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Key Points Bad Bunny was announced as the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show performer, sparking controversy. Jay-Z, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Rita Moreno publicly supported Bad Bunny's selection. Bad Bunny said, “It’s a win for all of us… our contribution… no one will ever erase.” Ever since he was announced as the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show performer, everyone seems to have an opinion about Bad Bunny On Sunday, Sept. 28, the Latino superstar was revealed as the upcoming headliner for the big game, which stirred up plenty of controversy and outrage. Many spoke out in support of Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, and the decision to bring Latino culture onto the NFL’s biggest stage, though for every positive comment, there was someone taking issue with the choice. Now, Jay-Z, whose record label Roc Nation has organized the Super Bowl Halftime Show for years, is weighing in with his thoughts, after being asked by TMZ TV why he thinks people are hating on him. The rapper, real name Shawn Corey Carter, spoke in defense of the “MONACO” singer, revealing that he isn’t convinced by the backlash and thinks people actually “love him.” He then issued a bold five-word statement, “Don’t let them fool you,” while signing autographs. As the reporter asked for his Super Bowl predictions, he expressed, “I don’t have any.” Rita Moreno previously spoke out in defense of Bad Bunny, with the Puerto Rican actress exclaiming, “Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl? Ay, I’m delirious!” When it was mentioned that critics were upset because the reggaeton artist isn’t “American,” the 93-year-old replied, “So what? I’m Puerto Rican too. So what? What a nuisance!” Meanwhile, Shakira reminded everyone that Bad Bunny already stepped foot on that stage, recalling, “I remember when we did ours that even having part of our set in Spanish was a bold move.” “Acceptance of Spanish-language music as part of the mainstream has come so far from when I started. I hope and like to think that all the times my music was met with resistance or puzzlement from the English-speaking world before it was embraced, [it] helped forge the path to where we are now,” she continued. Jennifer Lopez also jumped in to support the award-winning artist, stating, “Music and art transcends language. It doesn’t matter. He’s done that probably more than anybody of any generation.” Not everyone is on board, however, as Lara Trump offered to perform in the alternative Super Bowl Halftime Show previously announced by the late Charlie Kirk‘s organization, Turning Point USA. Despite the current controversy, Bad Bunny is continuing to achieve milestones, most recently accepting the prestigious Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards. As for his response to the drama, he made his stance very clear while hosting SNL, stating in his opening monologue, “But really, I’m very excited to be doing the Super Bowl and I know people all around the world that love my music are also happy,” before adding in Spanish, “Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world here in the United States who have worked to open doors. It’s more than a win for myself, it’s a win for all of us. Our footprints and our contribution in this country, no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it.” He then deadpanned the camera and added, “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”
