On Saturday, Feb. 8, Superbowl LX welcomed Bad Bunny to do the iconic halftime performance. Although Jay-Z and the National Football League (NFL)’s decision was met with much discourse, there is no denying that the Puerto Rican artist put on an incredibly fun and powerful performance, centered greatly on love and unity. Between the huge ensemble of performers, the collaboration with artists like Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin and the powerful message at the end regarding what America truly is, there is no good reason to still dislike the performance– so why are people this angry?
It is vital to address and bring attention to where all this discourse stems from: blatant racism toward Latin American people in the United States. This country currently has a leader that gives permission to be hateful. Many people claim to be mad because they want an American artist, but in reality, they want an artist who represents a certain version of the US, not the variety of cultures that actually make up America.
Despite the messages of love and unity in Bad Bunny’s performance, people felt the need to advocate for another option. Turning Point USA (TPUSA), founded by Charlie Kirk, put on the “All American Halftime Show,” featuring Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett, which streamed primarily on the TPUSA YouTube channel. This is incredibly concerning, considering the history that the US has with segregation.
Not only is it concerning, it is also incorrect. Bad Bunny is American, just as much as someone from Washington, D.C., as both Puerto Rico and D.C. are districts of the United States. If people needed an “American” halftime show for Bad Bunny, they should have needed one for The Weeknd, Coldplay, Rihanna, Paul McCartney and every other non-US born halftime performer.
Another problem people had was that they did not want a halftime show in Spanish because “America speaks English.” However, according to the US Census, Spanish is the most spoken non-english language in the US, which did not even have an official language until Donald Trump declared it on March 1, 2025 under Executive Order 14224. If you are mad that you can’t understand Bad Bunny’s music, you must not listen to classical music, foreign language operas or house music– because most people can’t understand those either, right?
Or– another option– just learn Spanish.
The problems that people have with Bad Bunny’s performance has nothing to do with understanding or American-ness. They are rooted in racism. This only stresses the importance of Bad Bunny’s message: “Together, we are America. The only thing stronger than hate is love.”
The end of the performance was likely the most notable. Flags were held up of nearly every country in the Americas. His point was that the United States is not America, but each of those countries in North, South and Central America make up what America truly is. In a time of division, Bad Bunny preached unity, love and culture– this should not be anything to be angry about.
