Bad Bunny attends the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
An 84-year-old man from Puerto Rico has filed a $1 million lawsuit against Bad Bunny, accusing the global superstar of exploiting his home without proper consent or compensation.
Román Carrasco Delgado, who lives in the coastal town of Humacao, says his salmon-colored home inspired the real-size house featured at Bad Bunny’s 2024 residency concerts and appeared in a short film tied to the singer’s album launch earlier this year.
Why the lawsuit was filed
The backstory:
Carrasco’s lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Puerto Rico’s Court of First Instance, alleges his property became a tourist attraction after it was featured in Bad Bunny’s video and concerts, drawing daily crowds and stripping him of privacy.
"La Casita has been the subject of dozens or hundreds of social media posts and product sales featuring his property, from which he generally receives no benefit," the lawsuit states.
Carrasco is seeking damages for emotional distress and claims Bad Bunny and his affiliated companies — Rimas Entertainment LLC, Move Concerts PR INC, and A1 Productions LLC — profited off his home.
How the house became part of Bad Bunny’s shows
The home, which Carrasco built by hand with help from his father and brother in the 1960s, was featured in the short film that launched Bad Bunny’s album "Debí Tirar Más Fotos" in January.
It later became the model for the replica "La Casita" house that served as a main stage during 30 concerts at Puerto Rico’s José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, where celebrities like LeBron James, Penélope Cruz, and Residente made appearances alongside the star.
"There’s no doubt that La Casita has been the main stage for Bad Bunny concerts, where a host of world-class artists have performed," the lawsuit states.
Dig deeper:
Carrasco acknowledges he allowed a scout to film his home for the video but says he never understood how the footage would be used. According to the lawsuit, Carrasco cannot read or write and alleges that officials asked him to sign a blank phone screen, later transferring his signature to contracts he had not seen.
The suit claims he received two checks totaling $5,200, while the video featuring his home drew more than 22 million views.
"In grave disregard for Don Román’s interests, and without his permission, the co-defendants used the measurements and photos taken of Don Román’s Casita to construct an exact copy of it inside the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum of Puerto Rico," the lawsuit states.
A home built by hand
Carrasco said he designed the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home after his wife wanted to move back to Humacao. "We went block by block. That takes time," he told the Associated Press, recalling how his wife even helped in the process.
He added that the wraparound porch, where he often invited friends to "pull up a chair" and talk, was a central part of his vision for the home.
What's next:
The lawsuit seeks at least $1 million in damages. Representatives for Bad Bunny did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Source: This report is based on court filings in Puerto Rico and interviews with the Associated Press.