OAN Staff Blake Wolf and Brooke Mallory
4:49 PM – Monday, September 29, 2025
Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny, dubbed the “king of Latin trap,” will reportedly headline the Super Bowl after previously choosing to tour abroad rather than perform in the United States, citing President Donald Trump’s efforts to combat illegal immigration.
The performance is scheduled for February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The announcement was made by the NFL, Apple Music, and Roc Nation during a Sunday Night Football broadcast.
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, also known by his stage name “Bad Bunny,” was previously the most-streamed artist in the world on Spotify in 2022, jumping past Taylor Swift to claim the top spot.
The announcement came in a Saturday social media post, in which Ocasio could be seen sitting on a goalpost while his most famous song “DtMF” played in the background. The song has received over 1 billion streams on Spotify alone.
Ocasio previously supported former Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. After comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made a joke at his region’s expense during President Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally last October, Bad Bunny responded by sharing a tribute video to Puerto Rico and posting a clip of Harris outlining her plans for the island.
At the time, Hinchcliffe’s joke referenced how Puerto Rico struggles with solid waste and trash management. Many of the island’s landfills are full or operating past capacity, and some have even been ordered closed by the EPA for not meeting federal environmental standards.
“There’s a lot going on. I don’t know if you know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now, I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” Hinchliffe joked, prompting backlash from leftists and liberals.
Ocasio also previously skipped appearances in the United States during his world tour due to the fear that his fans could potentially end up in custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate,” Ocasio stated. “Specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an unincorporated territory of the U.S. … people from the U.S. could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world.”
“There was the issue of like, f***ing ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” he continued.
Ocasio condemned ICE activity in a June social media post as well.
“Look, those motherf***ers are in these cars, RAV-4s. They’re here in Pontezuela,” he stated in Spanish, referencing a city east of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Sons of b****es, instead of leaving the people alone and working there.”
Roc Nation chairman Jay-Z, who makes the final decision on the Super Bowl halftime show, added: “What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”
However, the artist’s selection to perform on the United States’ most prominent stage has sparked controversy among some sports fans, stemming from how his songs are almost entirely in Spanish, including his hits in reggaeton, Latin trap, and other genres. Critics point to the language barrier and his past comments condemning President Trump.
“Bad Bunny is a Trump hating anti – ICE activist who doesn’t even sing in English,” one user wrote in an X post.
“The concept of refusing to perform in the us to protest against the ICE and then agreeing to do the superbowl lmfao,” another user commented.
“I have not seen a single person who wants Bad Bunny to perform at the Super Bowl. It’s actually hilarious. Whoever picks these people should be fired,” added conservative activist Ryan Fournier.
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