By Mawunyo Gbogbo
Copyright abc
The Super Bowl is America’s most-watched television event.
According to Nielsen, it reaches more than 100 million viewers every year.
It’s a massive platform, and the half-time show is the ultimate stage to showcase the hottest acts in popular culture.
The announcement that Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Super Bowl half-time show has garnered a mixed reaction.
Bad Bunny has been critical of US President Donald Trump, even stating that he would skip the US on his 2025 world tour, which is scheduled to start in November, because he is concerned agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may try to conduct raids at his concerts.
He will perform in Australia next year, with two dates scheduled in Sydney.
In his first interview following the announcement, the rapper spoke to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden about the magnitude of putting Puerto Rico on a worldwide stage.
“I’m excited about my culture.”
The island of Puerto Rico exercises wide internal self-rule, despite being a US territory.
What are people saying?
Fans have expressed excitement, and the governor of California, where the Super Bowl will take place, has welcomed the announcement.
Jay-Z, whose entertainment company Roc Nation is collaborating with the NFL and Apple Music to put on the show, and who has curated performers since 2019, had high praise for Bad Bunny.
“We are honoured to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”
But Bad Bunny has his detractors.
Conservative podcaster Benny Johnson took to social media to label the artist an “anti-ICE activist” and “massive Trump hater,” and called him out for not having any songs in English.
Who is Bad Bunny?
His real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio and he told E! in 2020 about the origin of his stage name.
“I was so mad. That was Easter day in the school and the teacher picked me to dress up.”
He has won three Grammys and is one of the most-streamed artists on Spotify, reigning in the No.1 spot for three years in a row before being knocked from that position by Taylor Swift in 2023.
Over on Apple Music, Bad Bunny has racked up 10 songs on the top 500 most-streamed songs of all time list.
Bad Bunny’s hits include I Like It with Cardi B and J Balvin, DÁKITI, and DtMF. His songs have amassed billions of streams.
Apple Music says his album Un Verano Sin Ti broke the record for the biggest Latin album of all time by first-day streams worldwide — a record it still holds.
While the NFL has a history of pushing back against political messaging, music artists don’t always comply with direction.
The 2026 Apple Music Super Bowl half-time show will take place in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, February 8 local time.
