Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime performance transformed the NFL’s biggest stage into a showcase of Latino culture, symbolism, and personal identity, drawing both widespread praise and sharp political criticism.
The Grammy-winning performer, whose given name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, took the field at Levi’s Stadium with a set built around Puerto Rican imagery and themes of unity. The show featured elaborate staging, dance-heavy sequences, and visual references to everyday life on the island, including nods to infrastructure challenges and community traditions.
Several high-profile entertainers appeared during the performance, contributing to a celebratory atmosphere that blended pop, reggaeton, and salsa influences. The finale included the artist holding a football marked with the phrase “Together We Are America,” while stadium screens displayed a message emphasizing love over hate.
Reaction to the performance quickly moved beyond entertainment. Donald Trump criticized the show on social media, calling it inappropriate and difficult to understand because it was largely performed in Spanish. Other conservative figures echoed those concerns, while supporters praised the performance as an affirmation of Latino identity on a global stage.
The halftime show was produced by Apple Music in partnership with the National Football League and Roc Nation. Organizers did not publicly respond to the criticism.
The performance came amid heightened political sensitivities around immigration and representation. Bad Bunny has previously spoken against certain immigration enforcement practices and limited U.S. tour appearances in recent years, making his Super Bowl showing a rare stateside event.
Whether remembered primarily as a cultural milestone or a political flashpoint, the halftime show underscored how the Super Bowl has become a platform where music, identity, and national debate increasingly intersect.
