By Olivia Suh
Correspondent
Every year, America eagerly awaits the announcement of the next Super Bowl performer, and the wait is finally over. Announced by the NFL during the halftime of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers on Sept. 28, Bad Bunny was confirmed to headline the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show.
Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and record producer credited as the “King of Latin Trap.” Bad Bunny began his career on SoundCloud and was pushed further into the global spotlight after featuring on Cardi B’s hit “I Like It.” Today, he is a 10-time Grammy nominee and holds three Grammy wins.
In 2020, his third solo album, “El Último Tour Del Mundo,” topped the Billboard 200 chart, becoming the first all-Spanish album to do so. He repeated the achievement in 2023 with “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana,” which debuted at the number one position on Billboard 200. Earlier this year, “DeBÍ TiRAR MaS FOToS” quickly reached the top spot on Billboard 200 in its second week.
“DeBÍ TiRAR MaS FOToS” didn’t just dominate Billboard 200, it also debuted at No. 1 on the Top Streaming Albums chart, and it became the fastest male album to reach one billion streams on Spotify in just 13 days, according to Yahoo Entertainment .
“DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS,” meaning “I should have taken more photos,” conveys powerful messages about Puerto Rico and serves as a call to action for its citizens. Bad Bunny urges his Puerto Rican fans to preserve their cultural heritage despite the challenges of gentrification and U.S. colonialism.
In his song, “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii,” he sings, “Quieren quitarme el río y también la playa. Quieren el barrio mío y que abuelita se vaya,” translating to “They want to take my river and my beach. They want my neighborhood and for grandma to leave.”
Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, made a statement on The Benny Show, a right-wing political podcast, saying, “I have the responsibility for making sure everybody goes to the Super Bowl, has the opportunity to enjoy it, and to leave – and that's what America’s about. So yeah, we’ll be all over that place…We’re going to enforce the law,” Noem said, “I think people should not be coming to the Super Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country.”
Noem’s remarks highlight the political discourse surrounding the upcoming Super Bowl, especially with a Puerto Rican leading the halftime show. Her statement brings attention to debates over national identity and cultural representation.
As a feature on the Saturday Night Live Season 51 premiere, Bad Bunny claps back, saying, “You might not know this, but I’m doing the Super Bowl Halftime Show. And I’m very happy, and I think everybody’s happy about it, even FOX News!”
He then transitions into Spanish expressing that being chosen to headline the halftime show represents more than just a personal victory. He dedicates the movement to all the Latinos an Latinas in the United States who have worked hard to open doors for others. He adds that their presence and contributions in America are long lasting and cannot be simply taken away or erased.
Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance marks a significant moment in music, specifically Latin music’s growing global influence. Despite facing backlash from critics who question his selection and express their concern about the cultural representation, Bad Bunny continues to stay true to his message and roots.
By taking over one of the world’s biggest stages, Bad Bunny reflects the growing recognition of Latin artists in mainstream entertainment and the diverse audiences shaping today’s music industry.
