Picture Credit: Courtesy Apple Music. Bad Bunny performing at Super Bowl LX. on Feb. 8, 2026.
Bad Bunny is using his national platform and growing fame to combat ICE and growing tension in America.
Bad Bunny makes history at the Grammys
Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio—known by stage name “Bad Bunny”— won three Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, 2026.
Bad Bunny’s 2025 album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” won two categories: “Best Música Urbana Album” and “Album of the Year”. The colorful album became the first Spanish-only album to win the “Album of the Year” category.
His third award of the night came from his victory in the category “Best Global Musical Performance.”
This victory signals a potential shift in American music culture as predominantly non-English albums slowly begin to hold more importance at the Grammy Awards shows. Representation on the world music stage has become increasingly widespread, with the integration of categories such as the “Best Música Urbana Album” in 2022 and the “Best Música Mexicana Album” —including Tejano— in 2012.
Ocasio’s speech for his “Album of the Year” award was an ode to the people of Puerto Rico — and was delivered entirely in Spanish. He dedicated the prestigious award to his mother, his homeland and everyone who supported him on his way to stardom.
In his acceptance speech for the “Best Música Urbana Album” award, the singer addressed many relevant issues overwhelming America at the moment, particularly regarding the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and ethnic minority groups.
“ICE out,” Ocasio said. “We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens, we are human and we are American.”
Bad Bunny headlines at Super Bowl Halftime Show
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seemed to completely support the artist’s comments at the Grammys.
“He understood the platform he was on, and that this platform is used to unite people and to be able to bring people together with their creativity,” Goodell said.
Goodell’s backing of Bad Bunny’s statement reached the public just before Bad Bunny performed for the massive Super Bowl halftime performance—just one week after the Grammys.
He performed songs such as “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR” and “NUEVAYoL.” The outro of the performance “DtMF” was highlighted by the display of flags from a multitude of North American and South American countries.
Hundreds of people danced and celebrated with one another, displaying joy and togetherness across millions of Americans’ screens. Much like his Grammy speeches, cross-cultural unity was the main focus of Bad Bunny’s halftime performance.
Celebrities Lady Gaga and Rickey Martin made guest appearances during the show. Their respective songs, “Die With A Smile” and “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii,” were performed by the artists during the show as well.
In terms of production value, this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show seemed to be one of the event’s most historically extravagant. The sets replicated entire towns, buildings and fields of crops that the performers danced and sang through.
Reactions to Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show
Reactions towards the show ranged widely. Some viewed it as a strong representation of the United States’ diversity, while others accused the show of being heinous and inappropriate.
President Donald Trump responded extremely negatively to the show on his X account.
“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,” President Trump said.
Pop sensation Selena Gomez fled to her Instagram to express feelings of intense support.
“You and [the] BB Team killed it last night like [they do] every time,” Gomez said.
Bad Bunny’s historic year will undoubtedly be discussed in the future with great acclaim, as both this year’s Grammy Awards and Super Bowl halftime performance present him as one of the world’s most influential musical artists.
