J Balvin and Bad Bunny have finally reunited onstage for the first time in over four years.
The duo was once practically inseparable, working extensively with one another on numerous tracks and even dropping their joint album OASIS in 2019. However, amid Balvin’s beef with Residente, a friend of Benito’s, and speculated subliminal disses, the two's relationship has seemingly been on and off in more recent years.
So, how did we get here? Keep reading for a complete timeline of José and Benito’s storied friendship over the years.
2016: Bad Bunny meets J Balvin for the first time in Puerto Rico
J Balvin told Complex that he met Bad Bunny for the first time while touring for his 2016 album Energía in Puerto Rico, through their mutual friend and producer, DJ Luian. Upon first meeting, the two clicked, with Bunny later telling Complex that he was quick to let Balvin know that “Snapchat” was one of his favorite songs due to it being one of the tracks he “enjoyed before becoming famous, before Benito became Bad Bunny the artist.”
March 2017: Bad Bunny and J Balvin collab for the first time
On March 3rd of 2017, J Balvin was coming off the release of his hit album Energía, which led to him gaining buzz in the United States. Bad Bunny was just starting off his career under his mentors DJ Luian and Mambo Kingz. As revealed by Bad Bunny in this interview, J Balvin quickly took to Bunny’s music, leading to the two organically creating their first-ever collaboration “Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola.”
Bad Bunny revealed to Complex that “I was so excited I had to go outside of the studio—I left Balvin and Mambo working—and cried.” The sultry trap-banger would be the first Latin trap song nominated for a Latin Grammy. Soon after, Bunny and Balvin would begin collaborating on even more music.
The rest of 2017: awards show performances, more collabs
Also in 2017, Balvin and Bunny performed at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, as well as took the stage at the Latin Grammys with French Montana and Steve Aoki, where they also nabbed a nomination for “Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola.” Throughout 2017, they released three more songs together: A remix of the late El Tiager’s “Coronamos,” “Sensualidad” with Prince Royce, and Balvin also hopped on the remix of Bunny’s hit “Soy Peor” with Arcángel and Ozuna.
April 2018: Cardi B drops “I Like It” f/ Bad Bunny and J Balvin
As Cardi B had her rapid ascent in the industry, she dropped her first studio project Invasion of Privacy. On the album was the Spanish Boogaloo cut which samples Peter Rodriguez’s “I Like It Like That.” The song featured all-Spanish verses from J Balvin and Bad Bunny, ultimately topping the Billboard Hot 100 and later earning a diamond certification from the RIAA. Since its release, the video has received over 1.7 billion views.
The song and subsequent video marked a big moment for Balvin and Bunny, as they crossed over as one of the best duos in Latin music. The duo would then accompany Cardi B at her 2018 Coachella set to perform the song for the first time live.
May 2018: J Balvin talks to Ebro about a joint project
In May of 2018, around the release of Balvin’s album Vibras, he hinted at a collab project with Bunny during an interview with Ebro Darden. When Darden asked about how many songs the duo had in the bag, Balvin responded with an estimate of around seven total collabs. He even threw out what would soon become the name of the album, saying he would call it OASIS and explaining that he was fond of the name since “the way you write it is the same in Spanish [and] in English.”
September 2018: J Balvin and Bad Bunny tease OASIS and speak on their friendship to Complex
In 2018, Bad Bunny and J Balvin graced the cover of Complex and did an extensive interview with El Guru. They discussed their friendship and the success of one another’s careers.
Bad Bunny, for example, said “that’s why I’m still a fan of Balvin, because he’s one of the few who’s mainstream and still dares to innovate.” Meanwhile, Balvin applauded Bad Bunny’s unique approach to music, telling Complex at the time that Benito is “someone that dares to innovate, to dress differently. He stands out immediately.”
They also continued teasing OASIS, and when asked about Balvin’s Ebro interview Bunny said, “Damn, Balvin already dropped the bomb,” essentially confirming the project’s existence.
October 2018: J Balvin and Bad Bunny attend the AMAs
As they both were on fire after the release of “I Like It,” Bad Bunny and J Balvin attended the American Music Awards. Before hitting the stage with Cardi B, they were interviewed on the red carpet, where they showed off their bold fashion sense. El Conejo donned a colorful Hawaiian shirt and a prosthetic third-eye on his forehead, while Balvin was dripped down in full Amiri.
Balvin emphasized the significance of the moment, saying it was “beautiful to be here singing in Spanish,” especially as it marked the first time he and Bad Bunny attended this particular ceremony. Bad Bunny also shed some light on his album’s name after the interviewer wrongly assumed it was going to be called La Nueva Religión, saying “that’s not the name…it’s a mystery right now.”
October 2018: Bad Bunny is a guest on the Vibras Tour
J Balvin embarked on a US tour to promote his chart-topping and critically acclaimed album Vibras. At the Miami stop of Balvin’s Vibras Tour, Bad Bunny popped up at the American Airlines center as a surprise guest. The duo performed “Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola” and “Sensualidad” onstage.
March 2019: J Balvin is a guest on the X100pre Tour
Bad Bunny finally released his debut project X100pre at the end of 2018 and quickly got propelled into the spotlight. He also set out on an arena tour in support of the project.
J Balvin reciprocated Benito’s favor and was a guest in Miami for Benito. They performed numerous hit collabs this time around, including “I Like It.”
April 2019: J Balvin and Bad Bunny rock the Coachella stage once again
Bad Bunny took the stage at Coachella in 2019, and with that performance was on the bill with multiple Spanish-language acts like ROSALÍA and J Balvin, who Bunny invited onstage. The dynamic duo ended up performing “I Like It,” and more.
May 2019: J Balvin and Bad Bunny remix Jhayco’s “No Me Conoce”
As the pair continued to catch more traction in the Latin and US markets, Bad Bunny and Balvin capitalized on their momentum by remixing Jhayco’s track “No Me Conoce.” The song served as Jhayco’s lead single to his album Famouz.
Jhayco told Complex about how the track came together: “Benito's brother was really a fan of the ‘No Me Conoce’ track and a couple of tracks I had put out. And when Bunny came in that day in the studio and Balvin was working on it, he was like, ‘Oh, I want to jump in it too.’ So it was ultimately like a birthday gift for me.”
At the end of the song, J Balvin and Bad Bunny dropped an easter egg of their joint project, referring to themselves as the “Oasis Team.”
June 2019: OASIS finally releases
After over one full year of hints and teasers, Bad Bunny and J Balvin surprise-dropped their joint project OASIS. Its arrival was commemorated with an Instagram update from Balvin featuring matching chains that blended the worlds of both artists into a golden bunny with J’s electric bolt eyes. This served as a tangible symbol of their close friendship.
The album spanned eight tracks, which Bad Bunny announced via X in his typical fashion. Videos were released for “QUÉ PRETENDES,” “CUIDAO POR AHÍ,” “YO LE LLEGO,” “UN PESO,” “LA CANCIÓN”—all directed by the legendary Colin Tilley.
Upon its release, the album debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. After years of friendship, everything had culminated with the unveiling of OASIS.
August 2019: The duo performs OASIS for the first time
At Uforia Latino Mix Live in Dallas, Texas; Bad Bunny and J Balvin performed OASIS for the first time. The concert also served as a live music video for their track “UN PESO,” which features the Argentinian Legend of Enanitos Verdes, Marciano Cantero, who popped out as a surprise guest. Both forces came together to put on the performance that encapsulated Balvin and Bunny’s complementary energy.
August 2019: MTV Video Music Awards performance
After taking the world by storm with their album, the duo brought “QUÉ PRETENDES” to the VMAS. The stage was full of whimsical characters and bright green cacti, mirroring the look of the album’s cover. Balvin and Bad Bunny stood on stilts and dawned cartoon-character suits as they waddled around the stage, all making for an unforgettable performance.
February 2020: Super Bowl Halftime Show
Super Bowl Halftime shows typically see the headlining act welcoming at least a few guest stars. J. Lo and Shakira's Miami edition was no different, with Balvin and Bunny rightfully letting fans know ahead of the broadcast that they would indeed be taking the Super Bowl stage.
Balvin unveiled his first rainbow-colored Jordan 1 and Bunny wore a jacket with “13,000 Hand-Set Swarovski Stones” according to GQ. Balvin did a medley of his tracks “Mi Gente” and “Qué Calor,” while Bunny performed “I Like It” and “Callaíta.” The moment was historic for the duo as their friendship had snowballed all the way from a joint project to the world's biggest stage.
March 2020: J Balvin wishes Bad Bunny a happy birthday
J Balvin wished Benito well on his 26th birthday, saying in a heartfelt message to his fellow Reggaetonero, “I remember before you came into the music scene, I was supposedly the only weirdo, crazy, and strange one because I always do what comes from my heart. Thank goodness another crazy guy came along and breathed new life into entertainment, and seeing you grow fills me with so much pride!”
This reaffirmed fans that the two were on good terms, but this would soon be brought into question.
July 2020: J Balvin and Bad Bunny collab on “One Day”
In the depths of the pandemic lockdown, J Balvin delivered a star-studded pop track featuring Dua Lipa and Bad Bunny. Produced by the legendary Tainy, the song, titled “One Day,” little did fans know they would not hear Bunny and Balvin on a track together for almost an entire year, as the artists began growing apart.
The Rest of 2020: Bunny and Balvin pursue solo endeavors
As the year went on, Balvin released his first Jordan 1 shoe, and Bad Bunny would finally get his first No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 in November with El Último Tour Del Mundo. However, as the duo pursued bigger solo ambitions, they would be seen hanging out and collaborating less. Nevertheless, both stars would have the first- and second-most Latin Grammy nominations in 2020 (Balvin had 13 nods, and Bunny received 9).
July 2021: Bad Bunny and J Balvin collab for the last time
Both stars hopped on the remix of “AM” by Nio Garcia and this stands as the last track both artists would be featured on together as of this writing. From this point, the relationship between Balvin and Bunny would appear to grow more distant.
October 2021: Bad Bunny chimes in amid J Balvin and Residente’s feud
On Alofoke’s Radio Show, Bad Bunny spoke about the then-active beef between J Balvin and Residente.
Bad Bunny took a balanced stance, since he is friends with both artists. He stated he understood Balvin’s point, saying, “I can understand J Balvin's point in terms of yes, maybe they get the popularity of the reggaeton genre, for the ratings.”
However, he also understood Residente’s side, saying that certain artists need the awards since “they don't have the exposure that a Bad Bunny has, that a J Balvin has.”
November 2021: J Balvin confirms there will be no OASIS 2
There was no obvious hostility between the duo, but Balvin confirmed that there would be no follow-up to their monumental joint project responding to an Instagram comment saying, “OASIS 2 WAS JUST THAT MOMENT AND LIFE GOES ON.” This would leave fans heartbroken and confused as to why the duo was no longer putting out music together.
December 2021: J Balvin appears at Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico show
Despite his feud with Residente, Balvin still pulled up on Bad Bunny on December 10th for his ‘P FKN R’ concert. The two shared the stage and performed “AM (Remix)” with Nio Garcia and their hit “LA CANCIÓN.” This would be the last time they shared the stage for more than four years.
May 2022: J Balvin and Bad Bunny meet at the Met Gala
After Residente dropped his heater diss-track on Balvin and Bad Bunny was gearing up to release his third studio album, Un Verano Sin Ti, the duo met up cordially at the 2022 Met Gala. Both in buttoned-up formal attire, the two shared a brief moment dapping one another up.
August 2022: Bad Bunny confirms no OASIS 2
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Bad Bunny shared a bit of a hostile message when asked about a follow-up to OASIS, saying “that’s not a question worth answering.” Benito’s response was a little more blunt, suggesting there was possibly some tension between him and Balvin, given everything that happened with his other friend, Residente.
December 2022: J Balvin celebrates Bad Bunny’s success
To cap out the year, as Bad Bunny was named Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainer of the Year in 2022, and Balvin guest-wrote an essay as a tribute to Benito’s success.
“We met in his native Puerto Rico, and I immediately learned the rumors on the street about him were true… As I look back thinking of those two young men in the studio plotting world domination, I'm filled with overwhelming gratitude for being able to witness him grow as an artist.”
The message was a hint that Balvin still had a soft spot for Benito, regardless of the chatter surrounding their relationship.
October 2023: Bad Bunny seemingly disses J Balvin on “Thunder Y Lightning”
Bad Bunny in 2023 had a bit of a nostalgia-era vision for his album Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, which would take him back to his trap days. On the album was a track featuring Eladio Carrión called “Thunder Y Lightning” where Bunny dropped a potential diss in which he even name-dropped Balvin, like so: “You've seen me, I'm always with the same people, while you're friends with everyone like Balvin.”
The dig was interpreted by some as Bunny seeing Balvin as a surface-level friend. Balvin quickly took to Instagram and reacted to the lyric, saying, “I don’t understand what was going through his head. But, well, the guy I know is a good person.”
December 2023: J Balvin denies “Amigos” is a Bad Bunny response
In December, Balvin returned to music with “Amigos,” (which translates to "friends") a sad Reggaeton cut where he croons about broken romantic relationships. In an interview with AP, he explicitly said the song is in no way tied to his and Bunny's working relationship.
“I ain’t got time for that. I got a lot of love for the guy,” he said. “The friend that I know at the time was amazing, you know? So, like, he might he going through something. ... I see him as like a little brother, so it’s like being mad at your little brother, so, like, I’m not going to take it personal.”
August 2024: J Balvin says there is no bad blood with Bad Bunny
Even though Bad Bunny made his feelings pretty obvious, Balvin played off any potential bad blood between the two in an interview with Alofoke. He said he understood the lyric, telling Alofoke, “Yes, I understood the meaning. They say that the one who is a friend of the world is not a friend of anyone. But I am a very good friend. And I don't regret being a good friend. And I am... I was, I am, and I will be a good friend.”
April 2025: J Balvin says he and Bad Bunny are on good terms, but no longer speak
While talking to El Pachá on El Vacilón de la Mañana, Balvin spoke on his friendship with Benito.
"I think that everyone reaches a point where you have to focus on yourself," J Balvin said at the time. "Truthfully, I have nothing against Benito, one hundred percent," he added.
Balvin also said he and Bunny had "no motives" to speak with one another at the time, though he wished Benito all the best. It seemed, at least at this point, that they were cordial with one another but not the closest of friends.
December 2025: J Balvin opens up about his happiness for Bad Bunny’s success
J Balvin got candid about his feelings on Benito’s continued global success and acknowledging his past envy, telling Ibai, “I can celebrate it, and I can see it from a perspective that if I had seen it from the perspective of J Balvin from, I don't know, six or five years ago?...I would be banging my head against the walls. Now [I'm thinking] from a perspective of celebrating the success of my colleagues.”
J Balvin seemed more interested in finding his own peace, though he still had love for Benito despite the once-ubiquitous duo having not been seen together in years.
Toward the end of the interview, he hinted at a possible reunion, adding that “when the time comes, [fans] will see us together in a very genuine way.”
December 2025: Bad Bunny and J Balvin reunite in Mexico City
Balvin’s wish quickly came true, with Bad Bunny bringing him out to close the final date of his run of DTMF shows in Mexico City. Benito started singing “LA CANCIÓN,” and Balvin shot up from under the stage to finish the chorus as the crowd erupted into surprised and happy cheers.
The duo performed “Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola,” “QUÉ PRETENDES,” “I Like It,” and the aforementioned “LA CANCIÓN.” The two also addressed one another through heartfelt speeches, thus burying the proverbial hatchet while sharing the stage for the first time in years.
J Balvin started by telling Bunny, “Today, I want to tell you that I admire you, that I love you and your family… May God bless them and keep blessing them. The past is the past, but we’re men that have matured… and we forgive each other always.”
Bad Bunny responded, saying, “People don’t know, but we had a conversation several weeks ago, but we were waiting for the perfect moment to share the stage, and I’m glad it happened here in Mexico. Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico!”
Bunny and Balvin then shared a long hug as the crowd erupted in applause and screams.
Perhaps some new music from José and Benito could be on the horizon.