Dubbed the “King of Latin Trap,” Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, universally known as Bad Bunny, continues to prove his artistry in the world of modern pop culture. Since 2018, the Puerto Rican artist has raked in three Grammy Awards, 17 Latin Grammy Awards, and 13 Lo Nuestro Awards.
Now, he has one more accolade to add to the list: Super Bowl halftime performer.
The release of his most recent album, “DtMF,” has seen considerable success, garnering over one billion streams on Spotify in just one year. The record has been recognized as the singer’s most political yet, as he explores issues regarding colonization, gentrification, and cultural preservation. Expectedly, the album received polarizing reactions; some praised his courage, while some deemed the continual political themes excessive.
The NFL announced Bad Bunny as the upcoming 2026 Super Bowl halftime performer in September of last year. The Super Bowl has steadily been one of America’s most patriotic traditions, as it consistently attracts well over 100 million live viewers every year. This 100 million includes an immense variety of demographics, representing different ethnicities, political standings, and music preferences. Considering this, the Latino artist certainly received copious amounts of criticism.
Evaluating what has been and what continues to be the persecution of Latinos in American politics and culture, Bad Bunny’s performance is a symbol of resilience and endurance among the entire community. U.S. history offers no shortage of events that perpetuated the systemic oppression of Latinos. Gentrification and imperialism, constant themes in American history, were instrumental in the Mexican-American War, which was the seizing of Mexican land by American expansionists. Still, Latinos continue to face economic exploitation by being excluded from job opportunities and receiving lower wages. According to UCLA Newsroom, Latinas earn just 53 cents for every dollar earned by their white male counterparts.
The selection of Bad Bunny for such a massive American tradition may provide hope and pride for the Latino community facing such severe vulnerability. The controversial yet moving decision has demonstrated how cultural platforms can present harmony in times of uncertainty.
A petition was formed on Change.org in November, advocating for the replacement of Bad Bunny with Texas-born, 73-yearold country singer George Strait. Ironically enough, he’s been nicknamed the “King of Country.” Over 100,000 people have shown their support by signing.
“The Super Bowl halftime show should unite our country, honor American culture, and remain family-friendly, not be turned into a political stunt. Bad Bunny represents none of these values,” the petition stated.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, even remarked on ICE’s (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) presence at the performance. “We’ll be all over that place. People should not be coming to the Super
Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country,” falsely suggesting that immigrants have no American pride or patriotism.
Bad Bunny playfully responded to the censure on SNL, saying critics had four months to learn Spanish.
President Donald Trump has capitalized on protecting American borders since his first presidency in 2016; however, the number of ICE arrests and deportations has risen significantly since the first 100 days of his second term. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently issued an emergency order that allows ICE agents and officers to racially profile based on ethnicity, accented English, location, or type of employment. Witnesses and videos online show severe physical abuse toward detainees, many being beaten, shoved to the ground, and punched, all while showing little to no resistance. While prioritizing border security is expected, policies and rhetoric that both mock an entire cultural group and require continual violent mistreatment cross a moral line.
“I think [ICE officers] haven’t gone far enough,” President Trump said during a November 2 CBS 60 Minutes interview.
Bad Bunny has made it a point to protect his fans by not including the U.S. in his recent world tour, fearing his concertgoers would potentially be targeted by ICE authorities.
The Super Bowl attracts so many people, and not every person is going to be satisfied with the NFL’s halftime performer choice. However, in such a divisive political period, the aggressive targeting of a Puerto Rican liberal performer, specifically from extreme rightists, suggests judgment rooted in racial bias, not just music preferences.
