Years from now, when Bad Bunny is playing with his grandchildren, he’ll likely remember February 2026 as a particularly amazing month. On February 1st, he made history by becoming the first artist to win the Grammy for Album of the Year for a Spanish-language record. Just a week later, on February 8th, he’s set to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. His album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, showcased his impressive rapping and singing skills, but it’s important to remember he’s also a talented actor. And fans especially loved his role in Narcos: Mexico, a gripping crime drama that’s both intense and unforgettable.
Narcos: Mexico tells the story of how the drug trade grew in Mexico. Over three seasons, the show details the beginnings and success of the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980s, and the rise of famous drug leaders like Félix “El Padrino” Gallardo, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, and Amado Carrillo Fuentes, also known as The Lord of the Skies. This Netflix series is a spin-off of Narcos, which previously covered Pablo Escobar’s criminal empire and the later rise of the Cali Cartel. Actor Bunny portrays Arturo “El Kitty” Paez, a key figure quickly gaining power within the Tijuana Cartel.
Bad Bunny is a Bad, Delusional Dude in ‘Narcos: Mexico’
Netflix
Bad Bunny delivers a standout and captivating performance in Narcos: Mexico, significantly boosting the show’s third season. Despite being his first acting role, he portrays his character with the confidence of a seasoned professional. However, his character, “El Kitty,” is more than just a cameo. He embodies a major shift in the Mexican drug trade, representing a new generation of traffickers – the “Narco Juniors.” These are wealthy, privileged young Mexicans recruited by the powerful Arellano Félix family (of the Tijuana Cartel) to move drugs.
Traditional drug traffickers often turn to crime to escape poverty, but El Kitty and his crew are different. They’re wealthy and privileged, dealing drugs simply for thrills. They enjoy luxuries like Ferraris and private school educations, sporting designer clothes instead of traditional attire, and even have US visas, making it easy to cross the border and smuggle drugs without facing typical scrutiny or searches.
The character of Bunny isn’t entirely based on a real person, but he’s heavily inspired by Everardo Arturo Páez, an original member of the Narco Juniors gang. Páez was arrested in 1997 and sent to the United States in 2001, where he cooperated with authorities. He provided crucial information that helped bring down the Arellano Félix drug organization. The show takes creative license with Páez’s story, giving him a more dramatic and fictionalized end, which highlights the power of storytelling.
‘Narcos: Mexico’ Blows ‘Narcos’ Away
Netflix
Almost everyone watched the first season of Narcos. It was incredibly popular, largely because it started with the story of Pablo Escobar, arguably the world’s most famous drug kingpin. But when the show depicted the death of Escobar, the leader of the Medellín Cartel, in that memorable scene, many viewers stopped watching, and it’s easy to understand why.
While the first season of Narcos was its strongest, the show felt weaker after focusing on the Cali Cartel. Narcos: Mexico is more consistently engaging, offering a smoother, more focused story. It also does a better job of showing how the drug trade works as a business and how politics are involved – the essential parts that keep everything going. Unlike the original, it doesn’t just focus on violence; it examines the details of how cartels operate, including their logistics, corruption within institutions, efforts to control territory, and how they’re managed. The show also powerfully highlights both the damaging impact of organized crime and the courage of those who fight against it.
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The show’s creators expertly blend realism with storytelling, avoiding exaggerated drama. What’s even better is the new series features a much more developed and diverse cast of characters – far from the one-dimensional figures in the original. While the first show mainly presented Escobar and the Orejuela brothers as compelling criminals, Narcos: Mexico introduces a whole host of fascinating and dangerous lawbreakers, making it hard to choose a favorite.
If you’re a fan of Bad Bunny, now might be a good time to switch from Spotify to Netflix.
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2026-02-06 02:06