Pirata literally means “pirate,” someone who sails the seas in search of treasure.
In the lyric "ese tesoro tiene pirata," J Balvin playfully calls himself the pirate who has already claimed the “treasure” (his lover’s heart). It’s a vivid, adventurous word that instantly sparks curiosity and paints a cinematic image, making it a memorable hook for Spanish learners.
J Balvin's "Rojo" is all about a powerful, maybe even telepathic, connection between two people. It's that feeling when you both know you want each other, even if you're pretending otherwise. He asks, "A quién le mientes si en tu soledad / Quieres verme otra vez" (Who are you lying to when in your loneliness / You want to see me again?). The song's core idea is this almost spooky timing: "Me decido por ti, te decides por mí / A la misma hora" (I decide for you, you decide for me / At the same time). It's a desire so strong it hits them both at once, usually late at night.
This isn't just a sweet romance; it's urgent and physical. Balvin gets straight to the point with lines like "Tres y cuatro de la mañana / Ven, mata estas ganas,vamos a llegarle a mi cama" (Three and four in the morning / Come, kill this craving, let's get to my bed). He knows it's a complicated relationship—they fight and grow distant—but the pull is too strong to ignore. He also sees himself as the only one who truly has her, calling himself a pirate for his treasure: "ese tesoro tiene pirata" (that treasure has a pirate). It's a bold claim, mixing intense passion with a fierce, protective love.
J Balvin grew up in Medellín playing guitar in a teenage rock band with Nirvana and Metallica on repeat, and spent part of his teens in Oklahoma and New York picking up English. Born José Álvaro Osorio Balvín in 1985, he had been releasing music in Colombia for about a decade before anyone outside it paid attention.
"6 AM" with Farruko changed that in 2014, and "Ay Vamos" and "Ginza" followed: "Ginza" held number one on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart for 22 weeks, a record at the time. He kept singing in Spanish anyway, and "Mi Gente" reached number three on the Hot 100 once Beyoncé joined the remix, before "I Like It" with Cardi B and Bad Bunny went to number one in 2018. His albums run La Familia, Energía, Vibras, Colores (every track named after a color, and a Latin Grammy for best urban album), José and Rayo, plus Oasis, a joint record with Bad Bunny. In August 2019 he became the first Latino artist to headline Lollapalooza in Chicago.