When University of Wisconsin–Madison history professor Jorell Meléndez-Badillo went on vacation last December, he promised his family and therapist he’d leave work behind. But that plan changed on Christmas Eve, when an unexpected Instagram message appeared in his inbox — an invitation to collaborate with global superstar Bad Bunny.

At first, Meléndez-Badillo thought it might be a scam. Then came a non-disclosure agreement, confirming it was the real deal. The Grammy-winning artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, wanted to highlight Puerto Rican history in his latest album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”

Meléndez-Badillo was asked to write 17 historical narratives, tracing Puerto Rico’s story from pre-Columbian times to the present. The texts would accompany the release of

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