Bad Bunny vs. The Reggaeton Copyright Lawsuit: What the "Frankenstein" Argument Really Means

A massive copyright lawsuit targeting the dembow rhythm—the foundation of reggaeton music—is about to get its day in court. Bad Bunny, Karol G, Daddy Yankee, and dozens of other artists are being sued by the heirs of reggae legends Steely&Clevie, who claim to own the rights to that iconic boom-ch-boom-chick beat. The lawsuit covers nearly 2,000 songs and could reshape how reggaeton artists create music if it succeeds. But Bad Bunny’s legal team just filed a motion that could shut it down before trial even starts.

The argument? The plaintiffs’case is a legal“Frankenstein.”Bad Bunny’s lawyers point out that the beat the heirs claim to own doesn’t actually exist as a complete work in any single song. Instead, they’re trying to stitch together pieces from three different tracks and claim exclusive ownership of that assembled version. According to Bad Bunny’s attorney Kenneth Freundlich,“Plaintiffs have assembled a Frankenstein across three separate songs,”arguing that copyright law shouldn’t protect something that was never recorded as one cohesive creation. This technical flaw could be exactly what derails a lawsuit that would otherwise cost millions and take years to litigate.

The stakes here are enormous. If Steely&Clevie’s heirs win, reggaeton artists everywhere could face royalty payments every time they use dembow. If Bad Bunny’s motion succeeds, it sets a precedent that copyright claims need to be based on actual, complete works—not collages of different sources. What do you think: should foundational musical rhythms be ownable, or does that belong to the culture that created them?