The NFL announced over the weekend that Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio MartÃnez Ocasio) will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on February 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
This marks a historic milestone as the first solo Latin artist to lead the performance, spotlighting Spanish-language music and Puerto Rican culture on a global stage viewed by over 100 million people.
Bad Bunny, a three-time Grammy winner and Spotify's most-streamed artist from 2020–2022, celebrated the news in a video filmed on a Puerto Rican beach, saying, "This is for my people, my culture, and our history." However, the announcement has ignited swift backlash, primarily from conservative and MAGA-aligned voices, who view it as a politically charged "woke" decision amid heightened U.S. immigration debates.
Key Reasons for the Backlash: The criticism centers on Bad Bunny's outspoken political views, which clash with the Trump administration's policies. Here's a breakdown:
This echoes prior Super Bowl controversies, like the 100+ FCC complaints against Kendrick Lamar's 2025 show for being "anti-American" and lacking white performers. In 2020, Bad Bunny's cameo with Shakira and J.Lo included a "kids in cages" protest against Trump's policies, which drew similar ire.
Social Media Storm:
- Hashtags like #BoycottSuperBowl2026 and #BoycottingBadBunny trended on X, with thousands of posts vowing to skip the halftime (or the entire event). One viral post by
- @Chicago1Ray garnered 76K+ likes: "Bad Bunny is a Trump hating anti-ICE activist... Are you ready to Bud Light the Super Bowl?" Another from
- @Notwokenow called for boycotting sponsors like Anheuser-Busch and Jeep, amassing 38K likes.
Public Figures: Ex-Eagles LB Seth Joyner slammed the pick as "disrespectful." California Gov. Gavin Newsom trolled critics: "Benny calm down, we all know you listen to Bad Bunny lol."