On the evening of February 8, 2026, Bad Bunny was the headlining performer at Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, singing 14 songs almost exclusively in Spanish in front of 135.4 million viewers, breaking last year’s 133.5 million-record held by Kendrick Lamar,according to early industry reports on February 9. The only English words he used were “God Bless America.” He then proceeded to name Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, the U.S., and Canada, redefining “America” as a continent. A football held up by a performer read “Together, We Are America.” The NFL paid him $0, sticking to its policy. However, the statement on the jumbotron hinted at something bigger.
“This Is for My People, My Culture”
Bad Bunny announced his Super Bowl performance in September last year, saying, “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown. This is for my people, my culture, and our history,” according to People on October 5. He became the first Latino solo artist to headline a halftime show. California declared February 8, 2026, “Bad Bunny Day.” Despite celebration, critics immediately questioned his selection. The reactions revealed deeper divisions that would play out over the next four months.
The 4-Month Political Firestorm
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Bad Bunny performs during halftime in Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The criticism started in October 2025. President Trump criticized Bad Bunny, calling him “absolutely ridiculous.” He went on to say, “I’ve never heard of him. I don’t know who he is, ” according to Wikipedia. House Speaker, Mike Johnson, expressed his doubt about his “crossover appeal.” He went on to suggest Lee Greenwood, a country music singer. Another politician, Kristi Noem, who is the Secretary of Homeland Security, announced that ICE agents would attend the game. Turning Point USA struck back by hosting a Kid Rock event. For four months, what normally would have been considered entertainment became a debate about identity, politics, and culture. The NFL, however, did not change its strategy.
Why the NFL Stood Its Ground
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the decision to feature Bad Bunny by stating that the artist is “one of the greatest artists in the world” and was “carefully thought through” according to ESPN on January 29, 2026. NFL SVP Marissa Solis pointed out the fact that there were over 39 million Latino NFL fans in the United States and stated that “the growth of the NFL is mathematically impossible without Latinos.” The GDP of Latinos in the United States for 2023 was $4.1 trillion, which is the 5th largest economy in the world. According to a report by McKinsey, Latinos were projected to generate 1/3 of the total growth in the sports market in the United States by 2035. The decision was not only about culture; it was a business decision worth billions of dollars. The payoff was about to be seen live.
The Quote That Started It All
Prior to the game, Bad Bunny said: “English is not my first language, but it’s okay. It’s not America’s first language, either,” according to Forbes on February 8. The reference to languages existing prior to European settlement was not well received, but the truncated version of the statement, removing “first,” would be what caused the controversy. By performing next, he would be breaking stereotypes not through controversy but through art. The three English words during the game would be what would be talked about by millions.
God Bless America — and Then Some
When Bad Bunny finally spoke English, his first words were “God Bless America,” immediately followed by Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, the United States, and Canada, according to Forbes on February 8, 2026. Jay-Z, who is in charge of the halftime performance, allegedly told him to be “fearless” in his choices, according to Yahoo Entertainment on February 6. The jumbotron screen read “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” The use of this single English phrase to redefine America as a continent rather than a nation was meant to be felt beyond the stadium and to exceed the expectation of the audience.
Trump’s Real-Time Reaction
In fact, during the event, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely dreadful, one of the worst ever! It lacks coherence, it is an insult to the greatness of America” and “Nobody comprehends a single word this individual is uttering,” per Entertainment Weekly, dated February 8, 2026. Jay-Z, prior to all of this, had dismissed critics as astroturfers, saying, “They love him. Don’t let them fool you,” per Wikipedia. The real question, however, was whether people were missing out on the message or whether they were witnessing history, as 18.9 million tuned in within hours of the event on YouTube, per Yahoo Sports, dated February 9.
The $600 Million Stage He Got for Free
Bad Bunny did not make any money for his performance at the half-time show because the NFL does not compensate artists for such performances. However, advertisers spent huge amounts of cash for the 30-second spots, which were averaging $8 million each, and the premium spots going for $10 million each. The total costs for each advert, which included production costs, talent costs, and marketing costs, were ranging from $12 million to $50 million, according to CFO.com on February 5. The total revenue generated from advertisements for the Super Bowl was approximately $600 million. The free performance by Bad Bunny was a huge success because it showed that a Spanish-language television show could generate huge dollars and capture the attention of millions who were unaware that it was a bilingual show.
What It Meant for Puerto Rico and Latinos
Bad Bunny’s influence extends beyond the stadium. In 2025, he limited mainland U.S. concerts due to ICE concerns, performing 31 sold-out shows in Puerto Rico, generating $200 million to $713 million in economic impact, according to USA Today and El País. On SNL in October 2025, he told Latinos, “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,” according to People. The Super Bowl amplified this cultural visibility to 70 million U.S. Latinos.
3 Words, 135 Million Witnesses, 1 Question
Bad Bunny spoke three English words to the largest halftime audience in history: “God Bless America.” Then he expanded the meaning of America itself. The Wall Street Journal described it as using “joy to put out political firestor.” The Washington Post noted, “For those hoping for a provocative spectacle, Bad Bunny did not offer much to engage with,” on February 8. What appeared to be a culture-war moment became a reminder that America has always spoken more than one language, witnessed by 135 million people celebrating music, identity, and history.
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Sources:
Bad Bunny’s First And Only English Words At The Super Bowl Halftime Show Were About America. Forbes, February 8, 2026
Why the NFL stood by Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show. ESPN, January 29, 2026
Donald Trump blasts Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 2026 halftime show. Entertainment Weekly, February 8, 2026
Super Bowl LX halftime show. Wikipedia (aggregating BBC, AP, Billboard primary reporting), February 8, 2026
Seahawks win Super Bowl. Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Yahoo Sports / USA Today, February 9, 2026
