By Bridgette Estrada, February 10, 2026
Bad Bunny’s all Spanish mega performance at the Super Bowl Half-time Show Feb. 8 was a bold declaration of Latino significance and belonging in America.
This performance came at a time when the Latinx community is under persecution due to heightened political targeting. Families continue to be separated, life-long dreams are being crushed and uncertainty defines daily life.
Bad Bunny taking one of the most important stages in the U.S. was so much more than just a show. It was inclusion, it was confidence and it was reassurance of permanency. Latinos are here, they’ve been here, and they are here to stay.
Natalie Munoz, a computer science student, said Bad Bunny’s performance is important because it solidified the importance of the Latinx community in America, as this was an immense opportunity for exposure.
“when I saw he was playing, I thought it was really important because we are finally getting noticed.”
Conservative commentator Tomi Lahren referred to the Puerto Rican artist in 2023 as “not an American artist” on a podcast, a statement that fueled controversy and reignited debates over who gets to rightfully be called a U.S. citizen, despite Puerto Rico being a U.S. territory.
This conversation brought to light a persistent narrative that attempts to separate Latino identity and culture from America, even though the nation itself was built on the backs of immigrants.
Bad Bunny is not only known for his provocative lyrics and signature Latin beats; he is also widely recognized for his continued advocacy for the Latinx community. His song “El Apagón,” for example, served as a powerful statement on the realities Puerto Ricans face during political corruption and economic dishonesty among those in power. He reinforced this message in his performance, using it as a powerful stand against injustice.”
Earlier this week he drew national attention during his Grammy acceptance speech when he protested ICE, stating “ICE OUT” before accepting his award — a bold act of political disagreement on one of the world’s most watched stages. It was no surprise that Bad Bunny expanded his protest onto the largest stage in American spectacle, the Super Bowl Halftime Show. But he didn’t begin with submission, he began with redefinition. When he declared “God bless America,” the statement did not function as nationalist praise, but as reclamation. It was immediately reframed through the intentional centering and acknowledgment of all of the Americas North, Central, and South, ransforming “America” from a U.S.-exclusive identity into a hemispheric one. In that moment, Bad Bunny disrupted the colonial ownership of the word itself, reminding the world that America does not belong to one nation, one language, or one flag. It belongs to the people, the lands, the histories, and the cultures that span the entire continent.
That political framing deepened when he brought out Puerto Rican icon Ricky Martin to declare, ‘Stop gentrification—let beauty be beautiful.’ It was a way of saying, ‘Love us, let us be,’ because they will not sit back and watch their land and their culture disappear.
An all-Spanish performance is a bold statement not only to Latinos across America,but to America as a whole. It declares Latinidad does not need to be diluted, does not need to fit a certain mold nor conform to a stereotype. Latinidad is unapologetic, it is bold and it deserves to be seen and heard in its purest form Bad Bunny did not fail to uplift his people, opening with classic reggaeton during his entrance, including ‘Gasolina’ by Daddy Yankee—the song that helped launch urban Latin music in the U.S. and around the world. By centering artists like Karol G and Cardi B, and staging figures like Jessica Alba and Pedro Pascal inside “La Casita,” the performance transformed the halftime show into a symbolic barrio,an occupied cultural space reclaiming visibility, voice, and power.
Isabel Bustamante-López, a Spanish bilingualism & identity professor at Cal Poly Pomona, said she believes Bad Bunny’s performance, and his global influence, will play an important role in elevating the Spanish language in the United States and across the world. She believes representation at this level helps shift cultural perceptions and affirms Spanish as a legitimate and powerful language, not one confined to the margins.
“Creo que incluir a un cantante tan famoso de ascendencia puertorriqueña es muy importante para ayudar a difundir el uso y la importancia del español en Estados Unidos y en el mundo entero,” Bustamante-Lopez said.For millions of Latinx families watching, this performance delivered a sense of pride, unity and belonging. Latinos are a vital part of America, and those watching could not deny it. Their people matter, and their culture brings a vibrant, flavorful seasoning to the melting pot that is America. Lady Gaga’s appearance in the show solidified this idea of embracing our differences as one. There’s beauty in diversity.
Neshara Smith, a psychology student , said she was excited about the performance, “the world needs something like that on a larger scale. I feel like it’s going to put minorities on top, because I feel like the world is continuously trying to put us down,” Neeshara said. For her, Bad Bunny’s presence represents more than music; it represents inclusion, empowerment and visibility for communities that are too often erased from national narratives.
Latinos may be facing horrendous acts of alienation, isolation and oppression, but Bad Bunny’s performance at the Super Bowl is a bold protest against ICE and against a political system that does not serve the inclusive world we now witness. This performance is a celebration of unity for Latinos and for all Americans.
Feature graphic courtesy of Connor Lalea Hampton