Flickr
Bad Bunny first gained attention following his release of “Soy Peor” on YouTube. After a resulting record deal and collaborations with other major Latin artists, Bad Bunny erupted into a global sensation, now having been Spotify’s most played artist for four years (2020, 2021, 2022, 2025) and the recipient of 17 Latin Grammys and 6 Grammy’s including his most recent win of album of the year for his anthemic “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”.
But Bad Bunny’s most notable achievement is how he utilizes his artistic platform as a means of commenting on emergent social justice issues as well as being a voice for Puerto Rico, highlighting the island’s culture in his music, advocating for its decolonization, and contributing to Puerto Rico’s economic growth and disaster relief initiatives through residencies and concerts exclusive to the island. These themes of advocacy and representation were on display across the country as Bad Bunny took the stage on February 8 for an unforgettable Super Bowl LX Halftime Show.
The first element of the show’s opening scene, set in a sugarcane plantation serves as a nod to Puerto Rico and countless other Caribbean islands’ colonial history. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, U.S. sugar companies reaped the economic benefits of slave labor on sugarcane plantations across the Caribbean. Bad Bunny’s intentional depiction of the plantation was meant to remind his audience of the decades-long exploitation of Latinos and served as just the introduction to a performance centered around the representation of Puerto Rico and the greater Latin America.
As Bad Bunny made his way through the sugarcane field, singing “Titi Me Pregunto,” he eventually emerged on a path that was so prominently reflective of Puerto Rican culture. While Bad Bunny continued weaving through the scene, vendors were selling jewelry and piraguas (Puerto Rican shaved ice), women were seen getting their nails done, old men were seated playing dominoes, and two men were boxing, all iconic elements to the island’s culture intended to evoke sentimentality and pride within the Puerto Rican audience.
The overwhelming nostalgia quickly turned into a dynamic energy among the viewers and performers as Bad Bunny arrived at the traditional pink cement house (Casita), first introduced to fans in his short film “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” and reflective of the common storm-withstanding style of the island. Accompanying Bad Bunny’s performance of “Yo Perreo Sola,” “Voy a Llevarte Pa’ PR,” “Safaera,” and “Party” was an entourage of Latino celebrities including Jessica Alba, Young Miko, Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, and Karol G. Including the eventual cameo created by Ricky Martin, the inclusion of each Latino guest was a testament to Latino representation and unity amidst current discrimination in the U.S.
Bad Bunny’s voice for activism came most prominently during his song “El Apagón,” when performers were depicted hanging from electric poles. The song title translates to “blackout” and highlights the power grid issues rampant around Puerto Rico that have been and are still being ignored by the U.S. government, which continues failing to aid the island during severe storms and hurricanes.
In the show’s conclusion, Bad Bunny did what would go on to become an iconic moment in pop culture history, stating “God Bless América”, followed by listing out every country that comprised the Americas from the tip of Chile all the way North to Canada. The declaration was Bad Bunny’s response to conservative criticism that he shouldn’t perform at the Super Bowl because he wasn’t American, the artist countering the attacks by rightfully proclaiming that more countries than just the U.S. comprise America, additionally hinting that the U.S. would not be the country it is today without immigrants.
While so much more could be said about Bad Bunny’s momentous performance including, Lady Gaga, the Azul Clarito of the Puerto Rican Flag, or the full fledged wedding that took place during the show, what was most important about his Halftime Show performance was how Bad Bunny was able to transcend the expectations of an entertaining show to deliver a remarkable spectacle that concerned Puerto Rican pride and Latino representation as well as a response to the many injustices plaguing our country.
