“Music is something no one can control” — Bad Bunny
Two weeks ago, Bad Bunny, the globally renowned Puerto-Rican rapper, announced he would have no US dates for his 2025/26 world tour. The Puerto Rican rapper had explained his thinking.
"People from the US 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. But there was the issue that ... like, fucking ICE could be outside (my concert). And it's something that we were talking about and very concerned about."
However, Bad Bunny will in fact play a February 8 date in the US. On Sunday, the NFL announced that he would headline the halftime show at Super Bowl XL at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
In his original tour announcement, Bad Bunny (né Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) had assured everyone that this decision to avoid the US was not based on antipathy for Americans in general.
"There were many reasons why I didn't show up in the US, and none of them were out of hate. I've performed there many times. I've enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the United States."
In a statement following the NFL's announcement, Bad Bunny elaborated on the pride he felt for his heritage.
"This is for my people, my culture, and our history,"
Needless to say, MAGA was pissed. Their reaction was fueled by hate. And soon, outraged bigots aired their fear and loathing of everything Latino. Benny Johnson tweeted:
This is Bad Bunny.
He was just announced as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.
- Massive Trump hater
- Anti-ICE activist
- No songs in English
He even canceled his entire US tour for this reason: "F***ing ICE could be outside my concert. And it's something that we were talking about and very concerned about."
The NFL is self-destructing year after year.
Johnson may wish that the NFL were self-destructing. But the numbers say otherwise. In the 2020s, the NFL has consistently averaged 17 million viewers per game. Super Bowl LIX set a record for the most Americans watching a TV show — 127 million.
Johnson was not alone. Some guy named Robby Starbuck tweeted:
Roger Goodell and the @NFL just decided to make the Super Bowl political by picking Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl music act.
The guy literally says he isn't touring the US because of Trump's ICE raids and just released a video mocking President Trump.
Also, most of his songs aren't even in English.
And another charmer, Dan O'Donnell, tweeted.
The NFL just announced Bad Bunny as its Super Bowl halftime show. Bad Bunny said two weeks ago he won't perform in the US because he's scared ICE agents would deport his fans. Turns out his business sense far outweighs his moral convictions.
And there I was thinking that MAGA admired people whose "business sense far outweighs their moral convictions." However, that accusation in Bad Bunny's case is false. The NFL does not pay its headliners.
In addition, Bad Bunny's rationale for not playing US gigs is his fear that ICE will harass his typical concertgoers. However, the Super Bowl is the exclusive province of corporate types, plutocrats, and socialites. Not a crowd that ICE will inconvenience.
Ironically, no one has ever accused the NFL of putting moral considerations in the way of making a profit. So, you have to believe that their research has shown that having Bad Bunny will be better for their bottom line than some MAGA-acceptable country star.
