The National Football League announced Sunday night that Puerto Rican rap star Bad Bunny will be the Apple Music Halftime entertainer for Super Bowl LX, to be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 8, 2026. Bad Bunny’s given name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio.
.@sanbenito. Super Bowl LX. Santa Clara. February 2026. #AppleMusicHalftime #SBLX @AppleMusic @SNFonNBC @RocNation pic.twitter.com/CMn8BtUGzV
— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2025
The NFL’s announcement comes just weeks after Bad Bunny declared in a print interview he would not tour the United States, even though he is a U.S. citizen, out of fear ICE agents would arrest his fans outside his shows. Instead, Bad Bunny did a 30 show residency in Puerto Rico this summer that mainland Americans of means could fly over to attend.
Earlier this year, Bad Bunny posted a video of himself cursing at ICE agents in Puerto Rico:
Singer Bad Bunny blasted ICE after seeing them conducting a raid in Puerto Rico: “Look those motherf***ers… sons of b*tches” pic.twitter.com/iFxjr74MnQ
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 19, 2025
Excerpt from the Bad Bunny interview published by I-D Magazine, September 10:
Bad Bunny’s live residency in San Juan featured a series of concerts pointedly dubbed “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” (“I Don’t Want to Leave Here”). The Grammy-winning singer-MC did the unthinkable for someone with a new album to promote: He decided to stay home for the summer and play 30 nights in the place that raised him.
His residency shows, which began on July 11 and continued every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until September 14, were projected to bring in hundreds of thousands of tourists to Puerto Rico—and an estimated $200 million in revenue to show for it. It’s a boon for the archipelago, an unincorporated US territory that’s been run ragged by hurricanes, blackouts, and foreign profiteers who flip family homes into pricey Airbnb rentals.
…You said you wouldn’t be giving any concerts in the United States. Was this out of concern about [the mass deportations of] Latinos in the United States?
Man, honestly, yes. There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the US, and none of them were out of hate—I’ve performed there many times. All of [the shows] have been successful. All of them have been magnificent. I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the US But specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an unincorporated territory of the US… People from the US could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. But there was the issue of—like, f***ing ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin responded with a statement to NPR published September 18:
In a written statement to NPR Thursday, assistant DHS secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote:
“Bad Bunny is either seriously misinformed about ICE operations or is using law enforcement as an excuse because he won’t be able to sell tickets in the United States. ICE is not raiding concert venues. Pop stars choosing to fearmonger and demonize ICE law enforcement are contributing to the nearly 1,000% increase in assaults on ICE officers. If Sabrina Carpenter and Tate McRae are going on tour, so can he.”
CBS reported Bad Bunny is the most streamed artist in the world (excerpt):
The Puerto Rican singer is the most-streamed artist in the world. The 31-year-old has 10 Grammy nominations, with three wins. His three Grammy wins are for Best Latin Pop or Urban Album for YHLQMDLG, Best Musica Urbana Album for El Último Tour Del Mundo and Un Verano Sin Ti.
Some of his other awards include the American Music Award for Favorite Latin Artist, the BET Award for Single of the Year for his hit song “I Like It” with Cardi B and J Balvin and Billboard Top Latin.
Bad Bunny’s top songs are “Vete,” “Titi Me Pregunto,” “Que Pasaria” and “BAILE INoLIDABLE.”
Bad Bunny, who endorsed Kamala Harris last year…
Bad Bunny Supports Kamala Harris, Shares Her ‘I Will Never Forget What Donald Trump Did’ Message to Puerto Rican Voters https://t.co/Fi9x2GziGK
— billboard (@billboard) October 27, 2024
…released a song mocking President Trump on July 4:
Bad Bunny lanza fuerte crítica contra Donald Trump en su video de NUEVAYoL. pic.twitter.com/3Lq6RAKNpK
— Bad Bunny HQ (@BBPRTV) July 4, 2025
The video also featured the Statue of Liberty defaced with a Puerto Rican flag.
Powerful message.
Bad Bunny uses Donald Trump’s voice to speak against his immigration policies. He placed the Pro-Independence Puerto Rican flag on top of the Statue of Liberty and at the end, wrote “Together we are stronger”.
All of this on the 4th of July. pic.twitter.com/rkGooTyodz
— Bad Bunny HQ (@BBPRTV) July 4, 2025
love Bad Bunny i know he’s about to piss some people off pic.twitter.com/iu61jLgi4N
— Kat
(@showgirlkat) July 4, 2025
Robby Starbuck criticized the NFL’s decision to host Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl:
Roger Goodell and the @NFL just decided to make the Super Bowl political by picking Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl music act.
The guy literally says he isn’t touring the US because of Trump’s ICE raids and just released a video mocking President Trump.
Also, most of his songs aren’t even in English. This is not a pick designed to unite football fans or let people just enjoy the show. It was a pick designed to divide fans and no doubt Bad Bunny will find some way to push a woke message.
Are NFL owners in on this idiocy or are they just culturally that disconnected from reality and how Roger uses the NFL to push left wing social issues?
Is it that hard to pick a unifying music act who doesn’t want to peddle woke propaganda?
Does this guy really scream American football to anyone? Be for real with me. No one thinks he does. This isn’t about music, it’s about putting a guy on stage who hates Trump and MAGA.
Roger Goodell and the @NFL just decided to make the Super Bowl political by picking Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl music act.
The guy literally says he isn’t touring the US because of Trump’s ICE raids and just released a video mocking President Trump.
Also, most of his songs… pic.twitter.com/s2KYRzev4b
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 29, 2025
Bad Bunny is scheduled to be in New York City next weekend to host Saturday Night Live.
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