A week after securing three Grammy awards for his 2025 album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny made a landmark appearance at the Super Bowl halftime show, performing predominantly in Spanish. The performance, dubbed the ‘Benito Bowl’ after Bad Bunny’s real name, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was highly anticipated and became a meme sensation even before it happened. His show not only captivated audiences with numerous nods to Puerto Rican culture and history but also echoed with millions.
In just 13 minutes, Bad Bunny’s performance was rich with cultural and political symbolism, interspersed with touching and humorous moments that resonated with viewers, regardless of their cultural heritage. This was evidenced by thousands of memes highlighting a sense of Latine identity, irrespective of what DNA results might suggest.
The NFL’s choice of Bad Bunny stirred controversy last fall, drawing ire from the Trump administration due to his outspoken anti-ICE stance and other reasons rooted in racism and xenophobia, despite being a U.S. citizen. In response, the conservative group Turning Point USA organized an ‘All American Halftime Show’ featuring Kid Rock. Social media users quickly pointed out that even the young performer in Bad Bunny’s show had more Grammies than supporter Nicki Minaj.
Bad Bunny’s performance included powerful references to Puerto Rico’s colonial past, such as sugarcane fields, and the island’s frequent power outages symbolized by a climb up a faulty tower. The set mixed Boricua and Nuyorican elements, featuring a coco frío stand and a piragua cart, alongside a replica of La Marqueta in East Harlem. Toñita, a cultural icon from Brooklyn’s Caribbean Social Club, made a special appearance, underscoring the artist’s appreciation of New York’s Puerto Rican diaspora.
The performance, which even included a live wedding, left audiences feeling a newfound connection to Puerto Rican culture. Lady Gaga’s salsa version of ‘Die With a Smile’ and Ricky Martin’s duet on ‘Lo que le pasó a Hawaii’ were surprising highlights. Though not Latino, Gaga and Bad Bunny share mutual admiration. Their roles in the wedding scene played with typical cultural expectations.
Social media buzzed with the artistic choreography and historical references, like the sugarcane plants, which housed performers within them, adding a dynamic visual element. These props were a logistical marvel, quickly moved on and off the field. The spectacle of the walking plants was a highlight, expected to return by ‘Gay Halloween’ in October.
Spanish and Spanglish memes have captured the essence of Bad Bunny’s performance, including a creative remix of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’. For those who missed subtle details, a rewatch is recommended to fully appreciate the layers of cultural pride and resistance woven throughout. Even former President Trump couldn’t resist a peek, despite his promise to avoid it, which he lamented on Truth Social.
The takeaway is clear: confidence is captivating. And looking as good as Bad Bunny doesn’t hurt either.
