Historically, the world of reggaeton has been plagued with issues of misogyny and toxic masculinity, but some artists have been trying to flip the script recently (albeit very slowly.) Bad Bunny has contributed to slight cultural changes in the genre by embracing a more femme aesthetic and doing things like proudly showing off his brightly manicured nails. Now, other reggaetoneros seem to be jumping on the nail trend and showing off electric green polish on Instagram—but the reason why is actually tied to an important social cause.
Artists like Farruko and Jon Z have participated in the #GreenNailsChallenge, which was started to promote conversations about mental health in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. The actor Ignacio Serricchio seems to have helped launch the whole thing by challenging people on Twitter to paint their nails as part of an effort supported by the non-profit organization Active Minds. Since his tweet, the challenge has spread to other Latinx entertainers, including Dominican producer Maffio and Puerto Rican actor Carlos Ponce.
The challenge might even be inadvertently quashing some lingering reggaeton beef. When Jon Z posted a video of his green nails after Farruko kicked the challenge over to him, he nominated Anuel AA to go next, despite the fact that the two have been in a fight for a while.
“The one I’m going to challenge, he’s kind of a dick scratcher, I don’t get along with him, but Anuel, I challenge you, cabron. Paint your nails and be supportive,” he said in an Instagram video.
Despite the slight insults, it’s good to see artists banding together to raise awareness for important issues.