Both praise and criticism of the American identity sparked amid the Feb. 8 Super Bowl LX halftime show as Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny performed as the first Spanish-language solo performance, ESPN reported.
Super Bowl LX was held in Santa Clara, California, in the San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium. The Super Bowl, often referred to as “America’s biggest stage,” has millions of viewers both in-person and through screens.
Some viewers, including President Donald Trump, criticized the performance. In a Truth Social post, the president called the show “terrible” and “one of the worst, EVER,” a CNN article said. The president explained that the language was not understood and that the performance was disgusting for children to watch, while supporters like Lady Gaga called the performance “powerful, important, and meaningful” in her Instagram caption.
Throughout his 13-minute performance, Bad Bunny continued to reference varying symbolisms representing power in Latin American communities and subtle implications to American politics, according to Billboard:
- Sugar Cane Fields: referencing Puerto Rico’s colonial history.
- Family and Games: featuring Abuelos playing dominoes to reference generational traditions.
- La Casita: A reference to Puerto Rican homes, honoring community and cultural architecture and roots. Bad Bunny featured many other A-List celebrities in his portable casita, including Cardi B, Pedro Pascal, Karol G, and Jessica Alba.
- God Bless America → Together, We Are America: Bad Bunny closed out his performance by listing every nation among “The Americas” – North, South, and Central America, with the accompanying flags appearing. Supporters said the performance promoted togetherness, creating a celebratory message on the Latin community’s integral part of American culture.
The performance also featured performers of various backgrounds and races.
Colorism and division are often overlooked topics; a 2021 CNN article explains that Latinos feel that lighter skin tones allow for greater opportunities granted in the United States. “About 59% of respondents said that having a lighter skin color helps the group get ahead in America, the report states. Meanwhile, 62% of Latinos said a darker skin color hurts them,” Nicole Chavez wrote based on findings from a Pew Research Center study.
Bad Bunny’s halftime show featured performers and celebrities of varying complexions and races not only in Latinx communities but also globally, engaging a strong form of representation. In his monologue, Bad Bunny encouraged viewers to believe in themselves:
“Mi nombre es Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, y si hoy estoy aquí en el Super Bowl 60 es porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí. Tú también deberías de creer en ti. Vales más de lo que piensas, créeme.”
The performance prompted conversations of cultural affirmation with recent anti-immigration controversies, concluding with the projection of: “The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate, is Love,” a message Bad Bunny spoke at the end of his Grammys acceptance speech one week before his halftime performance.
