Why Bad Bunny is the Perfect Choice for the Super Bowl Halftime Show

Julianna Concepcion | Staff Writer

Just this week, we learned that Puerto Rican music artist Bad Bunny, who performs under the stage name “Bad Bunny,” will be performing at the Super Bowl in February 2026. Bad Bunny posted the announcement on his Instagram, where he is seen sitting atop a goalpost in a pava, a traditional Puerto Rican hat made of straw gathered from palm leaves. He is known not just for his music, but for his pride in Puerto Rican culture and his activism against American colonial ideas.

  Bad Bunny has been making a lot of noise these past months, especially with the release of his newest album, “DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS”. During his tour, Bad Bunny refused to perform in the United States after the album's release due to concerns that I.C.E. would use these concerts, primarily attended by the Hispanic community, to target and detain others. He does not keep it a secret that he harbors very justified resentment towards the United States, as can be seen. This can be seen in his song “LO QUE LA PASO A HAWAii” is an emotional warning to Puerto Rico, telling them not to let the U.S. colonize PR like they’ve colonized and pushed natives out of Hawai'i. He thinks that Puerto Ricans should try their best to stay on the island, don't leave because you feel that pressure.

 These bold stances are what make Bad Bunny not only a great pick for the Super Bowl, but also a highly controversial one. The mixed receptiveness of this announcement can be seen online, one commenter joking under his post, “Heard there’s a football game during bad bunny’s concert?????” and another honoring his choice in not “Americanizing” his music, “AND NOT A WORD BETTER BE IN ENGLISH EITHER”.  

  Others believe that there could have been a better choice for this Super Bowl pick, whether that be a racially charged stance or simply a personal choice, but I feel that this is a win for not just the Latin American community, but the Puerto Rican community, too. We come in all shapes, colors, and homelands, but our hearts are of the island. Bad Bunny’s theatrical performances and honoring of the culture make him the perfect artist for this halftime show—a big “F U” to anyone who thinks Latin Americans don’t have a place in the U.S.