Bad Bunny faced criticism from detractors who disapproved of his upcoming performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. The Puerto Rican artist, known for hits like “Soy Peor” and his collaboration on Cardi B’s “I Like It,” was recently revealed as the halftime show headliner. Bad Bunny will be the first to deliver a fully Spanish-language performance at the event, marking a significant moment for Latino culture that has sparked backlash from some conservative voices.
In a light-hearted manner, during his opening monologue as the host of the season premiere of Saturday Night Live, Bad Bunny quipped, “I think everybody is happy about it — even Fox News,” referring to his halftime show role. He then expressed Latino pride and happiness in Spanish, challenging those who didn’t understand to learn the language in the four months leading up to the show.
The rapper has been vocal about his disapproval of U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. He previously criticized federal agents in Puerto Rico for their presence on the island, an unincorporated U.S. territory. Bad Bunny has incorporated pro-immigrant messages in his music and even featured a music video where a voice similar to the U.S. president’s delivers a pro-immigrant speech.
During his recent world tour, Bad Bunny avoided performing in the U.S. due to concerns that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could target immigrants attending his shows for deportation. When questioned about potential ICE enforcement at the Super Bowl, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that ICE officials would be present for security reasons but did not specify their exact duties.
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson, among others, criticized the selection of Bad Bunny for the halftime show, labeling it as divisive and implying that the NFL was making a polarizing choice. Some critics went as far as to call Bad Bunny “demonic” and suggested alternative performers like rock band Creed or noted Trump supporter Kid Rock for the event. Noem’s remarks even became fodder for a joke on SNL’s Weekend Update segment, poking fun at the notion of ICE agents targeting farm workers at the Super Bowl.