How J Balvin and Bad Bunny's new album 'Oasis' was inevitable

Guys, don't panic but J Balvin and Bad Bunny just went full Watch the Throne on us and dropped a surprise album together. And if you know anything about music, then you'll understand that the Spanish genre is making waves. Now more than ever, we're seeing Latinx artists breakthrough the English market without compromising their language. These artists—J Balvin, Bad Bunny, Maluma and Ozuna, to name a few, are changing up the industry with ther Spanish-dominant hits. So you can say OASIS, the new collab between the two reggaetoneros, was inevitable.

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J Balvin and Bad Bunny dropped a surprise album together titled OASIS

J Balvin, 34, and Bad Bunny, 25, met years ago at a J Balvin concert in Puerto Rico. At the time, Bad Bunny was still a rising SoundCloud artist. Soon after, they linked up for their first collaboration, a head-bopping track Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola. “It was too much emotion for me, and I was very sentimental,” the 25-year-old told The New York Times. “I couldn’t believe it, and I was really grateful. I think that song changed my career.” Balvin, on the other hand, was just excited he found “another weirdo, another crazy guy like me.” 

Throughout their respective careers, both artists have always made sure to sing in Spanish even if they were hopping on other English projects. Take for example, Cardi B's I Like It track. Both Bad Bunny and J Balvin rap in Spanish throughout the song, and to them, it's extremely important to keep their culture and language alive because as the 25-year-old rapper says, "that’s the language we speak.” J Balvin agrees: “It’s just the beginning of a new global Spanish wave. I think we’re really making a beautiful statement.”

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In OASIS, the two singers come together in a 8-track LP that features tons of beats and guest appearances. In a statement, Bad Bunny explained the meaning behind the album. It's "a transcendental and refreshing album; it is a rescue, a relief," he said. "An Oasis helps you to supply yourself with what you’re missing and to find what you lack spiritually; this is what this album represents. We have been working on it for a long time, and finally, we found its moment. Working with J Balvin has undoubtedly been an unparalleled experience, I have always admired and respected him a lot and we have had an excellent vibe throughout this whole process."

 

© @jbalvin

 The 8-track LP that features tons of beats and guest appearances

J Balvin, who has been promoting the new project on his social media (please see the two's matching chains above), also expressed his gratitude at getting to work with his friend. "I am proud to say I LOVE Bad Bunny; we always seem to be on the same wavelength, as he likes what I like. He is also all about celebrating our culture, while remaining super humble," he shared. "Working with Benito again has been a musical joy. I am blessed to not only call him my brother, but now a partner on an album that has even become a personal Oasis. I’ve been traveling all over the world the last few months, and anytime it started to feel overwhelming, I’ve been able to listen to the tracks we created, and instantly return “Home” to our own musical paradise. I’m so glad the time has arrived where fans can now share those same new vibes with us."