{"id":166270,"date":"2026-03-17T15:33:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T15:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/166270\/"},"modified":"2026-03-17T15:33:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T15:33:12","slug":"bad-bunny-lookalike-contest-brings-energy-back-to-the-hub-bronx-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/166270\/","title":{"rendered":"Bad Bunny lookalike contest brings energy back to the Hub \u2013 Bronx Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Bad\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Bad Bunny doppelg\u00e4ngers line up to compete for the $500 prize.<\/p>\n

Photo by Lesley Cosme Torres<\/p>\n

\t\t Search our comprehensive guide to things to do in the Bronx<\/a> for more local events \u2014 or submit your own<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Will the real Bad Bunny please stand up?\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

A lookalike contest for Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny drew a crowd to the Hub on Saturday, as spectators gathered in Roberto Clemente Plaza to watch dozens of doppelg\u00e4ngers compete for the top prize.<\/p>\n

The event was organized by Bronx Native in collaboration with 7th Street Burger, which is preparing to open its first Bronx location on the corner of 149th Street and Third Avenue.<\/p>\n

More than 100 spectators packed the plaza as 28 contestants \u2014 some traveling from as far as Brooklyn and New Jersey \u2014 showed off their best Bad Bunny impressions for a chance to win $500.<\/p>\n

\"SpectatorsSpectators line up behind a barricade to catch a glimpse of the Bad Bunny lookalikes. Photo by Lesley Cosme Torres<\/p>\n

The contest is one of many celebrity lookalike competitions that have recently popped up across New York City, including contests for John F. Kennedy Jr.<\/a> and Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet<\/a> \u2014 the latter of whom even made a surprise appearance at his own event.<\/p>\n

While the real Bad Bunny did not appear in the Bronx, several contestants recreated some of the artist\u2019s most recognizable looks, including the Prada suit and traditional pava hat he wore to the Met Gala and a cream monochromatic outfit inspired by his Super Bowl Halftime Show appearance. <\/p>\n

Each contestant had less than two minutes to win over the crowd with their likeness and dance moves to hits like \u201cYo Perreo Sola\u201d and \u201cEoO.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BadBad Bunny lookalikes dance to dembow music to prepare for their stage performance. Photo by Lesley Cosme Torres.<\/p>\n

After the initial round, contestants were narrowed down to five finalists who performed once more for the crowd. Audience screams ultimately determined which three would move on to the final round.<\/p>\n

Bronx contestant James arrived wearing a dark suit and pava hat, drawing shouts from people on the street as he walked toward the plaza.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cBad Bunny! \u00bfD\u00f3nde t\u00fa \u2018t\u00e1? Where you performing?\u201d passersby yelled, giving him confidence before stepping onto the stage.\n<\/p>\n

The winner was Jersey City resident Justin Conillas, who drove about 45 minutes to compete.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe I look like Bad Bunny,\u201d Conilla told the Bronx Times. \u201cPeople tell me all the time, but I didn\u2019t get to prove it until now.\u201d
\n\"JustinJustin Conillas, the winner of the Bad Bunny lookalike contest. Photo by Lesley Cosme Torres\n<\/p>\n

Another standout was Brooklyn contestant Kenya, who dressed in a red top, white sailor-style pants, a pava hat and a fake beard to recreate Bad Bunny\u2019s look from his \u201cNo Me Quiero Ir de Aqu\u00ed\u201d residency in Puerto Rico, where he performed \u201cPreciosa\u201d alongside Marc Anthony. Her performance was so popular that judges created a second-place prize of $250.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I dress like this, they think I\u2019m Bad Bunny himself,\u201d Kenya said.\u00a0
\n\"JustinJustin Conillas wins first place in the Bad Bunny lookalike contest. Photo by Lesley Cosme Torres\n<\/p>\n

The event drew spectators from across the city who saw a viral flyer on Instagram and gathered behind barricades for a closer look \u2014 a rare opportunity for many residents, given the plaza\u2019s closure over the past year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Hub is very special to me,\u201d said Amaurys Grullon, owner of Bronx Native. \u201cI grew up here, and we wanted to do something that was impactful, that was paying homage, and just representing someone who is making everybody so proud, like Bad Bunny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roberto Clemente Plaza has been closed to the public<\/a> since last July following persistent quality-of-life complaints. The plaza had been described as an \u201copen-air drug market,\u201d where public opioid use was common even as commuters relied on the seating while waiting for one of the many bus lines that pass through the commercial corridor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the plaza should be open to the public at all times,\u201d Grullon said. \u201cWe know there\u2019s a couple of issues, but we told them, \u2018We need to do this in the plaza. We have an open space. Why are we not utilizing it?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AmaurysAmaurys Grullon, owner of Bronx Native hosted the Bad Bunny lookalike contest with 7th Street Burger. Photo by Lesley Cosme Torres<\/p>\n

Pedro Suarez, executive director of the Third Avenue Business Improvement District, said the event was successful due to coordination with city agencies and service providers, but the plaza cannot fully reopen because of ongoing drug use in the area, which he said had spiked last week as temperatures warmed.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200b\u200bI continue to recommend that the plaza only be used for scheduled, coordinated public events in partnership with city agencies and the NYPD,\u201d said Suarez in an email to the Bronx Times.<\/p>\n

\u201cI strongly believe that Robert Clemente Plaza warrants a permanent low-rise fence with strict operating hours that the BID can help manage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reach Marina Samuel at msamuel@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram!<\/a><\/p>\n

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