Bad Bunny’s Superbowl performance was an Afro-Carribean celebration — and protest

On Sunday Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny delivered an electrifying performance during theSuper Bowl LX half-time showand became the first artist to headline a Super Bowl solely in Spanish. The performance is being widely celebrated by black and brown audiences across the globe, particularly in the US and the Caribbean, as a moment of cultural pride and visibility. Bad Bunny specifically incorporated genres like Bomba, Plena and Salsa, which are deeply rooted in Afro-Caribbean struggles and African musical traditions, into his performance.

The show, which included his protest song,El Apagón (Blackout), was described as an act of resistance against the displacement of people, calling out the colonial relationship between Puerto Rico and the US. The performance was a global Latin music spectacle aimed at the Latin world, which includes diverse, Afro-Latino identities, sparking conversations about identity and inclusion that extend beyond American borders. ICE added 12 000 new officers and agents in 2025, bringing its workforce to more than 22 000.

The daily number of people in ICE detention increased by more than 75% in a year, reaching record highs of more than 70 000. Furthermore, enforcement has expanded from focusing on criminals to targeting all undocumented individuals, with arrests of people without criminal records rising. A week before his Super Bowl performance, Bad Bunnywon three Grammys, including album of the year forDeBÍ TiRAR Más FOToS, the first time a Spanish-language album has captured the ceremony’s top prize.

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During his acceptance speech for best música urbana album, Bad Bunny memorably said: “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say: ICE out,” to which he received applause from the audience of musicians and other industry insiders at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles,California. He went on to say: “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans.” He also said: “The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love.” The phrase was prominently displayed at the top of the stadium during Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance.

One badge of honour for the performance is how much it has angered US President Donald Trump who took to Truth Social to share his disgust. “The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence,” Trump wrote.

“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World. This “Show” is just a “slap in the face” to our Country.” Initial reports about the viewership for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl half-time show put it at 135.4 million viewers which would make it the most watched half-time show in Super Bowl history. The 14-minute set included guest performances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, along with cameos from the likes of Cardi B, Jessica Alba and Pedro Pascal.

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