Bad Bunny celebrates Puerto Rico at Super Bowl

Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny on Sunday turned the Super Bowl into a giant street party, emphasizing unity over division in his groundbreaking Spanish-language set -- but still earning President Donald Trump's scorn.

Anticipation was high for the 31-year-old's set, amid rampant speculation about whether he would use his platform to renew his criticism of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in front of tens of millions of viewers.

But the wildly popular musician, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, instead made good on his pre-game promise to joyously share his culture -- and largely avoided overt political statements in favor of subtle messaging through symbols.

In a set featuring a sugar cane plantation, a traditional "piragua" cart selling treats, and even a wedding, he opened with "Titi Me Pregunto" and feminist anthem "Yo Perreo Sola," with a cast of dancers fueling the party atmosphere.

Actors Pedro Pascal and Jessica Alba, and rapper Cardi B were among the guest stars vibing in his familiar "La Casita" backdrop, representing a home in Puerto Rico.

Bad Bunny performs during the halftime show. Reuters

Bad Bunny wore an all-white ensemble, with a football jersey featuring the number "64" and "Ocasio," before donning a classy suit jacket.

He delved into more political territory with "El Apagon" (Blackout), which touches on the displacement of Puerto Ricans on their own island, and the constant problems caused by the unreliable power grid. He carried a Puerto Rican flag at one point.

The performance also included a young boy watching the Grammys on an old television set. Bad Bunny, who won the Album of the Year prize a week ago, presented the child -- perhaps a younger version of himself -- with a golden gramophone.

The internet went wild with unverified rumors that the child was Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old Ecuadoran boy recently detained by US immigration agents in Minnesota.

An NFL spokesman confirmed to AFP that the boy was an actor, and an Instagram post seemingly from the child in question, Lincoln Fox, was hashtagged #youngbadbunny.

Bad Bunny performs alongside celebrities including Jessica Alba during the halftime show. Reuters

Surprise musical guests included Lady Gaga, who sang a Latin-inflected version of her hit "Die with a Smile" -- the only English lyrics in the show -- and Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin.

'Affront'

At the Grammys, Bad Bunny made a searing statement about Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown, earning cheers for saying "ICE out" from the stage.

But on Sunday, he did not call out the Republican president.

At the end of the set, after listing Latin American countries, Puerto Rico, the United States and Canada, Bad Bunny spiked a football that said "Together, we are America."

A giant screen in the stadium read: "The only thing more powerful than hate is love."

Trump nevertheless quickly took issue with the performance, saying: "Nobody understands a word this guy is saying" -- even though government data shows more than 41 million Americans speak Spanish.

Posting on his Truth Social account, he called the show "an affront to the Greatness of America."

Early backlash

Bad Bunny has been Spotify's most-streamed artist in the world four separate times, including last year, and won Album of the Year at the Grammys with "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" -- the first Spanish-language work to win music's highest accolade.

But the decision to showcase his work at the Super Bowl in California was met with conservative outrage -- specifically about the idea that he would not sing in English.

Lady Gaga and Bad Bunny perform during the halftime show. Reuters

The NFL entered into an agreement in 2019 with Jay-Z's entertainment company Roc Nation, which leads the league's entertainment strategy.

Since that time, the list of Super Bowl headliners included Jennifer Lopez and Shakira (with a guest spot for Bad Bunny), but the duo did not perform exclusively in Spanish, leaving Bad Bunny to set that benchmark.

From Vega Baja to Super Bowl

Bad Bunny grew up in Vega Baja, a small municipality near Puerto Rico's capital San Juan.

He was working at a supermarket bagging groceries when he got a call from a label over his viral plays on the DIY platform SoundCloud.

Thus began the reggaeton star's rapid explosion to the top of global music.

Late last year, Bad Bunny released "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos," a history lesson in Puerto Rican music that he promoted with a hometown concert residency in San Juan and a world tour.

In Puerto Rico, a US territory since 1898, there was nothing but pride for the island's native son.

"For someone from here to be at one of the most important events in the United States is a source of pride for every Puerto Rican," Olvin Reyes, 39, told the media.

Agence France-Presse