Bad Bunny Shares a Smooch with Male Backup Dancer During His 2022 VMAs Performance

The Puerto Rican singer took home the Moon Person award for artist of the year

Bad Bunny isn’t afraid of making a statement.

During the Puerto Rican star’s performance from Yankee Stadium for the MTV Video Music awards on Sunday, he surprised the crowd when he gave his backup dancer a big smooch.

The “Moscow Mule” singer, 28, performed his hit song “Tití Me Preguntó” and in between belting out the lyrics with energetic dance numbers, he leaned over to give his female backup dancer a kiss. Shortly after, he turned the other way and gave his male backup dancer the same sentiment.

His performance came immediately after he was named artist of the year, where he was up against Drake, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X and Lizzo. He made history by being the first non-English-language performer to win the coveted prize.

Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is widely known for challenging the status quo by challenging toxic masculinity in the Latinx community.

“I think that sex is a giant world, and everyone is free to see it as they want and do it with whoever they want, however they want, with infinite possibilities,” Bunny — who is dating Gabriela Berlingeri — told Playboy in a 2020 cover story. “In the end, we are human beings. Everybody feels, everybody falls in love with whoever they’re meant to.”

In March 2020, he made another statement by dressing in drag for his “Yo Perreo Sola” music video.

Meanwhile, in May of this year, he opened up to GQ in a cover story interview about his evolving style — and said when it comes to fashion, he doesn’t follow a rulebook.

“It depends on my state of mind,” Bunny told the outlet. “Everybody has to feel comfortable with what they are and how they feel. Like, what defines a man, what defines being masculine, what defines being feminine? I really can’t give clothes gender.”

He continued, “To me, a dress is a dress. If I wear a dress, would it stop being a woman’s dress? Or vice versa? Like, no. It’s a dress, and that’s it. It’s not a man’s, it’s not a woman’s. It’s a dress.”

The star is currently on the road for his Bad Bunny: World’s Hottest tour. He also recently starred in the action comedy Bullet Train alongside Brad Pitt, Brian Tyree Henry, Sandra Bullock, Joey King, Logan Lerman, Zazie Beetz and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

The 2022 VMAs aired live Sunday night from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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