At the Grammys Feb. 1,Bad Bunny said "ICE Out" while delivering his first acceptance speechof the night and got a standing ovation. When he later made history as thefirst Spanish-language album to win album of the year, he dedicated his Grammy Award to "all the people who had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams."
Two days later, White House press secretary Karoline Leavittcriticized Bad Bunny for "trying to demonize law enforcement."Later in the week,Leavitt said President Donald Trump"would much rather prefer aKid Rock performance over Bad Bunny," referring to theTurning Point USAcounter-halftime show.
With only days to Sunday's Super Bowl, all eyes are on the 31-year-old reggaeton artist and not just for his music.
"He probably won't even have the most political halftime show on immigration," says Sam Sanders,host of KCRW's "The Sam Sanders Show." In 2020, when JLo and Shakira co-headlined, they had "kids in mock-up cages to shine a light onDonald Trump's immigration policy during his first term. Bad Bunny has already said enough to be political."
"The halftime show is secondary at this point," he adds.
TheNFL partnered with Jay-Z and Roc Nationto produce the Apple Music Halftime Show in 2019, and ever since,The Weeknd,Usher,Rihanna,Kendrick Lamar, and others have been tapped to headline.
"There's been this narrative that makes it seem as if so many of the halftime shows since then have been problems because they're too political," Sanders says. But the ratings haven't wavered;Lamar's 2025 halftime show performancebecame the most-watched of all time with 133.5 million viewers.
And if viewers knew where to look − beyond actor Samuel L. Jackson appearing as Uncle Sam or backup dancers dressed in white, red, and blue lining up to create the illusion of the American flag − Lamar's halftime set spoke to the Black experience, racial injustice and referenced Gil Scott-Heron's famous 1971 "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" spoken word poem.
It was a nod to how art and music have been used to move culture forward and spark social movements, all while still entertaining.
"Historically, music and art are political," says Darlene Lopez, Founder and Managing Director ofEvoke Creative. "But I do feel it's a bit unfair how much expectation is had on Black and brown artists to make a political statement."
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Does Bad Bunny owe fans a grand political statement at the Super Bowl?
Bad Bunny's political stance on issues affecting Puerto Rico, specifically, and the Latino community has been firm since the start.
During Trump's first term, two back-to-back hurricanes, including Hurricane Maria, ravaged the island in 2017, and the "Turista" artist criticized the president for his response and lack of aid to Puerto Rico. He's spoken up against transphobia and opposed colonialism and gentrification in Puerto Rico, and in 2019, he stopped hisEuropean tour to return home to protestwhenPuerto Ricans were demanding Governor Ricardo Rosselló's resignation.
For Bad Bunny, every album, every tour and every day is a new opportunity to reach new career heights. In November 2025, the Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar kicked off his 24-date DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour with back-to-back nights in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Then, in December, her performed more shows in Mexico City before kicking off the new year in Santiago, Chile, and then making a quit pit stop back in the states to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February.
Scroll through to see some of the best moments from Benito's world tour, which is sponsored in part by Hennessy. In this photo, Bad Bunny performs during the world tour opener at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Nov. 21, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Bad Bunny performs during his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellin, Colombia, on Jan. 23, 2026. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny is set to hit the Super Bowl halftime show stage in the San Francisco Bay Area in two weeks." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Fans of Bad Bunny await his concert on Jan. 23, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
A vendor shows Bad Bunny-themed t-shirts outside the Atanasio Girardot Stadium before the artist's concert in Medellin, Colombia on Jan. 23, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs during his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour in Colombia." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
A street vendor sells Bad Bunny merchandise outside the Atanasio Girardot Stadium." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
A fan wears a Bad Bunny-themed outfit." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs during his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour in Colombia." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
During the first act of the night on Dec. 11 in Mexico City, Bad Bunny welcomed Lorén Aldarondo Torres, the lead singer for the band Chuwi for a performance of "WELTiTA."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny and J Balvin found their way back to the "Oasis" of friendship recently. The Latin music superstars, who'd been rumored to be feuding, reconciled during a surprise reunion at Bad Bunny's Mexico City concert on Dec. 21, as seen in social media footage of the pair's performance." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
For the Dec. 11 date, Bad Bunny brought out Colombian singer Feid for the exclusive song of the night "Perro Negro."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
During Bad Bunny's fourth night in Mexico City on Dec. 15, 2025, the Puerto Rican star invited Mexican music group Grupo Frontera as his special guest to perform "un x100to." " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera in Mexico City on Dec. 15, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs on stage during Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour at Estadio GNP Seguros on Dec. 11, 2025, in Mexico City, Mexico." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
As he shared Puerto Rico with the world this summer, Bad Bunny's La Casita stage − designed after a traditional home − became one of the hottest celeb destinations of the season. Week after week, the casita welcomed A-listers, from NBA legend LeBron James to "Mad Men" actor Jon Hamm. Bad Bunny's "Caught Stealing" costar Austin Butler also attended, and singer Becky G, actress Penélope Cruz and her husband Javier Bardem, fellow Boricua Ricky Martin and Mexican pop star Belinda were a few of the many spotted in the VIP section at the shows.
And for the world tour shows, it's no different. Mexican actor Diego Boneta was spotted at the HENNESSY CLúB stationed at GNP Seguros Stadium, an elevated pre-show interactive experience featuring signature cocktails and immersive brand moments." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
"Manifest" and "Jurassic World Rebirth" actress Luna Blaise was also spotted at the Hennessy activation. The Mexico City experience brought together creators, tastemakers, media and fans to honor the vibrant spirit of the city while spotlighting Hennessy's ongoing partnership with Bad Bunny and the brand's commitment to championing Latin culture around the world. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Diego Boneta attends Bad Bunny's "DtMF" concert in Mexico City. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs on stage during Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour world tour at Estadio GNP Seguros on Dec. 11, 2025, in Mexico City, Mexico." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Audience reacts as Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs during a concert of his "DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS World Tour" in Mexico City on Dec. 10, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera on Dec. 15, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
TikTok creator Zack Lugo attends Bad Bunny's "DtMF" concert in Mexico City with Hennessy. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Audience use their phones as Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs during a concert of his "DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS World Tour" in Mexico City on Dec. 10, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs on stage at Estadio GNP Seguros on Dec. 10, 2025, in Mexico City, Mexico." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs on stage at Estadio GNP Seguros on Dec. 10, 2025, in Mexico City, Mexico." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny is projected on a screen as he performs in San Jose, Costa Rica, on Dec. 5, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny's tour kickoff on Nov. 21, 2025, began with a visualizer showing two boys hearing the news that he didn't want to leave Puerto Rico, a nod to his groundbreaking "No Me Quiero Ir de Aqui" residency. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny's shows will unfold in three acts, with the beginning act taking place on the main stage. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The second act continues in La Casita, where Bad Bunny treats the concert like one big house party. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
To close out the night on Nov. 21, 2025, Bad Bunny delivered a heartfelt moment with "DtMF" and projected fan photos on the towering LED screen. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
With Bad Bunny's latest tour, which began with his Puerto Rico residency, he is set to make history as the first Latin act to headline stadiums globally, including Europe, Australia and Latin America." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny's roster of A-list celebs attending his shows has also proved his music transcends language, borders and cultures − and that whoever isn't caught up on his game is losing out on one of the most influential artists of our time." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS" pays tribute to Bad Bunny's Boricua roots and sees the singer incorporate traditional genres such as Plena, salsa, and jibaro into his signature Latin urbano sound." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
As Bad Bunny continues to make history with his world tour, he also continues to dominate global streaming lists of 2025. For the fourth time, Bad Bunny was named Spotify's Global Top Artist." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
In statistics shared exclusively with USA TODAY, Spotify revealed that if a single person attempted to listen to all the Bad Bunny streams from 2025 back-to-back, it would take 124,620 years or over 1,200 centuries of non-stop music. He has a loyal band of 27 million listeners and every day his music is streamed over 60 million times on the app." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Luna Blaise attends Bad Bunny's "DtMF" concert in Mexico City. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
TikTok creator Zack Lugo attends Bad Bunny's "DtMF" concert in Mexico City with Hennessy. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs on stage during Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera on Dec. 15, 2025." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Best moments from Bad Bunny's Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour
ForBad Bunny, every album, every tour and every day is a new opportunity to reach new career heights.In November 2025, the Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar kicked off his 24-dateDeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tourwith back-to-back nights in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Then, in December, her performed more shows in Mexico City before kicking off the new year in Santiago, Chile, and then making a quit pit stop back in the states to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February.Scroll through to see some of the best moments from Benito's world tour, which is sponsored in part by Hennessy. In this photo, Bad Bunny performs during the world tour opener at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Nov. 21, 2025.
"There's an expectation of Bad Bunny also because he's shown time and time again that that's important to him and his brand," adds Lopez. "He has managed to make music that you could shake your butt to that was also addressing blackouts in Puerto Rico" with "El Apagón" from 2022's "Un Verano Sin Ti," she says.
Petra Rivera-Rideau, a professor at Wellesley College and academic expert on reggaetón, says that Bad Bunny's commitment is "always to Puerto Rico."
"He speaks up about those things because he's a concerned citizen, not because he feels, as a celebrity, that he has an obligation to do so," she says.
'An artist's job is to perform their craft'
ForVanessa Díaz, a Loyola Marymount University professor and cocreator of theBad Bunny Syllabus Project, the answer to whether the four-timeSpotify Global Top Artist, or any other celebrity with a massive platform, owes the public anything beyond their art is twofold.
"I don't think that any artist owes anyone anything," says Díaz. "What the artist owes them is being their true selves, and if that is a grand political statement, then it is, and if it's not, then it's not. An artist's job is to perform and share their craft in a way that feels true to their artist self, and Bad Bunny always does that."
Authenticity to Bad Bunny has meant speaking up for Puerto Rico and "very specifically focused on performing in Spanish, in Puerto Rican Spanish, and not accommodating an English market in that way," Díaz adds. "We cannot underestimate how political it is."
Bad Bunny accepts the album of the year award for "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS" onstage during the 68th Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, 2026, in Los Angeles" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny poses with the album of the year, best música urbana album and best global music performance awards during the 68th Grammy Awards." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs onstage during the first show of his 30-date (which ended up being 31 in total) concert residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 11, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny thanked his fans for "letting me sing in my home in front of my friends, my family and my people" on what was the final night of his residency in September 2025. "Thank you for that," he said. "I love you, thank you for being a part of this."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
On top of his Puerto Rico residency, Bad Bunny was also juggling life as a Hollywood actor attending the premiere of "Caught Stealing" on Aug. 26, 2025, in New York City. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny starred alongside Austin Butler in the movie. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Earlier in summer 2025, Bad Bunny was spotted at Netflix's "Happy Gilmore 2" premiere on July 21, 2025, in New York City, which he starred alongside Adam Sandler." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny at the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025. Bad Bunny gave a playful Puerto Rican twist to the Black dandy theme with a crisp espresso brown suit. He paired the custom-made Prada ensemble with a brimmed hat resembling a pava, a traditional straw hat made from leaves of the Puerto Rican hat palm." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny onstage at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 17, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny onstage at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 17, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny onstage at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 17, 2025. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
In February 2025, Bad Bunny attended "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" in New York City. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs during his Most Wanted Tour at the Kaseya Center in Miami on May 24, 2024. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny attends the Dior Homme Menswear spring/summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 21, 2024. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs at the Crypto.com Arena during his Most Wanted tour in Los Angeles, March 13, 2024." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Cardi B, Chencho Corleone, Ivy Queen and reggaeton duo Jowell y Randy." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
declaring Oct. 1 as the official Bad Bunny Day. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
two new wax figures at Orlando and New York's Madame Tussauds on April 19, 2022. The figure at Madame Tussauds New York is wearing the iconic all-silver look from the Grammy-winner's 2020 Super Bowl performance alongside Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and J Balvin, complete with the same silver jacket he wore. The wax figure in Orlando is wearing an outfit originally from his WWE Royal Rumble performance and is featured in his "Booker T" music video. For the figure, Bad Bunny donated his trenchcoat, vest, trousers, and pants. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny is set to portray the title role in "El Muerto," making history as Marvel's first Latino lead in a live-action film. He calls the film the "perfect role" for him.Before suiting up as the super-powered wrestler, the Puerto Rican rapper will make his big-screen acting debut in the neon-drenched "Bullet Train" (in theaters July 29), doing battle with Brad Pitt. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
April 2021 at WWE's WrestleMania 37. In this photo, taken Jan. 29, 2022, Bad Bunny jumped into the ring again during the Royal Rumble match at The Dome at America's Center. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
22nd Latin Grammy Awards. That night he took home the award for best rap/hip hop song for "Booker T" and best urban music album for "El Último Tour del Mundo." " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny makes history at the Grammys. The Puerto Rican star's career in photos.
Bad Bunny accepts the album of the year award for "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS" onstage during the 68th Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, 2026, in Los Angeles
For Sanders, this halftime showdisplays the NFL's global ambitionsand it's almost a disservice to only focus on the political.
"If we let the conversation just be about American politics and Bad Bunny, we're missing the point," he says. "This is a moment in which America needs to realize that we aren't the only people in the room. The NFL wants to talk to the entire world, and Bad Bunny already does."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Will Bad Bunny make a political statement at the Super Bowl?
