Bad Bunny highlights this year's Super Bowl halftime show. The announcements comes with both praise and controversy. Photo by Myron Mott on Unsplash 

by Kamalika Bhushan Bezzam

Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, also known as Bad Bunny, is a Puerto Rican singer and rapper who is a 3-time Grammy winner. Dubbed the “King of Latin Trap”, Bad Bunny is credited with helping Spanish-language rap music reach mainstream worldwide. He is also named the first Latin artist to win the Grammy for Best Musica Urbana Album, making his albums the first all-Spanish albums to top the Billboard 200 chart, and becoming the most-streamed artist on Spotify for three consecutive years.

Many are extremely happy with the news, saying things like “I think he gives a great representation of his country!” Or “He does an awesome job of blending in different genres like Latin, trap, and soul.” 

Jennifer Lopez, who was also a halftime performer, has been asked about Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance since she is also of Puerto Rican descent. “I think it's wonderful people will get exposed to him who don’t know him. Just give it a chance! Music and art transcend languages, and he’s done that more than anybody.” She says on CBS's Sunday Mornings with Gayle King. 

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation partners with the NFL to choose the performer on the halftime show, and this is what he says in a statement: “What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.” 

Shakira, who also performed with J.Lo and Benito at the 2020 halftime show in Miami, gave her flowers to the artist. “Welcome back to the Super Bowl stage!” She wrote on her Instagram Stories, adding, “Aquí va mi gente latina!! (Here go my Latin people)”

The “Conga” hitmaker, Gloria Estefan, who took the Super Bowl halftime stage in 1992 and 1999, gave Benito his flowers during an appearance on The Sherri Show. “I’m so happy for him. I think it's great. I think we need a Latino representation at this particular moment,” she said

Although many are excited about the choice, it did not come without controversy. Many anti-fans and critics argue that having Bad Bunny as the performer is too “un-American” because the majority of his songs are predominantly in his main language, Spanish. “He is not an American artist,” FOX News Host Tomi Lahren mistakenly claimed.--a statement that was quickly slammed online, as everyone in Puerto Rico--including Bad Bunny-- this statement is false since Bad Bunny is Puerto Rican, which is a United States territory. His birthplace gives Bad Bunny automatic citizenship.

Conservative political commentator Benny Johnson summarized on X why some political commentators find the singer problematic: “Massive Trump hater --- Anti-ICE activist -- No songs in English.” 

The most controversial response was from President Donald Trump. He became the latest conservative to criticize the selection of this year’s Super Bowl halftime performer, telling Newsmax’s Greg Kelly that the choice was “absolutely ridiculous.” 

“I don’t know who he is. I don’t know why they’re doing it-- it's like crazy,” Trump said in the interview. “They blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Trump said.  

Earlier this year, Bad Bunny utilized his platform to criticize Trump's immigration policies. Three days after the artist was announced as the halftime performer, a Trump Administration official said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would be at the game. 

“There is nowhere that you can provide a safe haven to people who are in this country illegally. Not in the Super Bowl, and nowhere else,” Corey Lewandowski, chief adviser to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, said during an appearance on “The Benny Show”. “We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you in a detention facility, and we will deport you.” 

Despite the criticism and backlash, Bad Bunny continues to have a strong fan base. Niklaus Miller has been a long-time supporter of the artist, and when he found out that Bad Bunny was headlining the 2026 Super Bowl, he couldn’t be more excited. But there was a problem, Miller doesn’t speak Spanish. So he decides to learn before the big performance. “I was like, ‘Nik, you need to learn these songs!” He says in an interview with People magazine. “I thought it would be fun to post videos, make people laugh, and let them follow my progress. It felt authentic, like one of my wild ideas.”

At the end of the day, it is the Bad Bunny show. In a statement, Bad Bunny said, "“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. It's for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown…this is for my people, my culture, and my history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el Halftime Show del Super Bowl [English translation: Go tell your grandma we’re going to be the Super Bowl Halftime Show].”