Artist of the 21st Century Award, Bad Bunny!”

Bad Bunny expressed his respect and admiration for Moreno. “Following your words, every time I hear other artists express themselves that way about me, it gives me the confidence that being myself and doing the things I do from the heart will always be a great decision, because that’s what I’ve done since day one, discovering who I am and what I represent,” he said.

The musician’s list of accolades runs long. In 2020, his fourth album El Último Tour del Mundo became the first all-Spanish language album to top the Billboard 200 albums chart. Two years later, Un Verano Sin Ti became the first all-Spanish language album to receive an Album of the Year nomination at the Grammy Awards. It’s also Spotify’s most-streamed album of all time with over 20 billion streams.

In February, Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. His set will mark the first time an artist has delivered their set completely in Spanish. When the performance was first announced, he emphasized community and humility in the same way he did in his Billboard Latin Music Awards speech. “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” he said. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown … this is for my people, my culture, and our history.”