What do Puerto Ricans think of the viral song about their homeland?

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. What do Puerto Ricans think of the viral song about their homeland? 6 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleIqra FarooqBBC World ServiceSuppliedPuerto Rican podcaster Debbie Perez says the viral song opens the door for cultural conversations"First time in San Juan, mi hijo. Capital of Puerto Rico…"A big corner of the internet has been singing and dancing to those lyrics over the last few weeks, with the red, white and blue of Puerto's flag emoji proudly sprinkled all over captions.

Some are claiming this catchy tune is a new "song of the summer" - it was created by internet personality and comic Bill Stiteler, known as Saxboy Billy, who's said he used AI music platform Suno to transform his lyrics into a song. Since the original post, the song has had more than million views on TikTok, and celebrities including Mila Kunis, Charlie Puth and Jennifer Love Hewitt have made their own lip sync videos. So how does it feel when your home has become a viral hit?

The Details

SuppliedChef Maria Mercedes Grubb says it feels like Puerto Rico's culture is on the map"To see the song being played by people who aren't Puerto Rican is amazing. It feels like we're on the map," says Maria Mercedes Grubb, who works as a chef in San Juan. "Even the sentence about people clapping when the plane lands - that's so Puerto Rico!

" she tells the World Service's Outside Source programme. With lyrics referencing Puerto Rico being a wild place to vacation, a Barack Obama statue and slot machines in the bus station - some are embracing the AI creation, while others are disappointed the earworm hasn't had as much human influence as they expected. Mercedes Grubb takes a different approach and feels there is an underrated authenticity to the song, saying: "You can tell that there was genuine input about things that matter to the island.

He used AI in such a clever way. "Song creator Stiteler, who's originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, told the he's always appreciated Puerto Rican culture, referencing a statue of Puerto Rican baseball player Roberto Clemente in his hometown. He says when he took his trip to the island "everything clicked".

What Experts Say

Door 'opened' to new conversationsMany of the videos people create online to accompany the song show people in sunglasses and summer outfits, as if they're about to book the next flight to the island. At the heart of the track lies a love letter to Puerto Rico - a small island in the northeastern Caribbean Sea, with a population of around 3. Spanish and English are the official languages of Puerto Rico, which is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States.

Puerto Rico's culture being on the global stage is something Debbie Perez, who hosts the Boriken podcast, which explores Puerto Rican history, is passionate about. "I'm glad the song has opened the door to have more nuanced conversations about Puerto Rico," she says. "We felt like the creator appreciated our culture.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.