Bad Bunny’s Influence Takes Over The Super Bowl 

Three-time Grammy award winner and one of Spotify’s most streamed artists, Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, was announced as the headliner for the 2026 Super Bowl XL Halftime show Sept. 28. The Puerto Rican artist — known by his stage name Bad Bunny — will be the first to perform a set fully in Spanish during one of America’s biggest events.Bad Bunny may not be the first Latin artist to headline the Super Bowl, but because news of his performance comes during a particularly divisive time in political history and, pertinently, during President Donald Trump’s oppressive anti-immigrant rhetoric, I believe it brings issues Latin communities are currently facing to the forefront of people’s minds. I’m not Puerto Rican — but as a Mexican-American with a dad, aunts and uncles who immigrated from Mexico, I’m filled with pride to see a Latin artist with a history of advocacy for his homeland get the chance to take on America’s most televised stage and prove he deserves to be there. In a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Bad Bunny said, “estuve pensando en estos dias, y luego de hablarlo con mi equipo, creo que hare una sola fecha en Estados Unidos.” Which can be translated to, “I’ve been thinking about it these days, and after discussing it with my team, I think I’ll do just one date in the United States,” alluding to his performance at the Super Bowl. The news follows Ocasio’s final residency performance Sept. 20 in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. The residency, which began in early July and was known as “No Me Quiero Ir De Aqui,” spanned 31 dates and served as a way to pay homage to his homeland. The first nine shows were exclusively for residents of Puerto Rico.Now, Ocasio is preparing for a world tour where he’s set to perform his sixth studio album, “DeBI TiRAR MaS FOToS,” which has been referred to as a “love letter” to Puerto Rico. The dates, starting in November, will take place in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Australia.Notably, Bad Bunny won’t be performing in the U.S., with the exception of his Super Bowl halftime show.Both the world tour and Super Bowl announcements come at a time when President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown is at its strongest and ardently supported.  In an interview with i-D magazine, Bad Bunny said his decision to not have any set tour dates in the U.S. wasn’t out of malice, but because of the fear surrounding potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.“I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the U.S.,” Ocasio said. “But specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an unincorporated territory of the U.S.… People from the U.S. could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. But there was the issue of, like, fucking ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”The Trump administration has been adamant on an immigration crackdown, ensuing fear into Latin communities around the U.S.. By deploying federal agents into sanctuary cities — such as Chicago — as well as building Alligator Alcatraz, an immigration detention center in Florida, Trump has continued to build a harmful and aggressive rhetoric against immigrants.Bad Bunny wasn’t wrong in his assumption of ICE presence if he were to perform in the U.S.. Three days after the halftime show announcement, Corey Lewandeski — chief advisor to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and advisor to Trump — reiterated the Trump administration’s stance on immigrants, even going so far as to call Bad Bunny’s performance “shameful.”Lewandeski was a guest on right-wing political commentator Benny Johnson’s podcast, “The Benny Show,” where he warned there will be ICE presence at the Super Bowl.“There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people in this country illegally,” Lewandeski said. “Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you in a detention facility, and we will deport you. So, know that that is a very real situation under this administration, which is completely contrary to how it used to be.”Other reactions to the news of the halftime performance have included calling Bad Bunny a “demonic Marxist” and former racecar driver Danica Patrick posting to X her opposition to the non-english singer taking the stage.Bad Bunny has been a strong advocate for the island he grew up on, using his platform to promote the roots of his culture and staunchly support the islands’ fight for autonomy. He incorporates Puerto Rican traditions into his songs and infuses them with his pride for his homeland.  In his song, “Lo Que Le Paso A Hawaii,” Ocasio discusses the gentrification of Puerto Rico and concern of the potential displacement of residents if the island is colonized in a similar way to Hawaii. “Quieren quitarme el río y también la playa / Quieren al barrio mío y que abuelita se vaya / No, no suelte’ la bandera ni olvide’ el lelolai / Que no quiero que hagan contigo lo que le pasó a Hawái,” he sings.As a fervent activist for Puerto Rico, Ocasio also makes sure the world doesn’t forget about the catastrophe which struck the island in 2017.Hurricane Maria was a category four storm which took the island into a blackout. In the aftermath, the U.S. and the Trump administration failed to send timely support to Puerto Rico by restricting aid funding and sharing an incorrect death toll with the public following the disaster.During his final residency performance, the singer paid tribute to the survivors of hurricane Maria by singing his song, “Una Velita.” The song was released on the anniversary of the disaster and serves as a criticism of the government’s negligence in the aftermath of the storm. Fans in the audience were seen waving flags bearing the number of lives lost, according to Que Onda Magazine!. As he finished out his residency over the summer, Ocasio boosted the economy by generating $200 million for the community allowing local businesses to thrive during a period where the island normally experiences a slower pace in travel. So, during a time where Latin communities are being targeted and Puerto Rico is in search of autonomy, Bad Bunny will take the stage during one of America’s most televised events. Many predict he will make a political statement, bringing exposure to current events in the United States, but no matter what he does, he’ll do it in full support of Puerto Rico.“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Ocasio said. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”