J Balvin

The collaborative track +57, featuring J Balvin, triggered controversy over lyrics describing a 14-year-old girl in a sexualised context. The lyrics were subsequently changed to refer to an 18-year-old. In 2025, a senior Colombian court ruled that the song had infringed children's rights.

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Documented

During the major Colombian protests of 2021, J Balvin was criticised for taking time to speak out despite his enormous international audience. He subsequently posted messages about the crisis, violence and the population's needs.

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Directly implicated

After using #SOSCuba to support Cuban protesters, J Balvin was accused by Colombian internet users of responding more quickly and explicitly to Cuba than to protests in his own country a few months earlier.

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Personally implicated

J Balvin called on urban artists not to attend the Latin Grammys, believing the genre was used to attract audiences but insufficiently respected by the institution. Residente responded with a fierce public attack, triggering a highly publicised feud.

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Personally implicated

The Perra video notably showed two Black women held on leashes by J Balvin and other imagery depicting Black people as dogs. The video was condemned as racist and misogynistic, including by Colombia's Vice-President, and subsequently removed from YouTube.

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Directly implicated

The announcement of an Afro-Latino artist award for J Balvin by the African Entertainment Awards USA prompted strong criticism concerning the marginalisation of Afro-Latino artists and racial identity within reggaeton.

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Documented

During Black Lives Matter mobilisation, J Balvin was criticised for posts deemed insensitive and insufficiently aware of reggaeton's Black history, notably a video showing him dancing with a Black woman under the Black Lives Matter hashtag.

State of the evidence

Documented

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Directly implicated

J Balvin cancelled a scheduled performance at Miss USA, then owned by Donald Trump, to protest Trump's remarks about Mexican immigrants. He presented his withdrawal as a defence of the Latin American community.

Attribution

Personally implicated