Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, known to the world as music sensation Bad Bunny, has been officially chosen to perform in the most coveted show for any musician: the Superbowl half-time performance. Notably, the majority of musicians see this position as an honour, given that it is the most watched 15 minutes of television in the USA. However, Bad Bunny’s morals as a Puerto Rican artist caused him to experience internal debate regarding the ethics of him taking the stage.
Bad Bunny accepting the role was shocking due to his initial refusal to perform in the USA. It was widely seen as unusual for an artist to refuse to perform in a country on his world tour, and then appear on “the world’s biggest stage,” but why did he initially refuse to perform in the USA?
He publicly claimed that his tour dates would not include the USA due to rising political tensions and his fears of the United States Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even though this would negatively impact his tour revenue. ICE is a federal law enforcement agency which is meant to protect public safety, yet has shown unique discrimination towards ethnic minority groups and especially immigrants. As a global sensation that attracts fans all over the world, he showed concern over how the ICE might affect fans outside his concert, anticipating that many would be ethnic minorities and immigrants.
Eventually choosing to perform at the Superbowl in February 2026, Bad Bunny confirmed (in his native Spanish) that he was doing it as an inspiration: “Go tell your grandma we’re going to be the Super Bowl half-time show!” Speaking in Spanish allowed him to address his fans who are integrated into his culture, telling them directly that he was using his platform for their community. His presence on such a large stage will greatly help to celebrate Latin culture, especially as anti-immigration efforts increase in the U.S.
“Go tell your grandma we’re going to be the Super Bowl half-time show!”
Regarding his fame, this has definitely brought Bad Bunny back into the public eye, which is ideal for both his career and his activism. The multi-Grammy Award winner will not only be seen and heard by millions around the world, but this surge in articles about his performing in the USA has given him an even greater platform to share his views on ICE, drawing on his fandom to hopefully also support ethnic minorities and immigrants.
